UH Football

UH Basketball

By Jason Caesar Consolacion
Daily Cougar Staff

The UH women's soccer team welcomed two freshmen to its blossoming program Wednesday, the first day coaching staffs could announce the signed letters of intent from incoming students.

Emily Allwardt and Anne Gasser, both from Milwaukee, Wis., faxed in their signed letters of intent to UH head soccer coach Chris Huston Wednesday.

Chris Huston

"Every year when we're recruiting, we're looking for kids to come in and contribute right away," Huston said. "That's what our goal for (Allwardt and Gasser) is -- to come in, step in and compete for a starting position right away."

Allwardt, a 5-8 all-around athlete from Germantown High School, played on the Milwaukee Kickers National, a Milwaukee club team that has competed at the national championship level for several years.

"She's going to be a very versatile player for us," Huston said. "She's a very athletic kid, a very good leader and we're really looking for her verbal leadership on the field to help us a lot."

Bill Soldberg

"She's physically fit to the point where she doesn't get knocked off the ball a lot," UH assistant soccer coach Bill Solberg said. Solberg actually worked and trained with Allwardt in Milwaukee before coming to Houston.

Huston believes that Allwardt will be a very effective defensive presence for the Cougars. UH is already one of the best defensive teams in Conference USA, holding opponents to an average of 1.09 goals per game in league play.

Already led by 1999's C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Laura Repp, the Cougars posted three shutouts last season. Allwardt, with her size and strength, will definitely allow UH to have an even better defensive unit.

Gasser is a 5-5 marking back from Mukwonago High School. She also played for the Milwaukee Kickers National club team and was a teammate of Allwardt's.

"She is someone that can come in and be a marking back for us," Huston said. "But, we could move her to sweeper, if need be. Her specialty is she can mark a player off of the game."

According to Huston, Gasser was highly recruited around the nation.

"It actually came down to us and Purdue with her," Huston said. "(When she's on the field), she may not be the one player that stands out, but after you watch her consistently, she's always the one that continues to make the big play."

"She's a very quiet, shy girl off the field," Solberg said, "but when she's on the field, she pretty much directs what's going on. She's very quick, very fast. She's all about business on the field."

The team is awaiting the official word of a possible junior transfer student from Long Island University. Because names are not allowed to be released before an official NCAA document is signed and approved, Huston could only say that the player was a goalkeeper who should help fill the void left by this year's lone senior, Michelle Denommé, and be a fine backup to Susan Barra.

"The number one position that we were looking for was obviously goalkeeper," Huston said. "Also, we're a pretty young team; our numbers weren't that big, so we were also looking for depth all over the field. These girls really help us with depth at a lot of positions."