Rams welcome seven newcomers for class of 2019

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Colorado State women's soccer team and head coach Bill Hempen announced on Wednesday the additions of seven newcomers set to join the program beginning with the 2019 season.

Colorado State added to each of its forwards, midfielders and defenders in this group of newcomers. Included among the newest Rams are midfielders Alina Khan (Houston, Texas/Memorial HS) and Liv Layton (Foristell, Mo./Incarnate Word Academy); forward Aleyse Evers (Papillion, Neb./Papillion Vista South HS); defender Shianne Knight (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands HS); midfield/forwards Kaitlyn Abrams (Poulsbo, Wash./Crosspoint Academy) and Caroline Lucas (Lewisville, Texas/The Westwood School); and forward/defender Kendra Gipson (Aurora, Colo./Grandview HS).

Read below for details on each of the Rams' seven newcomers.

Kaitlyn Abrams
Freshman | 5'7"
Midfielder/Forward
Poulsbo, Wash. (Crosspoint Academy)
Kaitlyn Abrams will arrive in Fort Collins after playing her high school career at Crosspoint Academy in Washington. Abrams helped lead her high school to a state championship final appearance in 2015, and was honored as a first-team SeaTac league all-star that year. The previous season, Abrams won a state championship with Crosspoint Academy at the 1B level. Individually, Abrams has been ranked between No. 14 and 18 among her region's athletes on Top Drawer Soccer.

In club soccer, Abrams was a member of Seattle Reign in the Reign Development Academy. In the classroom, Abrams is a three-year member of the National Honor Society and class president twice. Abrams was also awarded the WIAA Outstanding Scholastic Award in 2015.

Colorado State head coach Bill Hempen on Kaitlyn Abrams:
"Kaitlyn brings a competitiveness from a highly successful Seattle Reign program. She's got high soccer IQ and loves to play the game. We're hoping she provides us with the keys to unlock our challenges in front of our opponent's goal. She certainly has the ability and we're excited that she's going to be a Ram in the fall."

Aleyse Evers
Freshman | 5'9"
Forward
Papillion, Neb. (Papillion Vista South HS)
Aleyse Evers joins the CSU women's soccer program out of Papillion, Neb., and Papillion Visa South High School. Evers started her high school soccer career at Farrgut High School in Knoxville, Tenn., where she was awarded all-district and all-region her freshman year. She continued her high school career in Nebraska in each remaining season, and was awarded with all-district, all-metro the next two seasons. Evers added all-state honors to her list of accolades her junior year.

Evers played her club soccer for Sporting Omaha in the Girls Development Academy. Off the pitch, she was an honor roll student all four years of high school, and earned academic all-state recognition as a junior. She plans to major in biomedical science at CSU.

Colorado State head coach Bill Hempen on Aleyse Evers:
"Aleyse Evers just scores goals, and she's part of our program because she is an extremely hard-working, driven, attacking player that loves the idea of being the go-to goal scorer. We're fortunate that the paths have crossed between Aleyse and Colorado State soccer."

Kendra Gipson
Freshman | 5'4"
Forward/Defender
Aurora, Colo. (Grandview HS)
A Colorado native, Kendra Gipson will arrive at Fort Collins from Aurora and Grandview High School. Gipson has lettered in soccer all four years at Grandview, and in 2018, tallied 12 goals and three assists en route to second-team all-conference and all-state honorable mention distinction.

In club soccer, Gipson competed as a member of the Colorado Rapids in the ECNL. Off the pitch, Gipson was an academic all-state honorable mention and an AP Scholar with honor in 2018.

Colorado State head coach Bill Hempen on Kendra Gipson:
"Kendra was the first one in this particular class to commit a few years ago. She just loves CSU, and as a coach at CSU, you love that kind of commitment towards school and your program. The bonus with Kendra is that she'll have opportunities at multiple positions. She's got a versatility that'll help her find her way on the field in pretty short order."

