Women’s Soccer Announces Signees

Feb. 5, 2003

Clemson University Women’s Soccer Head Coach Todd Bramble has announced the signing of four players to the Lady Tiger soccer program for the Fall of 2003. These four players, all from the Southeast, will add depth and dimension to an already impressive Lady Tiger squad that finished the 2002 season ranked as high as #14 in the national rankings.

The signees include: Amanda Garcia (Roswell, GA/Centennial High School), Britten Meyer (Greenville, SC/Christ Church Episcopal School), Kelly Schneider (Mauldin, SC/Mauldin High School), and Lauren Whitt (Birmingham, AL/Briarwood Christian School/Vanderbilt University).

“I am very happy with the overall level of this incoming class,” said Bramble, who will enter his third year as head coach at Clemson this fall. “Most importantly, these young ladies are good people, and we are pleased to welcome them to our Lady Tiger family. Athletically, each player brings special and unique qualities to our program. These young ladies, along with an exceptionally talented group of returning players, will allow us to put a very strong team on the field next fall.”

Amanda Garcia is a central midfielder from Roswell, Georgia. She has been a member of the Region III ODP Team for six years, and the Georgia State team for seven. Garcia was a standout player at Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia where she was named All-County and All-State in while earning four varsity letters. In 2001, she and current Lady Tiger, Courtney Foster, led their club team, the GSA Phoenix Red ’85, to the U16 National Championship. In 2002, Garcia also led this club team to a 3rd place finish in the National Tournament. In addition, Garcia was named to the 2000 ESP All-Star Team.

“Amanda is a talented two-way player who will improve our physical presence in the midfield,” said Bramble. “In addition to her being a tenacious defender and a dynamic playmaker, she also has the ability to dominate in the air.”

Britten Meyer is a defender from Greenville, SC. She has been a member of the Region III ODP pool in 2001 and 2002. Meyer has been an All-State selection every year since her freshman year at Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, SC. Her club team, GFC Black, has won the State Championship in 2001 and 2002, and will represent South Carolina at the Southern Regional Championships in North Carolina this June. In 2001, Meyer was named the South Carolina high school A-AA Player of the Year while leading her team to a state title with 21 goals and 16 assists. Her previous club team, USGA Storm, won 6 consecutive State Championships from 1995 to 2000. Britten is a teammate of Kelly Schneider, another Lady Tiger signee.

“In my opinion Britten is the best defender coming out of South Carolina in this year’s class,” said Bramble. “She gives us some much needed depth in the back and brings an long throw-in that will be utilized as a weapon immediately.”

Kelly Schneider is a defender/frontrunner from Mauldin, South Carolina. She was an All-State selection every year since her freshman year at Mauldin High School in Mauldin, South Carolina. She has been a member of the Region III ODP pool for two years and was named as team MVP her sophomore and junior years in high school. Her club team, GFC Black, won the State Championship in 2002 and will represent South Carolina at the Southern Regional Championships in June in North Carolina. Her previous club team, St. Giles United, won 5 state championships in South Carolina as well. Kelly is a teammate of Britten Meyer, another Lady Tiger signee. She plans to enter Clemson with a major in pre-veterinary medicine.

“Kelly brings a wonderful combination of athleticism and soccer skills to our team,” said Bramble. “Her versatility will allow her to contribute to our program early in her career, as she can literally play any position on the field. Having a well-rounded player of her caliber on our roster will clearly be an asset to the Lady Tigers.”

Lauren Whitt is a sixth-year senior transfer from Vanderbilt University. A goalkeeper from Birmingham, Alabama, Whitt played for five seasons with the Commodores at Vanderbilt. She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human and Organizational Development in May 2002. In the summer of 2003, she will receive a Masters of Education from Vanderbilt University with a focus in Human Development Counseling. At Vanderbilt, Whitt received numerous accolades, including NSCAA Third-Team All-Central Region, All-Central Region Freshman team and honorable mention to Soccer Buzz’s Freshman All-American team. Whitt was sidelined for the 1999 and 2000 seasons with a torn ACL and earned medical redshirts for both seasons. Due to the injuries, Whitt has been granted a sixth year of eligibility and will compete for the Lady Tigers in the 2003 season. She leaves Vanderbilt while ranking on every career-goalkeeper list, including a school-best 1.12 GAA. Whitt will enroll in the Graduate School at Clemson, working toward a second Master’s degree, focusing in Youth Sports Development.

“Lauren is a talented transfer goalkeeper who will further increase the competition we already have at that position,” said Bramble. “She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the program which complements her indisputable goalkeeping talent. Her leadership and maturity will be an added bonus to the Lady Tigers”