Soccer Signs Four Rising Stars for 2022 Campaign

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies received certification of National Letters of Intent and appropriate paperwork for four of the most coveted high school players in the nation, head coach G Guerrieri announced Wednesday.

All four prospects will be early enrollees and begin practicing with the squad in the spring in preparation for the 2022 season.

“This group of young women brings a lot to our program,” Guerrieri said. “Each of the four players bring unique and high-level abilities to different parts of our lineup, and each is an outstanding person with a wonderful family background. They are each ferocious competitors and come from some of the nation’s best youth soccer clubs where each has received great coaching with a determination to win.”

Three of the players hail from Texas, including Sydney Becerra (Flower Mound), Caroline Kniffen (Lewisville) and Georgia Leb (Colleyville). The Maroon & White also add Carolyn Calzada, a Sugar Hill, Georgia, native and sister of Aggie quarterback Zach Calzada.

“Each of these young ladies comes from a great soccer club environment where they have received some of the best coaching in North America and compete weekly against the other best players in their country,” Guerrieri said. “I’m proud of the relationships that Phil and Lori Stephenson and I have created with the coaches of these great players, and that they have put their trust in us to provide an inspirational experience like current and past Texas A&M players have received in Aggieland.”

The recruiting class shines on the field, including four players with a wealth of national team experience, as well as in the classroom where all four rank near the top of their class.

“We look for young women who possess high character as well as soccer abilities. We believe we can develop to an even higher level as they matriculate through their college experience in Aggieland,” Guerrieri said.

SYDNEY BECERRA – Midfielder – Flower Mound, Texas (Solar Soccer Club / Flower Mound HS)

About Sydney:

• Has played for Solar Soccer Club from 2017-21 under coaches Adrian Solca and Ben Williams.
• Paced Solar SC to a third place finish at the ECNL national championship and a first place finish in the league.
• Led Solar SC to Dallas Cup title in 2021.
• Garnered All-ECNL Texas U17 First Team recognition in 2021.
• Selected to the US Soccer U18 Women’s National Team virtual camp in 2021.
• Earned US Soccer U16 Girls National Team invitations to training sessions in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, in 2020 and the Netherlands in 2019.
• Garnered US Soccer regional youth call-ups at SMU in 2016 and ’18.
• Member of Liverpool Soccer Club from 2014-17.
• Played one season at Flower Mound High School under the tutelage of Coach Misail Tsapos.
• Guided the Jaguars to a 23-1-2 record and Texas Class 6A state title in 2020-21.
• Named 2020-21 Texas Girls Soccer Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020-21, in addition to All-State First Team, District 6-6A Most Valuable Player, All-District 6-6A First Team, UIL Soccer Class 6A All-Tournament Team.

Coach Guerrieri says… “Sydney is a very exciting addition to our program. She is the reigning Gatorade High School Player of the Year for her massive contributions to Flower Mound High School’s state championship last year. She is easily one of the most gifted and special attacking midfielders in America because of her ability to possess and break down organized opposing defenses. She is also a goal scorer, both in the run of play and as a set piece master of free kicks. She has trained and played on the highest levels of youth and high school soccer in the nation and immediately makes our team better.”

CAROLYN CALZADA – Defender – Sugar Hill, Georgia (Tophat Soccer / Buford HS)

About Carolyn:

• Played at Tophat Soccer under coaches Troy Garner and Jerome Samuels since 2016.
• Led Tophat to Girls Academy Southeast Region title and Nationals second place finish in 2021.
• Served as club advisory representative for Girls Academy League.
• Propelled Tophat to Development Academy Southeast Division Regional championships on three occasions, including 2018, ’19 and ’20.
• Guided Tophat to ECNL U16 Southeast Regional title in 2016-17.
• Played club soccer for Concord Fire under coaches Alan Woods and Nathan Harrell from 2012-15 and United Futbol Academy for Coach Iggy Moleka from 2006-12.
• Played one season for Buford High School as a team captain under Coach Megan Hill, lettering in 2021.
• Led Wolves to a 20-1-1 record, the best in school history, including not yielding a goal during a 12-0 regional campaign… qualified for the Georgia 6A Final Four with only loss of season coming in the state semifinal match
• Tallied 15 goals and 12 assists.
• Earned GRIT Award as Buford Player of the Week on five occasions and the Gold GRIT Award for Buford Player of the Year in 2021.
• Filled up the trophy case as All-Gwinnett County, All-Region 8-6A First Team, Region 8-6A Player of the Year and All-State in 2021.
• Participated in US Soccer Youth National Team Camp and Regional Youth National Identification Center in April 2021.
• Was a teammate of Aggies Jordyn Gunnarson and Makhiya McDonald on the US Soccer U17 Women’s National Team that won the title at the 2019 UEFA Development Tournament with victories over the Czech Republic, Belgium and Ireland.
• Also lettered in cross country in 2019, finishing second in the region and qualifying for state meet.
• Earned Academic Letter three seasons and ranks in top 10 percent of class with a 97.4 grade average.