Shianne Knight
Freshman | 5'6"
Defender
The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands HS)
Shianne Knight is one of three Texas natives to join Colorado State soccer in 2019, joining the Rams from The Woodlands High School. Knight was awarded first-team all-district honors in 2018, and helped her team to the district title all four years of high school. Knight was captain of her team for the 2018-19 seasons, and added academic all-district honors in 2018.

Notably, Knight was a teammate of fellow incoming freshman Alina Khan at Challenge Soccer Club in the ECNL. Knight's father, Sammy Knight, was also a college athlete, as he played football at the University of Southern California.

Colorado State head coach Bill Hempen on Shianne Knight:
"We've been chasing Shianne for a while and she came to the decision that CSU was the place for her to be. She brings athleticism to us and is probably one of the best athletes that we've had. She'll get a look as an outside back, forward or midfielder. Shianne brings us a lot of options and gives us a degree of athleticism that we've been searching for. She'll be a great Ram."

Alina Khan
Freshman | 5'5"
Midfielder
Houston, Texas (Memorial HS)
Alina Khan is one of three Texans to join the Rams beginning with the 2019 season. Khan brings experience playing at competitive levels of soccer, winning the state title with Memorial High School in 2018 while adding experience with the Challenge Soccer Club in the highly-competitive ECNL. Khan is expected to help in the attack and add playmaking ability to the roster.

Notably, Khan was a teammate of incoming freshman Shianne Knight at Challenge SC. Off the pitch, Khan plans to major in biology and add a minor in business administration.

Colorado State head coach Bill Hempen on Alina Khan:
"We've compared Alina often to one of our current players, Alyssa Yoshida. She's a midfielder that brings a ton of skill and athleticism. She comes from a very good program in the Challenge Soccer Club down in Houston, and is one of those players that you see for the first time and say, 'I want that kid on my team.' We're fortunate to have Alina as part of our program."

Liv Layton
Freshman | 5'3"
Midfielder
Foristell, Mo. (Incarnate Word Academy)
Liv Layton joins the women's soccer program at CSU after playing four years of soccer at the varsity level at Incarnate Word Academy in Missouri. Layton was awarded with first-team all-conference honors in each of her first three seasons, and added first-team all-state honors as a sophomore and junior. As a sophomore, Layton was awarded as the team's co-offensive player of the year after registering 19 goals and nine assists. Layton's teams have experienced success over her high school career, finishing third at the 2016 state championships and a second at the 2017 state championships.

Layton competed in club soccer for St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club in the ECNL. She plans to major in human development and family studies at CSU.

Colorado State head coach Bill Hempen on Liv Layton:
"I have a penchant for looking for left-sided players, and Liv brings that. She's got a lot of soccer knowledge and high soccer IQ, and she'll fit for us anywhere on the left side of the field. The players at her club program are well-coached, and she'll be another skillful player that we're fortunate to have at Colorado State."

Caroline Lucas
Freshman | 5'2"
Midfielder/Forward
Lewisville, Texas (The Westwood School)
Caroline Lucas will be joining Colorado State after earning varsity letters in each of soccer, track & field and cheer each year at The Westwood School in Texas. In soccer, Lucas has been awarded with all-state honors in 2016 and 2017, and was named her soccer team's MVP in 2016 and 2017 along with The Westwood School's female athlete of the year in 2016. In club soccer, Lucas was named an ECNL All-Conference Top 11 player in 2018, and helped her club team, the Dallas Sting, claim the ECNL Texas Conference title that same season.

In track & field, Lucas placed first in the 200 meters at the 2016 Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools State Championships. In addition, Lucas holds the record at The Westwood School in the women's 200 meters.

Colorado State head coach Bill Hempen on Caroline Lucas:
"We came across Caroline about a year ago, and she comes from an excellent club in the Dallas area. I've seen her play on the flank and in the middle, and everywhere I've seen her play she's had an impact. Like Liv (Layton), she's a left-sided player, and she just loves to play soccer and loves to compete. You can see the joy she plays with when she's on the field, and we know she'll bring that passion to us at CSU."

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