The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Meet Soccer's signing class of 2007
02.09.2007 | Soccer
| Name | Pos. | Class | Hometown (High School) | Club Team |
| Niki Arlitt | F | Fr.-HS | Houston, Texas (Clear Lake HS) | Challenge |
| Kirsten Birkhold | F/M | Fr.-HS | Scottsdale, Ariz. (Paradise Valley HS) | Sereno |
| Erica Campanelli | D/F | Fr.-HS | Plano, Texas (Plano Senior HS) | D'Feeters |
| Kendall Campise | D/M | Fr.-HS | Dallas, Texas (Ursiline Academy) | Sting |
| Liz Couch | M | Fr.-HS | Houston, Texas (Klein HS) | Challenge |
| Brooke Lee | M | Fr.-HS | Mesquite, Texas (Mesquite HS) | Texans Red |
| Kate Nicholson | F/M | Fr.-HS | Columbia, Md. (Atholton HS) | Bethesda Rapids |
| Alisha Ortiz | F | Fr.-HS | Highland Village, Texas (Marcus HS) | D'Feeters |
| Rachel Stepp | F/M | Fr.-HS | Fort Worth, Texas (Fort Worth Country Day) | Texans |
Kristen "Niki" Arlitt
Houston, Texas (Clear Lake High School)
Forward
According to Petrucelli: "Niki is a quality front player. She does really well playing back to goal. You can play off of her, and she combines well and is a good finisher. Niki is someone who can score goals for us."
ODP/National Teams
- Region III Team in 2004, 2006 and 2007
- South Texas State Team from 2002-2006
Club
- Enjoyed a five-year stint with the Challenge '89 coached by Pat O'Toole
High School
- Four-year letterwinner and All-District selection for coach Paul Larrea
- Earned All-Region VI accolades in 2004 and 2005 and captain in 2007
- Scored 38 of school record-setting 98 goals in 2004
- Member District Championship Team
- National Merit Scholar and National Honor Society
Kirsten Birkhold
Scottsdale, Ariz. (Paradise Valley High School)
Forward/Midfielder
According to Petrucelli: "Kirsten is an asset because she is left-sided and talented. She is fast and serves a great ball with her left foot. She gets up and down the line quickly and adds something that every team needs, which is quality left-sided service."
ODP/National Teams
- Arizona State ODP Team in 2005 and 2006
- Played in Region IV Championship in 2005
Club
- Plays as a five-year member of the Sereno '89 White team coached by Ally Maxwell
High School
- Four-year letterwinner for Coach Wyck Chew
- 2006 Female Athlete of the Year
- Earned All-Region and All-State honors
- Captained her team during her senior season
- 2007 team finished as the state runner-up after becoming Region F Champions
- National Honor Society and Scholar-Athlete all four years with a 4.0 GPA
Erica Campanelli
Plano, Texas (Plano Senior High School)
Defender/Midfielder
According to Petrucelli: "Erica is a very talented player. She's capable of playing in the midfield and in the back. She's a very solid passer as she connects well. She's dominant in the air. Erica also has good leadership qualities and a great work ethic."
ODP/National Teams
- U.S. Soccer Youth National Team selection (2003-06)
- U-16 National Team in 2005
- U-15 National Team pool in 2004
- ODP Region III Team since 2002
- Region III Team captain from 2003-04
- North Texas ODP Team finished third at ODP National Championships in 2004
Club
- Currently plays for the Dallas Texans coached by Kenny Medina
- Team captain for the D'Feeters Soccer Club (2000-06)
High School
- Two-time All-District First Team defender (2003-05) for coach Diane Davey
- Team captain (2004-05)
- Varsity soccer MVP (2003-04)
- Two-time Plano Tournament of Champions All-Tournament Team (2003-04)
- National Honor Roll student and participant in DECA business organization
Kendall Campise
Dallas, Texas (Ursuline Academy)
Defender/Midfielder
According to Petrucelli: "Kendall is a tough player. She has very good speed and is outstanding in the air and again, she's not afraid of any tackle."
ODP/National Teams
- U.S. Soccer Youth National Team selection (2003-06)
- Region III ODP Team (2003-2006)
- North Texas State ODP Team (2003-2006)
Club
- Spent the last eight years with Sting '89 coached by Eric Dade
High School
- Had an assist on the game-winning goal to help school win its 16th consecutive Texas Association of Parochial and Private Schools (TAPPS) Championship for coach Jamie Cantrell
- 2005 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Youth All-America team
- Four year letterwinner; All-District and All-State selection in soccer and track
- Assistant High School coach is former Longhorn soccer player Lauren Field
- Led all TAPPS soccer players in assists with 10 during the 2006 season
- 2004 Dallas Morning News All-Area First-Team selection
- Member of the two-time state champion track and field teams
Liz Couch
Houston, Texas (Klein High School)
Midfielder
According to Petrucelli: "Liz is a technical player. She plays a good final pass and connects well. She's able to do some things like bending balls that make her a special playmaker."