Coach Guerrieri says… “CC is an athletic and intelligent defender and leader from the nationally acclaimed Tophat Soccer Club in the Atlanta area. She will arrive in Aggieland prepared to play after training and playing on the highest level of soccer in America for many years. She is very comfortable with the ball at her feet and well versed in starting attacks. She will immediately make us better at breaking whatever pressure our opponents try to put us under. Additionally, CC is a great teammate and proven winner. In short, she will make Texas A&M tougher to score against and better in possession of the ball in our transition to attack.”

CAROLINE KNIFFEN – Forward – Lewisville, Texas (D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club)

About Caroline:

• Played for D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (DKSC) ECNL since 2020 under the tutelage of Coach Adam Flynn and Coach Gerard Voutier.
• Helped DKSC to a sixth place finish at the ECNL National Finals for the 2019-20 campaign.
• Earned All-ECNL First Team recognition in 2020-21.
• Played for FC Dallas Development Academy from 2018-20 under the guidance of Ashley Gordon.
• Participated on the Solar Soccer Club Development Academy program in 2017-18.
• Played club soccer for Liverpool Elite from 2011-18 under the tutelage of Lee Weddall.
• Netted the lone goal in the 2018 US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championships 15U title match to lead Liverpool 03 Elite to the title.
• Named the Most Valuable Player and was the leading scorer at the 2018 US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championships 15U tournament.
• Led Solar Soccer Club Development Academy to the Southern Regional.
• Participated in US Soccer Girls Training Center camps in Dallas and Id2 Training Center camps in Arizona.
• Honor Roll student, member of the National Honor Society and the Pre-Calculus Student of the Year at Prestonwood Christian Academy.

Coach Guerrieri says… “Caroline is an incredibly fast and dangerous attacking force. She is one of those players that just runs past and away from opponents, setting up dangerous scoring situations for her team. She has been an outstanding wide player for the FC Dallas Academy, as well as this past year with D’Feeters in the ECNL. She truly is a nightmare for opposing defenders, and has received some awesome coaching with her club experiences in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.”

GEORGIA LEB – Midfielder – Colleyville, Texas (Solar Soccer Club)

About Georgia:

• Member of the Solar Soccer Club under coaches Ben Williams, Lee Weddall and Chris Pulpaneck from 2016-21.
• Paced squad to the ECNL National Championship semifinals in 2021.
• Helped lead Solar SC to the Development Academy quarterfinals (event canceled before semifinals due to COVID-19).
• Hoisted the ECNL U14 national championship trophy with Solar SC in 2017.
• Played with Liverpool Soccer Club from 2011-16.
• Named to the U14 Best XI at the Girls DA Summer Showcase in 2018.
• Selected to the US Soccer U18 Women’s National Team virtual camp in 2021.
• Earned spot on the US Soccer CONCACAF Girls U15 Championship roster as an alternate.
• In 2017-18, participated in three US Soccer U14 Girls National Team camps in California, including in Carson, Norco and Chula Vista, as well as a camp in Fort Collins, Colorado.
• Invited to US Soccer Training Center Combine in College Station in 2016 and US Soccer Regional Training Center in Dallas for three years.
• Member of the Phi Theta Kappa international college honor society with induction based on 4.0 GPA after 23 hours of dual enrollment classes.

Coach Guerrieri says… “Georgia is a gifted and versatile player with the ability to help us in many roles and phases of the game. She has experience with the US Soccer youth national teams and camps and has been a key figure in both the DA and ECNL platforms for Solar. She gained a lot of outstanding coaching and guidance throughout her career while competing for regional and national titles. She has spent the past nine months focused on strengthening herself and recovering fully from an injury. She will enter A&M this January fully released by her medical team and ready to roll.”