Team Chicago Academy-Nautico midfielder Maddie Perna has committed to playing for Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa as a part of Head Coach Kirsten Russel’s 2014 recruiting class. The Rams play in the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference, and they hope to continue their progress as they improved their record in 2013 to 9-8-1 from 4-13-1 in 2012.

Also known as Owen (thanks to auto-correct) Maddie just finished her third year at Team Chicago, and she is in her 4th year playing at Neuqua Valley H.S. Congratulations and good luck Maddie!

Team Chicago Academy-Nautico defender/midfielder Rachel Schneider has committed to Illinois Wesleyan University, where she will play for Head Coach David Barrett as a part of his 2014 freshman class.

The Titans compete in the NCAA Division III and CCIW Conference. Rachel will join fellow Nautico teammate Emily Curtis at IWU. Rachel just finished her 5th year at Team Chicago, and will graduate from Bolingbrook H.S. in June.

Team Chicago Academy-Palmeiras midfielder Max Graf and Team Chicago Academy-Internacional midfielder Erin Johnston are headed to Phoenix this weekend to represent Illinois in the National ODP Championships at the Reach 11 complex.

Max is a member of the Illinois Boys 1998 State Team which will face Cal-South in Friday’s Semi-Final, and then either Maryland or Florida in the Final or the 3rd place game on Sunday.

Erin is a member of the Illinois Girls 1998 State Team which will face Cal-South in Friday’s Semi-Final, and then either Georgia or Virginia in the Final or the 3rd place game on Sunday.

Follow the match results here: http://tournaments.usyouthsoccer.org/events/201…

We wish them all the best!

Below is the IYSA press release:

The Championships for the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program spotlight the future stars of United States soccer. State teams first compete in a regional event to determine which teams will vie for the top spot in the nation. The winners will compete in Phoenix for the right to be crowned US Youth Soccer ODP Champion. Three Illinois State Select Teams will compete for the National title this weekend at The Reach 11 Soccer Complex in Phoenix, AZ.

1997 Girls Illinois State Select Team
Coaches: Frank Mateus & Eddie Amaral
Madeleine Chalifoux (Champaign/Illinois Fusion)
Michele Chernesky (Wauconda/Sockers FC)
Kathryn Coseglia (Willowbrook/Oakbrook SC)
Grace Dunker (Rockton/Sockers FC)
Karla Hernandez (Chicago/Firebirds SC)
Emily Hess (Batavia/Eclipse Select)
Amanda Hoglund (Spring Grove/Sockers FC)
Carly Hoke (Lake Forest/ FC United)
Mariah Katzenberger (Freeport/Rockford Raptors)
Julia Kenney (Evanston/Team Evanston)
Kelsey Kraft (Oswego/Panthers SC)
Drew Moulton (Sycamore/Eclipse Select)
Claire Neibergall (Springfield/St Louis Scott Gallagher)
Elizabeth Parrilli (St. Charles/Rockford Raptors)
Emily Scott (Machesney Park/FCX)
Sophia Snyder (Ottawa/Chicago Inter)
Jenna Szczesny (Hoffman Estates/FCX)
Emily Valentine (Rockford/ FCX)

1998 Boys Illinois State Select Team
Coaches: Tony Kees & Jamie Martin
Tyler Anstrand (Naperville/Ajax FC)
Luis Arreola (Wheeling/FC Athletico)
Dalton Bruso (Bloomington/Illinois Fusion)
Jack Dilger (Homer Glen/Southwest SC)
Jake Farley (Plainfield/Chicago Fire YSC)
Hamada Freese (Edwardsville/Edwardsville SC)
Maxwell Graf (Aurora/Team Chicago)
Remy Hasinger (Morton/Morton Blaze)
Michael Juarez (Bloomington/Illinois Fusion)
Adam Masters (Evanston/Team Evanston)
Sam McLachlan(Berwyn/Berwyn Blazers)
Dorian Moreno (Romeoville/Roadrunners SC)
Matthew Napolitano (Bloomington/Illinois Fusion)
Mitchell Palmer (Belleville/Gateway FC)
Christopher Schwaiger (Naperville/Galaxy SC)

Emerson Wells(Downs/Chicago Fire YSC)
David Young (Grayslake/Libertyville FC 1974)
Arjun Zutshi (Aurora/Chicago Fire Academy)

