April 5, 2007
FULLERTON, CA - First-year Cal State Fullerton women's soccer Head Coach Demian Brown has signed six high school players to national letters of intent to compete for the Titans beginning with the 2007 season.
"This year's class possesses a very good balance of skill, speed, strength and, most important, big game experience," Brown said. "We have signed six players who have the potential to come in to an already talent rich program and make an instant impact."
Heading up the list is midfielder/defender Morgan Saunders, a four-time All-Avocado League honoree from Carlsbad HS who played club soccer with the San Diego Surf. Saunders helped lead Carlsbad HS into the CIF San Diego Section Division I playoffs in each of the last two seasons and helped the Lancers to a 7-6-6 overall record and a 4-2-4 mark in league play.
Saunders, a three-time Scholar-Athlete honoree, finished her senior season with a pair of goals and two assists after scoring six times as a junior. She also helped lead her club squad to a State Cup Championship and was regional finalist in 2005-06.
"Morgan is the best athlete to come to Fullerton in quite some time," Brown said. "She has the ability to fill multiple roles as her speed and strength will allow her to be a scoring threat as well as an effective defender."
Christina Murillo, a 5-6 midfielder/defender who prepped at Trabuco Hills, Calif., is a two-time All-CIF Second-Team honoree and a two-time all-league honoree. Murillo helped her side to a third-place finish in the Sea View League this season (9-2-7 overall, 5-3-2) and qualified for the CIF Division I playoffs.
She played club soccer with the Slammers FC out of Newport Beach, Calif., helping her team to titles at the U-19 Summer Surf Cup, West Coast Classic and Girl's Surf Cup Super Group tournaments. She also helped the Slammers to a pair of USYSA National Championships.
"Christina's work rate alone will make her a successful Division I soccer player not to mention her great skill and ability to score goals," Brown said. "Her experience with winning national championships in club with the Slammers will ease her transition to the college game."
Samantha Stillion, a 5-7 defender out of West HS in Torrance, Calif., has helped lead the Warriors to the CIF Division I playoffs in each of the last three seasons, including a second-round appearance as a junior. She was twice named to the All-Bay League Second Team and was named the Defensive Player of the Year and All-CIF Division I Third Team as a senior. Stillion played club soccer with the PVSC Breakers.
"Samantha is an agile and tenacious defender," Brown said. "Her ability in the air will make her a top defender and dangerous goal scorer."
All-CIF second-team selection Shannon Cox, a midfielder who prepped at Quartz Hill HS, becomes the third member of the family to don a Titans uniform, following in the footsteps of older sisters Jodie (softball) and Kellie (soccer). Cox, a first-team All-Golden League selection who played club soccer with Real So Cal, helped the Rebels to a 13-6-2 overall record and a 7-3-2 mark in league play.
"Shannon is a creative midfielder with the ability to score from anywhere," Brown said. "She will definitely add extra fire power to a productive core of midfielders."
Jocelyn Coney, a 5-5 midfielder from Oxnard HS, helped lead her school to a Pacific View League title and a 13-5-2 record overall, 7-2-1 in league play. Oxnard reached the quarterfinals of the CIF Division IV playoffs this season.
"Jocelyn is extremely fast and aggressive in the attack and will complement an already explosive offense for the Titans," Brown said.
Incoming goalkeeper Shannon Simpson helped Irvine HS to the second round of the CIF Division II playoffs this season, as the Vaqueros finished 9-11-1 overall and 5-3-0 in Pacific Coast League play. She was an All-CIF Division II First-Team selection and earned all-league first-team honors as a senior. Simpson helped lead her club team, the Laguna Hills Eclipse, to numerous club championships, including the 2006 San Diego Surf Cup.
"Shannon's attitude in the goal and her technical ability are tremendous. She has the potential to be the next great goalkeeper for the Titans," Brown said.