ITHACA, N.Y. – Head coach Rob Ferguson announced nine additions to the Cornell women's soccer program in advance of the 2021 season.
 
"We are excited for so many things moving forward, and bringing in this class of nine freshman is very high on the list," Ferguson said. "We expect them to come in and compete from Day 1, taking the intensity and competitiveness of our culture in stride. Our returning players have worked very hard to set new standards and benchmarks in this area, providing a great environment for our freshman to slide in to and thrive."
 
The Big Red has an eye toward its first competition under Ferguson since his promotion to the program's helm in February 2020. With Ferguson serving as the team's top assistant coach in 2019, Cornell posted a three-win improvement in 2019 over 2018 while seeing several underclasswomen earn prominent roles.
 
Among those key returners for Cornell are junior midfielder/forward Ashley Durik, who garnered All-Ivy League honorable mention in her freshman campaign. Junior Nicole Shulman was the Big Red's primary goalkeeper around a stint with the Israeli national team at the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship, and senior midfielder/forward Jadyn Matthews also has international experience having helped Jamaica qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019.
 
Four of the Big Red's newcomers hail from southern California, including two pairs of teammates at the club level. A local product also arrives in Alex Brotherton, who hails from nearby Dryden.

Incoming Player Biographies

Alex Brotherton
Defender — 5-foot-5 — Dryden, N.Y. (Dryden HS / WNY Flash)
Ferguson on Brotherton: "Alex is a central defender who can also play in central midfield. She brings incredible tenacity, strength and bravery along with composure and quality on the ball, both technically and tactically. Alex has been a key player for many years on one of the best teams in the country at the WNY Flash Academy in Buffalo, and we expect her to bring a winning and driven mindset to our program immediately."
 
Grace Diehl
Forward — 5-foot-10 — Glenview, Ill. (Glenbrook South HS / Eclipse Select SC)
Ferguson on Diehl: "Grace is a forward with an excellent presence. She can hold the ball up, be a threat in behind and importantly has an eye for goal. Grace gives us excellent options and brings something different to our front line, which will be very important moving forward. While recruiting Grace, we saw a young lady who would battle in key moments, and that was important to us and the growth of our team."
 
Lily Ellingson
Defender — 5-foot-4 — San Diego, Calif. (Torrey Pines HS / Albion SC San Diego)
Ferguson on Ellingson: "As an attacking wide defender, Lily brings pace, savvy and excellent attacking qualities to both create and score goals. We spent over a year watching Lily, and she was consistently the best attacking wide defender we watched in the DA throughout the 2019-20 season. We can't wait to see her bring this to our program and perform at the next level."
 
Erica Fox
Goalkeeper — 5-foot-6 — San Marcos, Calif. (San Marcos HS / Albion SC San Diego)
Ferguson on Fox: "Erica is a goalkeeper with excellent hands, agility and tactical understanding. It stood out to us how well she read the game and eliminated so many threats before they fully developed with her anticipation of balls in behind the defense. Erica has an energy and personality that will add to our squad from Day 1.
 
Reinna Gabriel
Midfielder/Forward — 5-foot-7 — Menifee, Calif. (Vista Murrieta HS / Slammers FC)
Ferguson on Gabriel: "Reinna is a dynamic and versatile player that has been a leader on one of the top teams in the country as a wide forward and as a central midfielder. She brings a physicality and athleticism that will fit perfectly with our positive and pressing identity, and a personality that will add to our team first culture. We are also excited to see Reinna raise the competition level in the weight room."
 
Maddie Leroy
Forward — 5-foot-6 — Altadena, Calif. (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy / Slammers FC)
Ferguson on Leroy: "Maddie is a powerful forward who has the speed, strength and tenacity to cause defenders all kinds of problems. She also has the quality to create and score goals. We think Maddie can contribute in a variety of roles up top and out wide."
 
Sydney Malaga
Defender — 5-foot-8 — Elmhurst, Ill. (York Community HS / Sockers FC)
Ferguson on Malaga: "Sydney is one of the most aggressive central defenders we have seen in the last 18 months and she has an incredible knack to score goals and be a constant threat at the attacking end of the field on set pieces. We anticipate Sydney will come in to what is developing into an excellent group of central defenders and immediately raise the level of the group and our team."
 
Peyton Nichols
Forward — 5-foot-6 — New Vernon, N.J. (Kent Place School / Players Development Academy)
Ferguson on Nichols: "Peyton has been a model of consistency on one of the best teams in the country for many years. A versatile player, Peyton can play anywhere on the front line, and is also a very competent central midfielder and right defender. We are excited to be adding such a high quality, experienced and versatile player, and another young lady that brings character and determination to our team."
 
Cecily Pokigo
Midfielder — 5-foot-6 — Middle River, Md. (McDonogh School / Maryland United FC)
Ferguson on Pokigo: "Cecily is holding central midfielder with a tremendous engine and an excellent understanding of the game. She is disciplined defensively, very clean in possession and always a threat when joining the attack. Strong in the air, brave in the tackle and determined to succeed, Cecily will add steel to our group immediately and raise the level across the board."