1998 Girls Illinois State Select Team
Coaches: Ryan Snyder & Jo Hearn
Emily Bollman (Coal Valley/Moline United)
Paige Bourne (Lake Forest/FC United)
Alyssa Frazier (Towanda/St Louis Scott Gallagher)
Ryan Gareis (Naperville/Sockers FC)
Erin Johnston (Grayslake/Team Chicago)
Natalie Joyce (Lake Forest/FC United)
Amanda Kowalski (Arlington Heights/Eclipse Select)
Lauren Long (West Chicago/NSA)
Ashley Nensel (Wauconda/Ela Elite)
Katia Novi (Glenview/Sockers FC)
Olivia Peters (Glenview/FC United)
Shannon Powers (Gurnee/FC United)
Riley Riggs (Ingleside/Ela Elite)
Peyton Roehnelt (Germantown Hills/Illinois Fusion)
Samantha Salay (Glenview/Eclipse Select)
Senger Eda (Lake In The Hills/Sockers FC)
Adrian Walker (Lake Forest/FC United)
Madelyn West (Crystal Lake/FCX)

Team Chicago Academy-Cruzeiro winger Kerry Abello represented Region II ODP in an international tournament in Costa Rica February 15-20th. The Region II team was comprised of the top 2-5 players in the Region from each of the 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 teams. Kerry was the youngest member of the team and the only U14 player.

While in Costa Rica the team beat the Costa Rica U17 National Team 2-0. The Costa Rica team is currently preparing for the U17 Women’s World Cup, which it will host March 15-April 5th, The Region II team also beat the two top women’s teams in Costa Rica – Saprissa 4-0 and Arenal 5-0 to win the tournament.

In addition to playing soccer the players did some volunteer work with local children and took in the beautiful sights of Costa Rica. Below are YouTube links to four short videos with highlights of the trip.

http://youtu.be/KgaR8fZq0kc
http://youtu.be/fqHYwUd7g5Y
http://youtu.be/ElxmwIg0BcM
http://youtu.be/9GmikM5MisI

Three Team Chicago Academy teams participated in the elite Presidents’ Day Tournament February 13-17th in Phoenix, AZ. All three teams represented themselves and the club impressively.

Team Chicago Academy-Cruzeiro won the U14 division after going 4-0-1 with 9 goals for and 2 against. The final against AZ Arsenal – the fifth game in 67 hours – was won on a Jordan King PK in the 61st minute after a foul committed against Alyssa Bombacino. GK Bailee Witt earned her 3rd shutout of the tournament anchoring a stingy defense where Emma Rydholm, Kenndy Metzger, Kaitlyn Mauder, Katie Wieland, Sarah Avery, and Sofia Papoutsis all played pivotal roles.

On the attacking end Alyssa Bombacino (3 goals & 2 assists), Jamie Goralski (1 goal & 4 assists), and Jordan King (2 goals & 4 assists) led the way with Francesca Marconi, Kennedy Metzger, and Madison Zaleski also netting over the five games – 0-0 tie with AZ Arsenal, 1-0 win over Calgary Foothills, 3-1 win over Albion SC, 4-1 Semi-Final win over Colorado Storm, and the 1-0 Final win over AZ Arsenal .

With the win Cruzeiro became the top-ranked U14 team in Illinois and 4th-ranked team in Region II.

Team Chicago Academy-Brasilia competed in the U15 division and finished in 4th place after finishing 2nd in its group. Brasilia tied Scottsdale Blackhawks 1-1 in the opener with Jasmine Ruiz netting the goal on a great free kick, beat New Mexico Rush 2-0 on goals by Jasmine Ruiz and Maddie Lambert assisted by MaKenna Schoolman and Safia Hannin, and tied Colorado Storm 2-2 on a brace by Jasmine Ruiz from Jade Eriksen-Russo and Lupe Anguiano. Brasilia lost the 3rd place game against AZ Arsenal after dominating most of the game.

Team Chicago Academy-Bahia competed in the U13 division and finished in 3rd place after a 1-0 win against Pride SC (CO) on Sophia Majher’s goal assisted by Sarah Davies. Abby Brennan earned her 3rd shutout in four games behind a solid defense featuring Carolena Lund, Erin McCarthy, Jennifer (Jeff) Pochyly, Kiley McKee, Lauren Douglas, and Shannon Tagler.

Bahia lost its opener against Scottsdale Blackhawks 2-0, but then defeated Minnesota Thunder Academy Pre-ECNL 1-0 on another Sophia Majher goal from Molly Grant, and then defeated Colorado Storm 2-0 on a Molly Grant brace from Sophia Majher and Paige Miller.

The event was the last event prior to high school season for Brasilia. We wish all the girls the very best in the H.S. tryouts. For Cruzeiro and Bahia it served as a fantastic foundation to an exciting Spring season, which will include both MRL Premier Division play and the new IYSA State Cup round-robin format.