Florida Tech Lacrosse Signs Seven Players
By Space Coast Daily // December 5, 2013
inaugural SEASON FOR WOMENS LACROSSE
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Florida Tech head coach Corinne Desrosiers announced last week that women’s lacrosse has signed seven high school stars to national letters of intent during the early signing period.
The Panthers will begin its inaugural women’s lacrosse season in the 2014-15 academic year.
FIT received NLI’s from Haley Heggblod (St. Johns, Fla./Bartram Trail HS), Bridgette Soucy (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian HS), Sara Grenier (Kents Hill, Maine/Kents Hill School), Kelly Sullivan (Virginia Beach, Va./Bishop Sullivan Catholic HS), Mary Gormley (St. Johns, Fla./Creekside HS), Caroline Dunleavy (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck HS) and Allie Wood (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson HS).
US LACROSSE ALL-AMERICAN HEGGBLOD JOINS PANTHERS
Heggblod, a 2013 US Lacrosse All-American, started four seasons for the Bartram Trail High School team as a defender and led the Bearcats to three consecutive district championships.
“Haley is a dynamic defender who will also dual-train for us in the low defensive midfield positions,” said Desrosiers. “She is strong and has a good sense of the offense, but is really a force in causing turnovers and pushing the ball back up the field. When I first saw Haley play, she carried the ball up the full length of the field faster than anybody else on the field could run. I knew right then she was my kind of player.”
Soucy has been a member of the Midlothian Girls Lacrosse Club for five years and has been the starting goalkeeper for all five seasons.
“Bridgette is actually our only varsity goalkeeper,” said Midlothian Lacrosse Club head coach DeVoe Reagan. “We attribute her success to accurate clearing and highly effective concentration. She is committed to being the best goalie in the Central Virginia area and competes against some of the best in the country. Two of her peers have actually committed to Duke and the University of California.”
“We are thrilled to have Bridgette sign on to play in the cage for us,” Desrosiers said. “She is 5-10 and one of the top keepers in Virginia and we were lucky that she was still available. Since her academic degree was in Ocean Engineering, it came down to three schools and we brought her in for an official visit during the early signing week to help seal the deal. I am excited to see what she can do for us in year one.”
Grenier played one season at Kent Hills School after two seasons at Messalonskee High School. She was the captain of the Maineiax Club Team in 2013.
“Sara was a good win for us – she turned down several other significant offers from Division 1 and 2 schools to sign with Florida Tech. She is fast, fluid, and attack-oriented. A talented 1v1 dodger and finisher, she will help us in our offensive efforts right from the start and will be key in putting points on the board, I expect other defenders to have a really tough time with her.”
Sullivan lettered two seasons for Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School and was the captain for her sophomore and junior seasons. Entering her senior season, she has started every game for BSCHS as a defender.
“She will be in the backline for us in year one and will use her athleticism and scrappy play to win us a lot of 50-50 balls and keep our communication up,” Desrosiers said. “She will help us push our fast break offense and be a big player in our clearing efforts. I think Kelly is going to be one of my fastest rising players and I cannot wait to see how she surprises me next year.”
Gormley is a midfielder for Creekside High School in St. Johns, Fla. She is transferred to Creekside after earning Defensive Player of the Year honors at JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
“Mary can really make things happen on attack,” said Desrosiers. “Her ability to create a play will really help us in our off-ball efforts and she is a great finisher with an eye for the perfect shot. Her lining up on the 8M for us will add us some much needed points.”
Dunleavy is a three-sport athlete, lettering in lacrosse, volleyball and basketball for Broadneck High School in Annapolis, Md.
“Caroline is a great crease attacker and feeder,” Desrosiers said.
“She will anchor down the X position for us and be a major playmaker. Her athleticism will also be useful in our immediate re-defend and she comes from a very established school. I am looking forward to having Caroline for four years.”
Wood is midfielder for Cinnaminson High School in Cinnaminson, N.J.
She is a three-year starter for the lacrosse team and is the winner of the New Jersey Institute of Technology Web Design competition.
“Allie is a solid defender and has a great slide,” said Desrosiers. “She is a very smart player and will help harness down our defensive unit with her experience. With a father for a coach, she will also have that ‘extra something’ that will make her a leader for us on and off the field.”
