Fairfield University head women's soccer coach Jim O'Brien today announced the six members that comprise the Stags 2012 recruiting class. Dalia Abu-Sitteh (West Haven, Conn.), Chase Burke (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), Karolyn Collins (Norwalk, Conn.), Sophia Devita (Westfield, N.J.), Lindsay O'Neil (Braintree, Mass.) and Emily Wieczorek (West Hartford, Conn.) comprise the Stags Class of 2016.
“Our incoming class will bring additional talent and depth to a very strong returning squad this Fall,” said O'Brien. “Each and every student-athlete will challenge our returning players and compete for a spot on the field on game day. Each newcomer has many unique qualities that will improve the team both on the field and off. We are very excited to have them all as we prepare to be successful this Fall.”
Abu-Sitteh is a senior National Honor Society member at West Haven High School. Projected as a back for the Stags, she was named All-Division last season and is a Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.
Burke, a senior at Cold Spring Harbor High School, is a versatile player that could see action at every field position during her Stags career. She was a three-year member of the New York State ODP Team and led her Massapequa Force club squad to a top=five ranking in New York State and a State Cup championship game appearance. At Cold Spring Harbor she led her squad to three consecutive county championships, a New York State semifinal appearance and a Long Island championship title.
Collins, a back, is completing her senior year at Norwalk High School and plays her club soccer for CFC United. She was twice selected All-State and earned All-Area and ALL-FCIAC four times at Norwalk, where she was twice named the team's most valuable player. Collins helped lead CFC United to a pair of Connecticut State Championships, a #1 state ranking and a national ranking of 56th.
Devita will join the Stags talented stable of goalkeepers following her graduation from Westfield High School and her time with the Central Jersey Stars club team. She helped lead Westfield to a North Jersey II sectional title and a berth in the state championship game in 2009.
O'Neil is a midfielder that is finishing an honors academic career at the Thayer Academy and has played for the Scorpions Soccer Club. She led the Scorpion U18 team to a #24 National ranking this season and consecutive State Cup championship games in 2009 and 2010. O'Neil paced the Thayer squad to a New England Prep School Class B semifinal appearance in 2010 and was named an All-League Honorable Mention the past two seasons.
Wieczorek, who will compete for time in the midfield, is a senior at Hall High School and a member of CFC United. She was named All-State as a senior at Hall after earning All-Conference in each of her four high school seasons. Wieczorek, a member of ODP, helped lead CFC to a pair of state titles, in 2010 and 2011.
The Fairfield women's soccer program has a storied history with five NCAA appearances, seven Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament crowns and six regular season MAAC titles. The Stags have had six All-America and Rookie All-America selections, nine MAAC players of the year, seven MAAC goalkeepers of the year, four MAAC Rookies of the Year and 53 First-Team All-MAAC honorees in program history.
