LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Coach Chris Tinius announced that seven recruits have signed National Letters of Intent with the Bellarmine University women's soccer team.

Representing the first recruiting class for Bellarmine as an active member of Division I are midfielder Grace Barber of New Albany (Ind.) High School, forward Kailyn Bridges of Rosati-Kain (Mo.) High School, forward Ashlyn Fuller of Paul Laurence Dunbar (Ky.) High School, defender Katie Gawrys of Mt. Vernon (Ind.) High School, midfielder Avery Mahon of Lakota East (Ohio) High School, midfielder Alexa Orozco of Aurora Central Catholic (Ill.) High School and midfielder Sidney Rigsby of Lebanon (Ohio) High School.

"We are excited to add Grace, Kailyn, Ashlyn, Katie, Avery, Alexa and Sidney to our Bellarmine women's soccer family," Tinius said. "We expect all of them to be wonderful additions on the field, in the classroom and in the community."

Bellarmine is preparing for its first season in the ASUN Conference after making three NCAA II Tournament appearances over the last six years while posting a 12-5-3 record in 2019.

"While each player in this class will bring their own unique traits, one theme that runs throughout this initial group of signings is well-rounded and versatile players, especially through the middle part of the field," Tinius said. "As we continue in this transition to Division I, we realize that the system or shape we are in next year might differ from what it looks like when these players are seniors. Players that can adapt to different roles and combine with varying skill sets around them will provide themselves opportunities and allow our team flexibility as we continue to grow. Those traits never go out of style."

Here's a look at Bellarmine's seven signees.

Grace Barber
Hometown: New Albany, IN
Position: Midfielder
High School: New Albany

• Four-time first-team All-Conference

Club Team:  Kentucky Fire Juniors '03 / Racing Louisville Academy ECNL

• ODP Region II Pool Team

Tinius on Barber: "We are extremely happy to be adding Grace to our program. She is a talented player that is smooth and comfortable on the ball. She comes from a family of soccer junkies and lives and breathes the game.  She is also very driven academically and her interest in Bellarmine really spurred from that. You put all of those qualities together and it's the exact model that you want in a student-athlete."

Kailyn Bridges
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Position: Forward
High School: Rosati-Kain

• Conference POY, first-team All-State

Club Team:  St. Louis Scott Gallagher 2002 ECNL-RL
Tinius on Bridges: "Kailyn is a versatile attacking player that came to a couple of our camps and showed very well. She will add some quickness and pace to our roster, especially when she can find space in wide positions. She has been part of one of the top clubs in this part of the country, which is always a plus because you know she is coming from a good environment. We are glad to have her as a Knight."

Ashlyn Fuller
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Position: Forward
High School: Paul Laurence Dunbar

• Three-time Kentucky first-team All-State Soccer Academic team, honorable-mention All-State

Club Team:  CUP '03 National League

• USYS National League Division champs

Tinius on Fuller: "Ashlyn is an athletic attacking player that has the ability and potential to be very dynamic. She can attack space and create for herself or her teammates. She has experience at a very high level playing for a strong club and competing in the USYS National League. She also has a connection and rapport with some of the Lexington kids already on our roster, which we think is helpful. We are happy to have her on board."

Katie Gawrys
Hometown: McCordsville, IN
Position: Defender
High School: Mt. Vernon

• Three-time All-Conference

Club Team:  FC Pride '02 ECNL

• 2019 Elite 8 at ECNL Nationals

Tinius on Gawrys: "We are extremely happy to add a player and student of Katie's stature to our soccer program. She is a well-rounded and versatile defensive player. She can play as a center back but has also shown the ability to defend quick players in space and get forward as a wide back. Katie should be able to combine with a lot of different players regardless of the system or who else is on the field."

Avery Mahon
Hometown: Liberty Township, OH
Position: Midfielder
High School: Lakota East

• First-team All-Conference

Club Team: CUP '03 National League

• USYS National League Division champs

Tinius on Mahon: "Avery is a soccer player. It may sound simple, but it's meant as quite the compliment. She is sturdy on the ball and versatile. We've seen her in all three central midfield positions and as a winger. She is able to play with many different types of players. Most importantly, every time we've seen her — win, lose or draw — her team has shown better when she's on the field. We're happy she is going to be a Knight."

Alexa Orozco
Hometown: Aurora, IL
Position: Midfielder
High School: Aurora Central Catholic

• Team MVP, Team Captain

Club Team:  Team Chicago 02 Elite

• USYS National League participant

Tinius on Orozco: "Alexa is a quality player that can cover ground centrally and is very trustworthy in possession. She has been part of a successful club team and has done a lot of the necessary work behind some very talented attacking players so they could go do their thing. That work is an often overlooked but important part of good teams. Add in some intangibles and a strong work ethic as a student and Alexa is a great addition to our program."

Sidney Rigsby
Hometown: Lebanon, OH
Position: Midfielder
High School: Lebanon

• 2019 first-team All-Conference, Team Captain

Club Team:  CUP '02 National League

• Four-time State Champion, USYS National League participant, National Semifinalist

Tinius on Rigsby: "Sidney is another versatile player that can play pretty much any role through the middle part of the field. She has the range to play as a box-to-box midfielder, she can go at people in the attack and her size can also allow her to sit and help you win balls if you need that. She is another good student and is graduating high school early to be able to join us this spring. We think a semester to train in our environment prior to playing next fall will benefit her and our team."

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