Nov 07, 2022 | Columbia Campus , Women’s Soccer , Featured

Columbia State Women’s Soccer Hosts Signing Day for 12 New Commits

Back, (left to right): Carmen Perkins, Sydney Richardson, Cassie Groves, Cruz Grinolds, Emma Baxter, Camryn Chambless, Ayrn King and Kean Barclay, Columbia State women’s soccer coach. Front, (left to right): Destiny Martinez, Abigale Alexander, Hayden Dye, Tasha Florian and Lauren Buntley.
Back, (left to right): Carmen Perkins, Sydney Richardson, Cassie Groves, Cruz Grinolds, Emma Baxter, Camryn Chambless, Ayrn King and Kean Barclay, Columbia State women’s soccer coach. Front, (left to right): Destiny Martinez, Abigale Alexander, Hayden Dye, Tasha Florian and Lauren Buntley.

Columbia State women's soccer recently hosted a Signing Day event for 12 new recruits for the 2023 season. 

At the signing, the current high school seniors and their families traveled to the Columbia Campus to be recognized while getting to know their future coaches and teammates. 

“This is the reward of all the work that we put in recruiting and going to games over the last two years, and I think we've added depth in just about every position,” said Kean Barclay, Columbia State women’s soccer coach. “We added another goalkeeper and lots of attacking threats. We've also added some midfielders and a bunch of defenders. I think the level of player that we have coming in this year is going to be incredibly high.”

One of the incoming players, Carmen Perkins, is from White House Heritage High School.

Carmen Perkins with her family and Kean Barclay, Columbia State women’s soccer coach, at signing day for Columbia State women’s soccer 2023 season.

Carmen Perkins with her family and Kean Barclay, Columbia State women’s soccer coach, at signing day for Columbia State women’s soccer 2023 season.

“I'm getting back to playing because I tore my ACL and I couldn't play my senior year, so I'm really excited to get on the field again,” Perkins said. “I'm also getting to play with some of the girls that I've played with before for travel and school soccer. I have really good history with them.”

The new recruits also include Abigale Alexander from Spring Hill High School, Emma Baxter and Hayden Dye from Riverdale High School, Lauren Buntly from Lincoln County High School, Camryn Chambless from Forrest School, Tasha Florian from Siegel High School, Cruz Grinolds from Pope John Paul II Preparatory School, Cassie Groves from Sycamore High School, Aryn King from Rockvale High School, Sydney Richardson from White House Heritage High School, and Destini Martinez from Columbia Central High School.

“I think this will probably be the best class I've ever had recruiting from top to bottom in terms of depth,” Barclay said. “So, I'm excited to have positional battles all the way across the field.”