Elon Women’s Soccer Inks Six for 2012 Season

ELON, N.C. – Elon University head women’s soccer coach Chris Neal has announced six student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to join the Phoenix next season. The commitments include Sam Burch (Chapel Hill, N.C./Triangle FC), Nicole Dennion (Ewing, N.J./FC Bucks), Mel Insley (Dillsburg, Pa./Pennsylvania Strikers), Katie Boyle (Anthem, Ariz./Sereno SC), Julie Hibberd (Gambrills, Md./Bethesda SC) and Taylor Glenn (Atlanta, Ga./Tophat SC).

“I am very happy with the quality of player and person in our 2012 freshmen class. They come from five different states and six different clubs but they share the common variable of having played at a very high level for many years,” Neal said. “We really took our time with this class in an attempt to provide excellent compliments to a team that returns 10 starters. These freshmen provide us with depth and positional balance. If they report to pre-season fit and healthy, I expect each of them to challenge for a starting role and significant playing time.”

Sam Burch • Midfielder • 5-3 • Chapel Hill, N.C./Carrboro • Triangle Futbol Club ’93
Prep/Club Career: Earned all-conference and all-region honors three times (2009-2011)… Picked up all-state accolades in 2011… Won the Golden Boot Award in 2010… Helped Carrboro to the Carolina 10 Conference title and an appearance in the NCHSAA state finals in 2011… In 2010, led Carrboro to the NCHSAA Final Four and a conference title… Helped lead her club team to the state cup finals and the Super Y national title in 2011…Was named to the Super Y National Championship all-tournament team… Also helped the Triangle Futbol Club to the Disney Showcase final in 2011… In 2010, helped her club team to the State Cup Final Four and the North Carolina Premier League title… Led her club team to the State Cup Final Four in 2009 and State Cup and Region III titles in 2008… Also a member of the National Honors Society and National Spanish Honors Society… The daughter of William and Barri Burch… Father, William, ran cross country at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire… Plans on majoring in international and environmental studies at Elon.

Nicole Dennion • Forward • 5-3 • Ewing, N.J./Notre Dame • FC Bucks Xtreme
Prep/Club Career: As a senior captain at Notre Dame, earned all-state and all-county honors… A four-year varsity starter at Notre Dame… Was the leading scorer in Mercer County as a senior… Ranked as one of the top-20 players in the central New Jersey region… Helped Notre Dame to a co-conference title as a senior… Led the ECNL FC Bucks Xtreme team to a top-10 national ranking… Also a member of the National Honors Society and Spanish Honors Society… The daughter of Gerard and Sharon Dennion… Father, Gerard, threw javelin for the Villanova track and field team… Plans on majoring in exercise science at Elon.

Mel Insley • Defender • 5-2 • Dillsburg, Pa./Trinity • FC Pennsylvania Strikers
Prep/Club Career: Earned all-conference honors at Trinity in 2009 and 2010… Was an All-Sentinel first-team honoree in 2010… Led Trinity to three conference and two district titles and a state finals appearance… Helped the FC Pennsylvania Strikers to the state cup title three straight years (2009-2011) and the Region I Premier League championship in 2011… Also helped her club team to the Region I title in and the National League championship in 2011… A member of the National Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honors Society and was an honors student… The daughter of John and Mary Ann Insley… Plans on majoring in exercise science at Elon.

Katie Boyle • Defender • Anthem, Ariz./Boulder Creek • Sereno ‘94 White
Prep/Club Career: Named to the ECNL National Championships all-tournament team in 2010… Led club team to the Far West Region League title in 2010… Two-time Region IV finalists… Named MVP of the 2007 Gothia Cup in Sweden after scoring the only goal in the championship game as a member of the Sereno ’94 White club team… Helped her club team to seven state titles… Scored only goal in the 2010 Disney Championship game for the Florida Renegades… Five-year member of the Arizona ODP team… Four-year member of the National Honors Society… The daughter of Stephen and Maureen Boyle… Father, Stephen, played basketball at Dominican College… Brother, Stephen, played soccer at UC Santa Barbra… Sister, Tina, played basketball at Glendale Community College… Plans on studying pre-law at Elon.

Julie Hibberd • Defender • Gambrills, N.J./Archbishop Spalding • Bethesda Freedom ’93
Prep/Club Career: Four-year letterwinner at Archbishop Spalding… Named team captain as a senior… Selected to the IAAM “A” Conference All-Star Game in 2011… Helped her team to four conference finals, including two titles in 2008 and 2009… Set school record with 20-0-1 record in 2009… Team was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the ESPN Power Fab 50 Rankings in 2009… Member of the ECNL Bethesa Freedom… Won the United States National Cup X Region title in 2011… Won the Jefferson Cup in 2011… Won the Spring League championship and was a Jefferson Cup finalist in 2010… Semifinalist at the 2010 Las Vegas Showcase… Maryland State Cup Semifinalist in 2010… Member of the National Honors Society… The daughter of Tim and Cathy Hibberd… Father, Tim, played soccer at Kutztown University… Plans on majoring in exercise science at Elon.

Taylor Glenn • Midfielder • Atlanta, Ga./St. Pius X Catholic • Tophat ’12 Gold
Prep/Club Career: Named St. Pius’ MVP and team captain as a senior… Won three state and region titles (2009-2011) at St. Pius… NSCAA National Champions in 2009… Was also a standout runner on the cross country team, helping St. Pius to a state title in 2009 and a runner-up performance in 2011… Won the cross country Golden Lion Award in 2011 (senior with the highest GPA)… Was the Tophat ’12 Gold’s team captain from 2007-2012… Georgia ODP (2005-2011)… Member of the National Honors Society and Principal’s List all four years… Won the Notre Dame Book Award… The daughter of Dr. Robert and Susie Glenn… Father, Robert, played soccer at Vanderbilt… Plans on majoring in biochemistry at Elon.