BOONE, N.C. – Head Soccer Coach Aimee Haywood announced the addition of 11 newcomers to the team’s 2023 class, as part of National Signing Day, November 9.
“I’m extremely excited to welcome my first full signing class here at App,” Haywood said. “These excellent young women are talented and excited to continue to elevate our program to new heights. This is a very strong class that will add immediate competition to our current roster at every position on the field.”
These additions come on the heels of Haywood’s first season, in which she led the Mountaineers to a seventh-place finish in the Sun Belt, following a last-place finish in 2021. Her five Sun Belt victories were the most conference wins by a first-year head coach in program history.
Summer Bowman – Forward | Trinity, N.C. | Charlotte Soccer Academy
The MVP of the 2A State Champion Wheatmore High School Squad, Bowman comes to the High Country after a terrific high school career. In 17 games played as a junior last spring, Bowman netted 36 goals, while dishing out 23 assists, shattering her program’s scoring records. The state title was the first in Wheatmore history, as they became the first girls’ team from Randolph County to win a soccer championship. Bowman also plays for the Charlotte Soccer Academy, where she excels in the air, leading the club in header goals. Bowman has also spent time playing soccer internationally in England.
Ella Hoover – Midfielder | Granville, Ohio | Ohio Premier
Named an All-American her junior season, Hoover enjoyed a decorated career at Granville High School. She has also garnered All-State and Player of the Year recognitions in soccer, captaining her squad. Hoover is a three-sport athlete, also competing for Granville in basketball and lacrosse. Hoover also plays for the Ohio Premier Soccer Club, under the direction of Katie Robinson. She not only excels on the field, but also in the classroom where she is a member of the Cum Laude Society. She also has a 25-pound cat named Boots.
Marley Kahle – Forward | Crestwood, Ky. | Racing Louisville FC
Kahle (pronounced KAY-lee) was a standout high school player at South Oldham, where she scored 30 goals and added 18 assists this fall in her senior campaign, culminating with a state championship. It capped a 63-goal career for the forward, who along the way earned All-State recognition, in addition to being named to the Fall 2022 South All-Region Team by United Soccer Coaches. Kahle also plays club soccer for Racing Louisville FC academy, under the direction of George Davis IV. She has a guinea pig named Oatmeal.
Kaytan Kroboth – Forward/Midfielder | Raleigh, N.C. | NC Courage
Kroboth comes to Boone after playing her club soccer for the North Carolina Courage Academy, where she was named the NCNL player to watch. Kroboth is set to graduate with a 4.3 GPA and Summa Cum Laude honors. In addition to her studies in the classroom, she spent much of her downtime during COVID at the beach, where she studied for, and received, her boating license.
Avenley Monteith – Outside Back/Winger/Midfielder | Cornelius, N.C. | Charlotte Independence
A three-time All-State selection at Liberty Prep Christian Academy, Monteith was also twice named to the All-Conference squad, in addition to garnering team MVP honors as a junior. Monteith also plays for Neil Roberts and the Charlotte Independence Soccer Club. Monteith competed for her birth country Northern Ireland’s U17 squad in 2018. She joins her older sister Breckyn Monteith (’23) on the Mountaineers squad.
Makayla Mulholland – Outside Back | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Mulholland is a standout defender for the Pittsburg Riverhounds Club and head coach Scott Gibson. Additionally, she plays for Fox Chapel Area High school where she has three-times garnered All-Section recognition and has been named All-Conference all four seasons. Before joining the Riverhounds she was the Arsenal FC of Pittsburgh Player of the Year in 2020. Mulholland also spends time volunteering with a local youth soccer team.
Brezlyn Parsons – Goalkeeper | Pawleys Island, S.C. | Wilmington Hammerheads
Parsons comes to the High Country from Pawleys Island, where she is the goalkeeper for the Wilmington Hammerheads under the direction of Will Heaney. In addition to her time in net for the Hammerheads, Parsons plays at Waccamaw High School, where she posted nine shutouts in 16 matches as a junior last spring, registering a goals-against-average of just .508.
Hayden Rape – Midfielder/Outside Back | Charleston, S.C. | South Carolina Surf
Rape is the captain of her club team, South Carolina Surf, under the direction of Aaron McGarvey. She also plays for James Island Charter High School, where she has helped lead the team to back-to-back 4A State Championships on her way to being named Most Valuable Player. Rape has a twin sister, Grayson, and is one of four siblings.
Olivia Simon – Midfielder | Waxhaw, N.C. | Charlotte Independence
Simon is the captain of her club team, Charlotte Independence, where she plays for head coach Neil Roberts. She also plays for Cuthbertson High School, where she was named the conference and region Player of the Year, in addition to garnering All-State recognition as a junior. She has tallied 14 goals and 12 assists in her high school career. Simon also plays basketball for Charlotte Independence, and has a foster cat named Goldie.
Kyli Switalski – Forward | High Point, N.C. | NC Fusion
An All-State selection at Ragsdale High School, Switalski scored 37 goals in 17 games her junior campaign. She also plays club for the North Carolina Fusion for head coach Elijah Denton. Switalski won the golden boot Award when she scored six goals in the Triad Cup last spring.
Sarah Wommack – Goalkeeper | Kernersville, N.C. | NC Fusion
The 2022 ULS Academy Cup Golden Glove winner, Wommack joins the Mountaineers after being chosen to participate in the 2021 Tennessee National Selection Game as a member of the NC Fusion ECNL squad. Wommack also competed for two years on the Northwest Guilford High School team, earning 4A Metro Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021 and All-State honors in 2022, in addition to being All-Conference and All-Region both seasons.
