Minatta Completes 2018 Soccer Signing Class

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State soccer program and head coach Tony Minatta welcome nine newcomers on National Signing Day. Minatta and his staff wrapped up their 2018 signing class on Wednesday receiving National Letters of Intent from their nine prep standouts.

"We are very excited to welcome this group of athletes to Iowa State University as part of our 2018 signing class," Minatta said. "The first word that comes to mind when describing this class is character. This group is incredibly hard-working and exhibit the utmost integrity, both on and off the field. The second word that comes to mind is winners. All of these individuals come from championship teams, who have achieved the highest level both individually and as a team that you are able to in youth soccer. They are all very dynamic in both their play and personality, who we feel will help to elevate our program as we continue to strive to reach our goals."

Read a breakdown of all of Iowa State's 2018 signees below:

Kenady Adams
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colo.
High School: Fossil Ridge
Kenady Adams has had an outstanding prep career at Fossil Ridge with one season still remaining. Adams was an All-Conference selection and named to the Northern Colorado Region First Team in 2016. She's also had a wildly successful club tenure with Arsenal Colorado. She's won five Colorado State Cup Championships with the club, including the U19 title in 2018. She was also on a squad that advanced to the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship final in 2017.

Tony's Take: "Kenady brings a ton of experience playing at a high level with ODP, her club team and the high school level. She is a very dynamic attacking player who has the ability to finish in a variety of different ways, while also looking to facilitate the game for her teammates. Her incredible work ethic and drive to achieve will immediately impact her class and our program."

Taylor Bee
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colo.
High School: Poudre
Taylor Bee hails from Fort Collins, Colo., where she is a three-time All-Conference selection with one season remaining. She led Poudre in goals (8) and assists (5) as a junior to garner an All-State selection. She also plays her club soccer with Arsenal Colorado and was a member of the U.S. Youth Soccer National Champion Finalists, earning a spot on the U.S. Youth Soccer and Top Drawer Soccer Best XI Team. Bee was also named the Colorado State Cup Most Valuable Player in 2017 (U18).

Tony's Take: "Taylor is a true competitor who always seems to rise to the occasion when her team needs it most. Scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of a national semifinal to send her team to the final is indicative of the type of player she is. Grit defines Taylor, who is the type of athlete that thrives on pressure and those moments where everything is on the line."

Megan Etrheim
Hometown: Sioux Falls, S.D.
High School: Washington
Megan Etrheim is a four-time South Dakota All-State selection, including First Team honors in 2015 and 2017. Also a four-time All-Metro Conference First Teamer, Etrheim set Washington High School career records for games started (52), goals (33) and assists (26) during a phenomenal prep career. The native of Sioux Falls, S.D. also achieved National Honor Society membership in both 2017 and 2018.

Tony's Take: "Megan is a blue collar, hard-working player who could literally play any position on the field. She is an athlete who has consistently improved year after year that we have been evaluating her play. She is fearless in what she tries on the field, which has led to her really expanding her creativity and technical quality. Looking forward to seeing her continue that growth and development with our program."

Bailey Heffernon
Hometown: Shawnee, Kan.
High School: Mill Valley
Iowa State tabbed Bailey Heffernon as their goalie for the 2018 class, and Minatta and company were able to sign the product of Shawnee, Kansas on Wednesday. Playing at Mill Valley, Heffernon was a Second Team All-State selection in goal in 2016 and was also honored by the Lawrence World Journal as a member of their All-Metro squad. Playing for Puma FC, Heffernon was a three-time state cup qualifier and a member of the 2016 Kansas ODP Sub-Regional Team.

Tony's Take: "Bailey is a very driven, athletic and committed goal keeper who really pushes herself to get better each day. She is fearless in the goal, willing to make that flying save or stand up to an attacking player 1 v 1. She is not just a goalkeeper, but a player who prides herself on her fitness and work ethic both on and off the field. She comes in and immediately pushes the competition at that position."

