Picking Kelly Lindsey is a no-brainer.

While even the experts — a selection of Midwest college coaches — struggled to come up with a list of the best 11 recruits coming out of Region II, the Omaha, Neb., product was on everyone’s mind.

“Absolutely,” Minnesota coach Sue Montagne said. “Top of the list.”

“The big difference with her is the attitude and intensity,” Nebraska coach John Walker said. “She’s almost the best there is of all the kids coming out this year.”

The U.S. under-20 player will be going to Notre Dame, where coach Chris Petrucelli can use her because the Irish lose senior defender Kate Fisher.

Petrucelli says he’ll likely use Lindsey at left back. Adding the strong defender to last year’s freshman star sweeper Jen Grubb and junior back Kate Sobrero — and LaKeysia Beene in goal — should give Notre Dame the best defense in the country.

Somewhere down the line, look for Lindsey to mark Allison Wagner, who’s going to Notre Dame’s regional rival Wisconsin, which lost 5-0 to the Irish in the 1996 NCAA tournament. Both players were named NSCAA/Umbro youth all-America players.

Wagner, pegged by some coaches as the top player from the Midwest, is a fast, hard-working forward.

“She is capable of tearing defenses apart by herself on solo runs,” Wisconsin coach Dean Duerst said. “She’s a fighter. She’s very determined…. Whoever has to mark her has to be fit and has to be ready for a battle.”

“To me, Allie Wagner is the catch of all of them,” Cincinnati coach Meridy Glenn said. “She’s not going to have any problems scoring. And she’ll draw a lot of PKs.”

Wagner will bolster a Wisconsin attack that historically is not known for producing a lot of goals. The Badgers dropped to 39 last season after scoring 47 in 1995.

Allie Rogosheske gives Wisconsin a versatile player who can flourish as a wing midfielder or marking back.

After the Irish and Badgers, Minnesota is the next power in the Midwest. The Golden Gophers beat out Wisconsin for the ’95 Big Ten title and have reached the last two NCAA tournaments.

They may have advanced past the first round last season if striker Jennifer Walek hadn’t gone down to a knee injury earlier in the year. She’ll be back next season and will be paired up front with Laurie Seidl, a top prep player from Illinois.

Seidl, who also played golf and basketball at St. Charles High School, played stopper for the state team, but, as Montagne says, is a “true goalscorer.”

“She’s well-rounded,” Duerst added. “It’s not like she can jump the highest or is the tallest, but she’s good in the air. She’s a crafty player who works well with or without the ball.”

The Illinois State Player of the Year in 1996, Seidl scored 40 goals and had 11 assists for 91 points in her senior season at St. Charles.

Other top players include defender Erin Gilhart, a U.S. U-20 who played for nationally ranked Lakota High School in Ohio, and Trisha Burch, a small, Jen Lalor-like playmaker. Gilhart’s going to Michigan, while Burch says she’s deciding between Indiana and Syracuse.

by Soccer America associate editor Dean Caparaz

Region II Girls Super-11 Recruits

F Kristin Boeker St. Louis Missouri

Quick, athletic, causes havoc in front of goal

M Trisha Burch Cincinnati Syracuse

Small, quick, skillful playmaker

D Stephanie Dietrich Cincinnati Florida State

Tall, good in the air

F Anne Gage Columbus, Ohio Kentucky

Lean, fast, tall 1v1 artist

D Erin Gilhart Westchester, Ohio Michigan

NSCAA/Umbro all-America trained with U.S. U-20s

D Margo Hafer Cincinnati Kentucky

Big (5-9), strong sweeper

D Susan Krager St. Louis Duke

Tough, tenacious marker

D Kelly Lindsey Omaha, Neb. Notre Dame

Classy, physical athlete

D Allie Rogosheske St. Cloud, Minn. Wisconsin

Hard-working, versatile player

F Laurie Seidl St. Charles, Ill. Minnesota

Natural goalscorer, athletic, great workrate

F Allison Wagner Hudson, Ohio Wisconsin

Fast, hard-nosed, scrappy