COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies wrapped up their 2017 signing class Wednesday with the addition of Jimena Lopez Fuentes and Rheagen Smith. The Maroon and White have added eight newcomers to a squad that advanced to Texas A&M’s 22nd consecutive NCAA Championship.
Lopez Fuentes and Smith join early enrollees who arrived in College Station in January. Briana Alston [Ashburn, Va.], Olivia Ausmus [Spring], Abby Grace Cooper [Plano], Addie McCain [Wylie], Cosette Morche [Lawrenceville, Ga.] and Sophie Salverino [Katy] began classes on January 17 and have been taking part in individual workouts and strength & conditioning sessions as members of the squad.
“Jimena and Rheagen put the finishing touches on an outstanding 2017 signing class,” Texas A&M head coach G Guerrieri said. “We’re getting a lot of skill, talent and athleticism. This class has everything you can ask for – two outstanding goalkeepers, tenacious players with elite experience on defense, midfielders that can contribute all over the field and forwards with skill, speed and the ability to finish off chances. Combine these newcomers with the wealth of talent we have returning and this team can do great things in 2017 with a lot of desire and hard work.
“We love the talent, athleticism and versatility of this class. All of these girls can compete anywhere on the field. We think the short fall of a lot of programs is that the coach only sees the game in one way and has his or her system. They try to put whatever shape peg the kids are into those holes. Associate Head Coach Phil Stephenson has done such a great job in recruiting this class, as did Lori Stephenson. Phil does a great job of developing these players and helping them to understand that our system is about them.”
Lopez Fuentes is a defender from Mexico City. She has played on Mexico Youth National Teams since 2012, including playing at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. She started all four matches at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, scoring one goal as Mexico finished fifth at the event. Lopez Fuentes participated at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, earning a bronze medal with the Mexico U-15 National Team. Lopez Fuentes was a teammate of Aggie Quinn Murphy at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School and Lonestar Soccer Club.
“Jimena has the potential to be an elite defender,” Guerrieri said. “She’s also an exciting, left-footed attacking force with experience at the highest levels of competition in her age group. She can be a really dynamic player with us from day one.”
Smith is a prodigious offensive player from Carrollton, Texas. A standout at Greenhill School, she scored 20 goals and added 12 assists during the 2015-16 campaign. She earned All-Southwest Preparatory Conference recognition as a sophomore and junior. She has attracted the eye of United States National Team coaches, earning a spot at the 2015 U-18 training camp. Also a track & field standout, Smith earned 2014 and 2015 All-SPC honors and won state title in the 4×100 relay as a freshman.
“Rheagen is an outstanding lady,” Guerrieri said. “She excels in the classroom and is loved by her teammates and coaches. But she is also a terror for opposing defenses because of her skill, pace, toughness and tenacity in scoring goals. Winning runs in her family and we are very happy to have her help us win and achieve great things at Texas A&M.”
Quinn Murphy was originally slated to be a part of the signing class, but she started classes at Texas A&M last August and redshirted for the 2016 campaign.
TEXAS A&M 2017 SIGNING CLASS AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 2017
| 99 | Briana Alston | D | 5-10 | So. | Ashburn, Va. | Stone Bridge HS/Florida State | FC Virginia |
| 11 | Olivia Ausmus | GK | 5-11 | Fr. | Spring, Texas | Klein HS | Challenge SC |
| 55 | Abby Grace Cooper | F | 5-7 | Fr. | Plano, Texas | Plano West HS | FC Dallas |
| 15 | Jimena Lopez Fuentes | D | 5-7 | Fr. | Mexico City, Mexico | St. Stephen’s Episcopal School (Texas) | Lonestar SC |
| 18 | Addie McCain | MF | 5-9 | Fr. | Wylie, Texas | Wylie East HS | FC Dallas |
| 0 | Cosette Morche | GK | 6-2 | Jr. | Lawrenceville, Ga. | Peachtree Ridge HS/Louisiana-Lafayette | Atlanta Fire United |
| 23 | Sophie Salverino | F | 5-5 | Fr. | Katy, Texas | Cinco Ranch HS | Albion Hurricanes FC |
| 22 | Rheagen Smith | F/MF | 5-6 | Fr. | Carrollton, Texas | Greenhill School | Dallas Texans |
Briana Alston (D, 5-10, So., Ashburn, Va., Stone Bridge HS/Florida State, FC Virginia)
- Appeared in seven games for Florida State as a freshman, including one start
- Named the top defender in Virginia and earned All- Virginia Class 5A and All-Met from the Washington Post in 2014
- Tabbed All-North Region 5A First Team and All-Potomac Conference First Team in 2014
- Named an All-Virginia Class 5A Honorable Mention by the Washington Post in 2013
- Played with the Washington Spirit Reserves in the WPSL during the summer of 2016
- Competed with FC Virginia in the ECNL as a member of the U-17 Champions League squad in 2015
- Played with the Mid-Atlantic ECNL PDP team in 2014
- Participated at the 2013 U-23 ECNL Nationals
Briana Alston Highlights
Olivia Ausmus (GK, 5-11, Fr., Spring, Texas, Klein HS, Challenge SC)
- Selected to participate at the 2015 United States U-18 Women’s National Team training camp
