College Women: UCLA’s Oakes is No. 1 recruit

Southern California high schooler Jill Oakes, a UCLA-bound defensive midfielder and central defender who has played for the United States at the U-19 and U-21 levels, is Soccer America‘s choice as the No. 1 college women’s recruit in the 2002 class. Oakes, a West Hills native who is a senior at Harvard-Westlake High School and a standout for Valley United Stars, is a Parade and NSCAA Youth All-American described by U.S. U-19 coach Tracey Leone as “a big-timer … extraordinary both in midfield and as a center back … pretty complete.” She is expected to play in the midfield for the Bruins. Oakes is one of five UCLA recruits among Soccer America’s Top 25 College Women’s Recruits, joined by Mexican national team forward Iris Mora (No. 8) and three U-19 teammates, all from California: midfielder Stacy Lindstrom (No. 15), defender Allie True (No. 20) and forward Katie Rivera (No. 21). North Carolina carted off Nos. 2, 3, 4, 6 and 10 — in order, midfielder Lori Chalupny, defender Amy Steadman, forward Lindsay Tarpley, defender Kendall Fletcher and midfielder Kacey White, all of them U-19 standouts and Parade and/or NSCAA All-Americans — giving the Tar Heels the nation’s No. 1 class. Chalupny and Steadman have played for the full U.S. national women’s team. Four Virginia signees (defender Sarah Huffman, forward Kristin Weiss, defender Kelly Hammond and midfielder Noelle Keselica) and three headed to Arizona State (midfielders Manya Makoski and Brittany Cooper and forward Stephanie Ebner) also made the Top 25. Most of the Top 25 have experience with the U.S. U-19 team, and the four foreign players on the list — Mora, Canadian U-19 standouts Carmelina Moscato and Janice McCann, and Danish U-19 standout Johanna Rasmussen — play in their country’s national teams programs. Every player on the list signed with a university in the Atlantic Coast, Pacific-10 or Big East conferences except Moscato (Penn State, Big Ten), McGann (UW Milwaukee, Horizon) and Rasmussen (Texas Tech, Big 12). SOCCER AMERICA TOP 25 RECRUITS 1. Jill Oakes, M-D, West Hills, Calif. — UCLA 2. Lori Chalupny, M, Chesterfield, Mo. — North Carolina 3. Amy Steadman, D, Brevard, N.C. — North Carolina 4. Lindsey Tarpley, F, Kalamazoo, Mich. — North Carolina 5. Manya Makoski, M, Trumbull, Conn. — Arizona State 6. Kendall Fletcher, D, Cary, N.C. — North Carolina 7. Allison Graham, M, Fayetteville, Ga. — Clemson 8. Iris Mora, F, Cancun, Mexico — UCLA 9. Sarah Huffman, D, Flower Mount, Texas — Virginia 10. Kacey White, M, Arlington, Texas — North Carolina 11. Annie Schefter, M, Yakima, Wash. — Notre Dame 12. Kristin Weiss, F, Brecksville, Ohio — Virginia 13. Hayley Hunt, D, San Marino, Calif. — Stanford 14. Carmelina Moscato, F, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada — Penn State 15. Stacy Lindstrom, M, Laguna Niguel, Calif. — UCLA 16. Kelly Hammond, D, Bowie, Md. — Virginia 17. Brittany Cooper, M, Albuquerque, N.M. — Arizona State 18. Johanna Rasmussen, F-M, Nykebing, Denmark — Texas Tech 19. Noelle Keselica, M, Gaithersburg, Md. — Virginia 20. Allie True, D, Alamo, Calif. — UCLA 21. Katie Rivera, F, Mission Viejo, Calif. — UCLA 22. Jenny Farenbaugh, D, Reseda, Calif. — Stanford 23. Janice McGann, M-D, Oakville, Ontario, Canada — UW Milwaukee 24. Kate Taylor, G, Menomonee Falls, Wis. — Boston College 25. Stephanie Ebner, F, Taylorsville, Utah — Arizona State