Women’s Soccer Welcomes Six New Rangers

Denver, Colo.:  The Ranger women's soccer program has signed six incoming freshman for the upcoming 2012 season.  Danielle Dageenakis, Tegan Griffin, Jade Hilbert, Kate Pellegrino, Brianna Randall and Sindy Szabo will join the Ranger ranks.

Danielle Dageenakis, a 5-7-midfielder from Longmont, Colo., will be joining the program.  The soon-to-be 2012 Silver Creek High School graduate earned varsity letters in 2009, 2010 and 2011 where she helped lead her team to playoff appearances in all of those years.  In 2010, she scored 24 goals and in 2011, she was named All-Conference for the Northern Conference.

"Danielle has a wonderful balance of attacking presence, excellent athleticism, and the ability to win balls out of the air both offensively and defensively" Head coach J.B. Belzer commented.

Next on the list of incomers is 5-9-defender Tegan Griffin.  The native of Boise Idaho will graduate from Timberline High School, a 5A school in the Southern Idaho Conference.  Griffin, lettered four years in soccer and one year in basketball while maintaining a 3.5 grade point average.  She earned First Team All-Conference Defender her sophomore season and All-Conference Honorable Mention in her freshman campaign.  She helped her team to 5A State Championships her freshman and sophomore campaigns. 

"Tegan is a crushing, physical defender whose size, strength, and mentality will allow her to defend many of the RMAC's best attackers" stated Belzer.  "Her skill in long service will balance our attacking options."

Jade Hilbert, a Colorado Springs, Colo. native, will also join the squad.  The midfielder will graduate from Cheyenne Mountain High School, a 4A team from the metro League.  She earned two letters in soccer and was named most improved player.  She helped lead her high school team to the state semifinalists in 2009-10 and to the quarterfinalists in 2011.  The team was also metro League Champions in 2011.

Belzer commented "Jade has a unique ability to neutralize an opponent's key attacker.  She has great composure and reads play very well."

Next to the program is Kate Pellegrino, a 5-4 forward from Berkely Heights, N.J.  She will graduate from IMG Pendleton in Bradenton, FL., where she lettered in soccer in 2010.  She helped her team to CDL Championship status in 2011.  Pellegrino also played club with IMG Academies and Parsippany SC.

"Kate's commitment to her game is unquestionable as she's spent the last two years of high school at the IMG Academy in Florida" said Belzer.  "This New Jersey product will create goals for teammates and herself through great technical and tactical play."

The Minden, Nev. addition, Brianna Randall, will join the team after graduating from Douglas High School, a 4A Sierra League team.  The 5-9 goalkeeper lettered four years in soccer where she lead her team to be Sierra League Champions in 2008 and 2011 and Nevada State Champions in 2009 and 2010. Randall played club at Real Reno FC and Neusport North FC.

"Bri provides competition and depth to our strong goalkeeping corps" commented Belzer.  "Her Nevada state record for shutouts gives her confidence to compete for minutes her freshman year.

Last to enter the roster will be forward Sidny Szabo, from Highlands Ranch, Colo.  She will graduate from Highlands Ranch High School, a 5A Continental League, where she maintained a 4.0 grade point average.  She was named All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2009 and 2010 and to DCSD Women in Athletics in 2009.  Szabo played for the Colorado Rush Nike Soccer Club. 

"Sid has outstanding pedigree coming from the nationally competitive Colorado Rush club' stated Belzer.  "Her tactical awareness and work rate will create many goal scoring opportunities for teammates and herself."

The Ranger women look forward to the 2012 season that will kick off in the next school year.