- Awarded District 15-6A Goalkeeper MVP and All-District 15-6A First Team honors in 2015
- Helped squad to state playoffs as a freshman and sophomore
- Named to the 2016 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)/id2 National Training Camp roster
- Member of Challenge SC for eight years, including five years as a captain
- Named to 2014 ODP Girls National Training Camp Region III squad
- Named to 2017 Girls IMG Academy 150 Player Pool in 2013
Olivia Ausmus HighlightsAbby Grace Cooper (F, 5-7, Fr., Plano, Texas, Plano West HS, FC Dallas)
- Selected as the Texas Player of the Year and a High School All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 2015
- Named the District 6-6A MVP in 2015 as well as being tabbed to the Texas High School Soccer Association and Dallas Morning News All-Region squads
- Selected by Topdrawersoccer.com to 2015 Winter All-America Second Team, All-State, and All-Region (Texas-North) squads
- Earned a spot on the UIL Soccer State Championship All-Tournament Team in 2014
- Tabbed as the Plano West Lady Wolves Offensive MVP in 2014 and 2015
- Made the 2014 U.S. U-15 Girls’ National Team as a forward
- On the roster for 2013 U.S. U-14 Girls’ National Team as a midfielder
- Played club soccer with FC Dallas for seven years, including five years with the ECNL squad
- Helped ECNL squad to a third-place national finish in 2013 and seventh-place finish in 2014
Jimena Lopez Fuentes (D, 5-7, Fr., Mexico City, Mexico, St. Stephen’s Episcopal School [Texas], Lonestar SC)
- Selected to the Mexico U-17 Women’s National squad in 2015
- Played for Mexico at the U-17 World Cup, starting all four games and scoring one goal as the team finished in fifth place
- Has played a total of 17 international matches for Mexico National Teams since 2012
- Scored on a PK against USA to help Mexico U-17 National Team to a third-place finish at Gradisca tournament in Italy in 2016
- Participated at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, earning a bronze medal with the U-15 Mexican National Team
- Starred for Instituto Mexicano Regina leading the squad to Copa Giro titles in 2006 and 2012
- Was the top scorer at the 2012 Copa Giro, logging seven goals in three matches
- Competed with St. Stephen’s at the 2015 National Elite Prep Showcase where she scored and also assisted a goal over the course of the showcase
- Member of St. Stephen’s squad that was runner-up in 2015-16 Southwest Preparatory Conference girls’ soccer championship
Addie McCain (MF, 5-9, Fr., Wylie, Texas, Wylie East HS, FC Dallas)
- Most Valuable Player of the 2015 5A State Championship and a member of the All-Tournament Team
- Scored decisive goal in the 2015 5A State Championship match
- Named the 2015 District 10-5A Midfielder of the Year
- Named the 2016 District 10-5A MVP with 19 goals and 13 assists
- Helped Wylie East win the 2016 District 10-5A title
- Tabbed to the 2016 Second Team All-Area (DFW) by SportsDayHS
- Named the Dallas-Fort Worth Newcomer of the Year by the Dallas Morning News and the Newcomer of the Year for District 21-4A in 2014
- Named to the 2016 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)/id2 National Training Camp roster
- Participant in 2014 U-18 Women’s National Team training camp
Cosette Morché (GK, 6-2, Jr., Lawrenceville, Ga., Peachtree Ridge HS/Louisiana-Lafayette, Atlanta Fire United)
- Started 30 career games at Louisiana-Lafayette, logging 2,791 minutes, 12 victories, six shutouts, 189 saves and a .804 save percentage
- As a sophomore, she started 15 matches, posting a .802 save percentage and two shutouts
- As a freshman, she started 15 matches, logging a .806 save percentage and four shutouts
- A four-year starter at Peachtree Ridge High School
- Two-time Georgia High School Region VII Goalkeeper of the Year and All-Region VII selection
- Two-time All-Gwinnett County choice
- Helped lead PRHS to a pair of Region VII titles
- Selected to the 2013 Region III ’97 Olympic Development Program team to participate in the ODP Girls’ Thanksgiving Interregional tournament
Cosette Morché Highlights
Sophie Salverino (F, 5-5, Fr., Katy, Texas, Cinco Ranch HS, Albion Hurricanes FC)
- Named to the All-District 19-6A First Team in 2016 and Second Team in 2015
- Scored two goals in the 2016 Class 6A State semifinal round
- Set record for fastest goal at the state tournament, scoring 17 seconds into a semifinal contest
- Named the District 19-6A Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore
- Also helped Cinco Ranch get to the state semifinals in 2014 and 2015
- Spent six years with Albion Hurricanes FC, including four years on the ECNL squad
- Selected to the ODP Regional Team
- Also lettered in track & field, earning all-district honors in the 4×100 Relay and 4×200 Relay
Sophie Salverino Highlights
Rheagen Smith (F/MF, 5-6, Fr., Carrollton, Texas, Greenhill School, Dallas Texans)
- Notched 20 goals and 12 assists during the 2015-2016 high school season
- Named to the United States U-18 Women’s National Team roster in 2015 for training camp in San Diego
- Tabbed an All-Southwest Preparatory Conference selection in 2014-15 and 2015-16
- 2014 and 15 SPC All-State First Team for track & field in sprints and hurdles
- 2014 and 2015 All-Southwest Preparatory Conference in track & field
- Won 4×100 relay at state championship as a freshman in 2014
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics