Ferris State Soccer Lands Large Recruiting Class After Record-Breaking Campaign
Signing Day Press Conference Video 
Big Rapids, Mich. – The Ferris State University women's soccer program, which is coming off a record-breaking campaign this past fall, has landed one of its largest National Signing Day classes ever as FSU announced the Bulldogs' 2016 recruiting class on Wednesday (Feb. 3).
The official addition of 10 incoming recruits by head coach Andy McCaslin, who claimed Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Coach of the Year honors this past season.
Ferris State inked an impressive group that includes eight prep products along with a pair of transfer student-athletes. Their additions will help further bolster an ever-improving Bulldog lineup and help offset the loss of eight seniors from last fall.
The additions include goalkeeper Alison Chesterfield (Elgin, Ill./Saint Charles), midfielder Maddie Fouts (Richland/Gull Lake), midfielder Jenna Hong (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas), forward Morgan Irwin (Rockford), goalkeeper Grace Kraft (Williamston), defender Stephanie Newton (Fenton/Hartland), goalkeeper Nyla Peterkin (Ajax, Ontario/Archbishop Denis O'Connor Catholic), midfielder Brenna Seaman (Brighton/Hartland), defender Tia VanSuilichem (Caledonia) and forward Brandi Wagner (Gaylord).
Overall, the class includes three goalkeepers, three midfielders, two defenders and two forwards. Seven hail from the state of Michigan with two from Ontario and one from Illinois.
"I'm very excited about this year's signing class," said McCaslin, who completed his third season at the FSU helm this past fall. "It's a group that has been a couple years in the making and a group that will fit in well with our returning student-athletes as we build off this past year's success.
"I'm pleased that all 10 of these individuals have made the decision to be Bulldogs and I believe they all have a bright future as part of our program," he added.
This past fall, Ferris State set a new school record with 14 victories overall and placed the highest in school history with a runner-up league regular season finish. FSU also set a new school mark with nine league wins and posted a school all-time best 12-match unbeaten streak at one point this past year.
Additionally, the Bulldogs also set a school record for most shutouts in a campaign (8) and most consecutive shutouts (4) while being ranked among the top six in the Midwest Region. FSU did not drop a match after the opening weekend of the season until mid-October. Ferris State was also the only GLIAC school to receive the 2015 National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award.
The Bulldogs will begin official preparations for the fall campaign when preseason practice begins in August. The 2016 season will represent Ferris State's 18th season of intercollegiate competition.
Below is a look at each of Ferris State's 10 incoming recruits:
Alison Chesterfield
5-8, Goalkeeper
Elgin, Ill./Saint Charles
National Honor Society member ... Active in the Peer Leadership group ... Plans to major in Pre-Optometry ... Daughter of Soctt & Martha Chesterfield ... Coached by Paul Jennison ... Four-year letterwinnner ... Played club soccer for the Strikers FVSC '98 Premiere ... Kane County All-Area selection ... Two-time All-Academic choice ... Led team to a conference championship in 2015 ... Helped squad finish as a state runner-up in 2014 ... Team also claimed section, super-sectional and regional crowns ... Posted a 19-5-5 mark in net in 2014 ... Compiled an impressive 20-2-1 mark with 14 shutouts and a 0.61 goals against average in 2015 ... Led club team to the MRL Championship ... Wan an Illinois State Scholar this past year.
Coach McCaslin on Chesterfield:
"Alison has great size and shot stopping ability. She's smart and sees the field well. In addition, she also directs from the back very well, keeping the team organized and limiting opponents to shots from distance."
Maddie Fouts
5-4, Midfielder
Richland/Gull Lake
Younger sister of FSU's Rachel Fouts ... Four-year letterwinner ... Has also played basketball ... Played club soccer for the Midwest United Kalamazoo/TKO club ... Plans to major in pharmacy ... Coached by Jeff Corstange ... Daughter of Ken and Jan Fouts ... Served as team captain ... All-State honoree ... Also has claimed all-conference laurels ... Named to 2015 Kalamazoo Gazette Dream Team ... Recorded six goals and 25 assists in 2015 as squad went 25-1-1 ... Had 16 assists in 2014 ... Posted four goals and 11 assists during the 2013 campaign ... Led team to state cup quarterfinals twice ... Team captured state cup championship in 2015 ... Guided team to three-straight state titles ... Prep team has won back-to-back conference crowns ... National Honor Society member ... Active in the spanish club.
Coach McCaslin on Fouts:
"Maddie has played at a high level and is only getting better. She has good vision and plays quickly. Additionally, she can attack or hold from the midfield.
Jenna Hong
5-5, Midfielder
London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas
Coached by Jim Foster ... Four-year letterwinner ... Also played basketball and volleyball ... Served as team captain ... Claimed team Most Valuable Player Award honors ... Played club soccer with the North London Galaxy '98 Elite ... Plans to major in pre-medicine ... Daughter of Daniel and Trudy Hong ... Led team to city and regional championships from 2013-15 ... Key player on team that finished third in the 2014 provincial championship ... Previously received Female Athlete of the Year recognition ... Selected to the U14 Ontario Provincial Team and traveled to Spain.
Coach McCaslin on Hong:
"Jenna has the ability to play as a center back or a center mid. She's composed on the ball, very technical, has good vision and strikes a clean ball."
Morgan Irwin
5-9, Forward
Rockford
Four-year letterwinner ... Coached by Scott Green ... Played club soccer for the GR Crew Juniors and the Midwest United ... Daughter of Shawn and Sherri Irwin ... Undecided on an academic major ... All-Academic selection ... Twice received all-conference laurels ... Posted a goal and three assists prior to injury in 2015 ... Had eight goals in each of her first two prep seasons ... Tallied six assists in 2013 and two more in 2014 ... Helped team to district title in 2014 ... Led team to a regional appearance as a sophomore ... Made a penalty kick in the 2014 district final.
Coach McCaslin on Irwin:
"Morgan has great size and is able to hold players off and create with the pass or on the dribble. She's crafty and can score from distance."
Grace Kraft
5-8, Goalkeeper
Williamston
Four-year letterwinner ... Active in the student council, elite choir and the National Honor Society ... Coached by Jim Flore ... Served as instructor and leader at children's sports camps ... Played club soccer for TNT Soccer Club and the Michigan Soccer Club ... Daughter of Daniel Kraft and Elizabeth Wylegala ... Undecided on an academic major ... Lansing State Journal "Dream Team" selection ... Two-time All-State honoree ... Twice named to all-conference squad ... Also has twice earned all-academic recognition ... Led team to three-straight conference championships ... Helped team reach regional finals in 2014 ... Three-sport athlete ... Also competed in volleyball and basketball ... All-district and all-region recipient ... Posted a 0.76 goals against average and a .900 save percentage in 2015 with 13 shutouts ... Recorded 15 shutouts and a 0.67 GAA in 2014 ... Appeared in four games as a freshman with two shutouts in net.
Coach McCaslin on Kraft:
"Grace is a strong goalkeeper and will be a great addition to our goalkeeping corps. She's got good size and ball striking ability. She's clean catching the ball and can make important saves in big moments."
Stephanie Newton
5-4, Defender
Fenton/Hartland
Transfer from Schoolcraft Community College in Livonia ... Coached at the JUCO level by Dave Carver ... Helped SCC to a district and regional title in 2015 ... Led team to the national championships at Schoolcraft ... Coached on prep level by Andrew Kartsounes ... Four-year letterwinner ... Led team to the regional finals in 2013 ... Helped team win conference and district championships in her prep career ... Chosen as school's Scholar-Athlete from 2010-14 ... Took part in varsity snowboarding ... Played club soccer for the Michigan Alliance, Huron Valley and Hartland clubs ... Plans to major in pre-medicine or optometry ... Daughter of Carl and Laura Newton ... Earned Scholar-Athlete Academic Excellence honors ... Served as team captain ... Was a Product Game Champion ... Named team's Defender of the Year.
Coach McCaslin on Newton:
"Stephanie is an back who can play in the middle or wide. Her junior college played in the national tournament and she fared very well against some of the top JUCO teams in the country. She's got good pace and looks to get forward out of the back."