Nicole Martindale
Hometown: Gretna, Neb.
High School: Gretna High School
Nicole Martindale is a two-time (2016 & 2017) Lincoln Journal Star All-State selection and has helped lead team to back-to-back Class B Nebraska State Soccer Runner-Up finishes. She's also been a winner at the club level, winning Nebraska State Cup titles with Elite Girls Academy 1999 ECNL in 2015 & 2017, while advancing to the finals in 2016. Martindale is a two-time National Honor Society member (2016 & 2017).

Tony's Take: "Nicole is a very technical and creative player who has great vision on the ball. She is able to beat players on dribble or find that great pass to keep the attack going. Again, another player with a great work ethic who is constantly working to improve her game both technically and physically. She is the type of player you will find on the field on a Saturday, when no one else is around."

Brooke Miller
Hometown: San Marcos, Calif.
Club Team: LA Galaxy San Diego
Brooke Miller comes to Iowa State from San Marcos, Calif., where she has experience playing at the highest level of club soccer. Having bypassed high school soccer to focus on participating in the US Soccer Development Academy, Miller looks to be ready to contribute to the Cyclone program. She was a member of the 2016 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship team and also took part in the Cal South Pro+ Olympic Development Program that year.

Tony's Take: "Brooke is a very dynamic athlete who has won a national championship and played on one of the best teams in her age group in Southern California over the last few years. She flies out of the back to get into the attack, while still being a tough, hard-nosed defender who has matched up against some of the best attacking players in the country. Brooke is another high-character athlete with an incredible work ethic to help enhance our team culture."

Kara Privitera
Hometown: Lee's Summit, Mo.
High School: Lee's Summit West
Kara Privitera still has one season of high school soccer to play at Lee's Summit West, but has accomplished a great deal during her three-year prep career. Privitera, a three-year starter, was named All-Region and All-Conference in Class 6A in both 2016 and 2017. She's scored 36 goals and had 19 assists in three years of high school soccer, leading the team in goals with 17 as a junior. Privitera is a four-year honor roll student and a member of the debate team and the Supervised Business Program.

Tony's Take: "Kara is as tough an athlete as there comes. She is a versatile attacking player who is relentless in her drive to score goals. She can play a variety of different positions and has the skill set to find both her shot or an assist. Kara is the type of athlete that shows up early, stays late and puts in the work well outside of her scheduled practices."

Brinlee Whitaker
Hometown: Omaha, Neb.
High School: Skutt Catholic
Whitaker comes to Iowa State as one of the best prospects out of the state of Nebraska. She helped lead her Skutt Catholic squad to back-to-back Nebraska State Championships in 2016 and 2017 while also claiming the River City Conference titles both seasons. In club ball, Whitaker played for Elite Girls Academy 99/00 ECNL, advancing to the 2015 & 2016 NPL National Finals. They also won the 2015 NE State Cup Championship.

Tony's Take: "Brinlee is a very intelligent player, with an incredible soccer IQ. She reads the game incredibly well and is able to always be in the right place at the right time. Very technical, she is one of the best pure strikers of the ball we have seen at her level. The word toughness doesn't do her justice as she is a player who is willing to do all the dirty work in the midfield and grind to help her team win."

Taylor Wiegert
Hometown: Mukwonago, Wis.
High School: Waukesha West
Taylor Wiegert is a two-time team captain at Waukesha West, and has already earned two all-conference selections with one season of prep soccer remaining. She helped lead them to Classic 8 Conference titles in 2015 and 2016, when Waukesha West was a state semi-finalist. Wiegert plays club ball for FC Wisconsin Eclipse, winning Wisconsin State Cup Championships in 2013, 2014 and 2015, while finishing as USYS Region 2 Semi-Finalists.

Tony's Take: "Taylor is another very versatile athlete who has an incredible drive to succeed at whatever she puts her mind too. She plays in a very strong club environment that strives to prepare players for the next level and she has shown that every time we have seen her play. She is the type of athlete that asks what she can do to help the team, and then goes out and gets it done."

Iowa State University Athletics

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