LANGLEY, British Columbia – Trinity Western's women's soccer team bolstered both its midfield and attacking options as Spartans coach Graham Roxburgh officially announced the signing of midfielder Jenaya Robertson (Delta, B.C.) and midfielder/strikers Rachel Hutchinson (Cloverdale, B.C.) and Brooklyn Tidder (White Rock, B.C.) Tuesday.
The trio will join centre back Quinn Hardstaff (Calgary) and midfielder/striker Nicole Bolder (Calgary) as the Spartans first five officially announced recruits FOR 2015.
Rachel Hutchinson (Cloverdale, B.C.)
The 5-foot-7 midfielder/striker will graduate from Clayton Heights Secondary and travel just a few minutes down the road to TWU next fall to embark on her university career.
Hutchinson comes to TWU as an elite level striker who played her club soccer with both the Fraser Valley Action and the Royal City Soccer Club.
“Rachel is a terrific player and an even better person,” Roxburgh said. “We are delighted that she is going to be a Spartan. I have known Rachel for a few years and watched her develop into a wonderful talent. She has pace, can attack from various positions and has a versatility about her game that will allow her to slot into a few positions for us. I believe she has the ability to push to make a significant impact on our team right away. She has a great eye for goal and has really grown in her soccer intelligence and ability to make good decisions. I believe our program and culture is a place where Rachel will thrive in all areas because she has a work ethic, a hunger to improve and a drive to become an elite player. I am excited to see her grow into a top notch player within our program.”
At the club level, she helped her team to a metro level provincial championship in 2012.
“I've been coming here for many years now, playing in the Spartan academy and on the Fraser Valley Action reserves team,” said Hutchinson, who plans to study biology at TWU. “The campus has become a second home to me and I've met many inspirational people here who have helped me develop as a person and a player. I can't wait to officially join the team.”
Jenaya Robertson (Delta, B.C.)
The 5-foot-7 Robertson will graduate from Delview Secondary this spring and come to TWU in the fall with an already decorated soccer-playing history.
At the club level, Robertson's Coastal FC side has been a poster child for winning as her team earned two BC Premier League championships and twice competed in the national championships, including a bronze medal-winning performance in 2014. Individually, she was named the MVP of the 2014 Premier League Cup Final.
“Jenaya is a great addition to our program and will provide energy, drive and vision to our midfield for years to come,” Roxburgh said. “She is a strong talent with a wonderful work ethic. I love her commitment to always improving and never backing down from challenges. In my interactions with her, I sense that she is exactly the kind of player and person we want to have as part of our future. She will provide great character and a positive mentality to our roster and I believe will fit into the culture of our program very well. She has shown consistently that she is a pivotal part of her club team's success in recent years, and I love her winning and competitive mentality. We are so excited that she chose to play and study at TWU.”
Robertson, who plans to study business, said: “I'm looking forward to growing as a player and a person through the close-knit community of TWU. I seek to further develop my soccer skills while surrounded by talented players and a passionate and dedicated coaching staff.”
Brooklyn Tidder (White Rock, B.C.)
The 5-foot-8 Tidder will bring the Spartans a high level of versatility as the White Rock product, who will graduate from Elgin Park Secondary this spring, can play both in the midfield and up front.
Tidder played her club soccer with Coastal FC and Fraser Valley Action and, alongside Robertson, earned two BC Premier League provincial titles and, in 2014, a U18 national championship bronze medal.
“Brooklyn is a fantastic addition to our program and we can't wait for her career to start at TWU,” Roxburgh said. “She will bring such a wonderful attitude and spirit to the program through her charisma, her positive outlook, her leadership potential and her sheer desire to succeed. Brooklyn has the ability to make an immediate impact on the field for our program. She has a strong and physical presence and has a great will to compete and succeed. She can play up front in any of the attacking positions, has a ball-winning mentality that will help our midfield and she can also develop into a wonderful defender.
“Since the first time I met Brooklyn, I knew she was a person who we needed to recruit for so many reasons. She will bring character and a competitiveness that will be contagious.”
Tidder, who will take general studies in her first year at TWU, added: “TWU is a place where the relationships I make are going to last a lifetime. From the moment I was recruited and got to meet the girls on the team I knew this was going to be the place I wanted to spend my next five years. TWU's success in women's soccer is not just because of their athletic ability but the coaching, the girls' attitudes to constantly get better and the unbelievable support networks behind everything they do. TWU is a place where I want to leave a legacy behind and I am beyond excited to be wearing a Spartans kit.”
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