Nyla Peterkin
5-10, Goalkeeper
Ajax, Ontario/Archbishop Denis O'Connor Catholic
Transfer from Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa ... Coached at Ashford by Eddie Garza ... Dean's list honoree ... Four-year letterwinner ... Active in basketball, volleyball and lacrosse ... Honor roll student ... Plans to major in biology ... Daughter of Horace Peterkin and Rose Douglas-Peterkin ... Coached by Stephen Kerr and Lui Sposato ... Was an all-conference choice ... Led team to three league titles ... Helped team to the provincial tournament from 2012-14 ... Tallied five shutouts with 101 saves and a 1.61 goals against average in 2015 ... Registered eight shutouts with a 1.11 GAA and 72 saves in 2014 ... Helped team to a 14-5-1 mark in the '15 campaign ... Tabbed as team's Goalkeeper of the Year ... Claimed all-tourney team recognition ... Has received all-conference honors multiple times ... Took part in the Master's Futbol and Extreme Goalkeepers Academies ... Played against Jamaican club teams in Jamaica.
Coach McCaslin on Peterkin:
"Nyla has tremendous presence in the goal. She's got good size, soft hands and is comfortable with the ball at her feet. She was the goalkeeper of her league last year at Ashford University and led her team to the national tournament."
Brenna Seaman
5-4, Midfielder
Brighton/Hartland
Four-year starter & letterwinner ... Played club soccer for the Michigan Hawks '98 Black team ... Coached by Andrew Kartsounes ... Plans to major in biology or pre-physical therapy ... Daughter of Greg Seaman and Heather McNamara ... All-Conference honoree ... Was an all-district choice ... Two-time Scholar-Athlete choice ... Also claimed all-country laurels ... Recorded five goals and three assists in 2015 ... Had five goals and two assists in 2014 ... Helped team to a 17-3-3 mark last year ... Guided team to a district title and regional semifinal berth ... Team posted an impressive 15-1-4 mark in 2014 while winning a league crown.
Coach McCaslin on Seaman:
"Another central midfield player we added with great vision and awareness. Brenna will be versatile in the midfield and will play with a purpose but also exceptionally hard."
Tia VanSuilichem
5-4, Defender
Caledonia
Coached by Steve Sanxter ... Four-year letterwinner ... Active in the student council ... Played club soccer for the Midwest United club ... Plans to major in biology or pre-dental ... Daughter of Michael VanSuilichem and Carmen Watkoski ... Notched four goals and three assists in 2015 ... Had a goal and three assists as a sophomore ... Compiled six goals in her freshman season ... All-conference choice ... Led team to a district crown in 2013 ... Has competed for Olympic Development Program teams and highly-ranked club squads ... Serves as a local youth coach.
Coach McCaslin on VanSuilichem:
"Tia has great pace and exceptional closing speed as an outside back. She has a great engine and can get forward to add into the attack which makes her dangerous on both sides of the ball."
Brandi Wagner
5-4, Forward
Gaylord
Four-year letterwinner ... Also competed in volleyball and basketball ... National Honor Society member ... Played club soccer for the Gaylord Extreme and the Alliance Academy ... Coached by Scott Fry ... Daughter of Bob and Jodi Wagner ... Three-time all-conference pick ... Three-time all-academic choice ... Chosen as team MVP ... All-District and all-region honoree ... Claimed squad's Hustle Award ... Posted 18 goals and 10 assists with seven game-winning goals in 2015 ... Led team to a 14-9-1 mark last year and a district runner-up finish ... Scored game-winning goal in both pre-district and district semifinals in both 2013 and 2015 ... Tallied 20 goals and 11 assists in 2014 ... Netted 12 goals and 14 assists in her freshman campaign ... Three-sport athlete ... Plans to major in a medical field.
Coach McCaslin on Wagner:
"Brandi will fit in very well in the wide areas for us either as a forward or as an outside back. She's got tremendous pace and creates dangerous goal scoring opportunities turning the corner on outside backs and finishing or serving balls in well from the wing."