ODP/National Teams
- Member of the South Texas ODP State team from 2001-03
Club
- Plays for the Challenge '89 team coached by Pat O'Toole
High School
- Participated in the traveling club team instead of playing high school soccer
- National Honor Society member
- National Society of High School Scholars
- Latin Honor Society
- Who's Who Among High School Students
Brooke Lee
Mesquite, Texas (Mesquite High School)
Midfielder
According to Petrucelli: "Brooke is a tenacious midfield player. She's a proven ball-winner, is outstanding in the air and is capable of connecting passes and getting forward. She's the engine of any team she's on because she does so much work."
ODP/National Teams
- U-14 National Team pool
- Region III Team participant in 2003 and 2007
- North Texas State Team from 2001 to present
Club
- Dallas Texans '89 Red Team (2004-07) coached by Kenny Medina ... 2007 club team captain
- Dallas Inter '89 Blue Team (2000-03)
- Helped the Dallas Texans win the 2004 and 2006 Southern Regional Championships and finish as the Regional Semi-finalist in 2005; finished as State Cup Champions in 2005 and 2006, Premier League Champions in 2004 and 2006; completed the National Championship Soccer Series in third place in 2004 and 2006 and the Disney Soccer Showcase Champions in 2006 and 2007
High School
- Two-time soccer co-MVP (2005, 2006) for coach Wayne Melville
- Highly-decorated, four-sport standout in soccer (2004-07), volleyball (2003), basketball (2004-05), and golf (2006-07)
- Three-time Academic All-District soccer selection (2004-06)
- 2006 First Team All-District after netting 13 goals and 20 assists during her junior season
- Three-time First-Team Academic All-District selection in basketball in 2004 and 2005
- Second-Team All-District selection in basketball in 2004
- 2005 co-MVP defensive basketball player
- Junior and senior class President
- Police Athletic League - Big Brothers, Big Sisters participant
Kate Nicholson
Columbia, Md. (Atholton High School)
Forward/Midfield
According to Petrucelli: "Kate has the ability to play central and wide. She gets up and down the field well and she will continue to get better and better."
ODP/National Team
- Starting forward for the Maryland ODP Team for four years (2003-06)
- In 2005 attended the ODP Brazilian Training Camp
Club
- Played for the Bethesda Rapids from 2004-07 and coached by Rich Fabrizio
- Selected as captain for all three years and helped the group to the 2005 and 2006 Maryland State Cup Championship, the finals of the 2005 and 2006 Region I National Championship, and the 2005 CASL Showcase Championship
- Spent four years with the SAC United Premier Club Soccer program, taking the Maryland State title in 2003 and 2004
- Played for the Baltimore Bays in the Super Y League in 2004 as a member of the U15 SYL ODP Select National Team
High School
- Four-year varsity starter for coach Stephanie Stoutenborough
- Tallied 36 career goals and 19 assists for 91 career points
- 2006 All-State Second-Team and three-time First-Team All-County (2004-06)
- 2005-06 team MVP and captain
- 2004 Maryland State 2A 800m Champion
Alisha Ortiz
Highland Village, Texas (Marcus High School)
Forward
According to Petrucelli: "Alisha is blazing fast and very tenacious. She's a player who opponents hate playing against because as a forward, she tracks everything down and puts defenders under pressure. If she wins the ball, she's gone. She's extremely aggressive."
Club
- Joined the Texas D'Feeters Soccer Club in 2004 playing for coach Cara Kunitz
- Played on the Region III Premier League West Championship Team (2004-05)
- Helped D'Feeters win the 2005 San Diego Surf Cup Championship
High School
- Four-year letterwinner for 2005 Texas UIL State Champion under coach Kevin Albury
- 2006 Class 5A All-State selection
- 2005 Class 5A First Team All-District selection
- 2003-04 Varsity Offensive Player of the Year
- 2003-04 District Forward and Newcomer of the Year
- Participated in the Adopt-An-Athlete program
Rachel Stepp
Fort Worth, Texas (Fort Worth Country Day School)
Forward/Midfielder
According to Petrucelli: "Rachel can play a couple different positions. She's got good speed and is tricky with the ball. She's going to help us immediately."
ODP/National Teams
- 2002 ODP Texas State Team
Club
- Plays for Dallas Texans who are coached by Kenny Medina
- Played for Texas Image (1999-2003), Texas Lightning (2003-05), Dallas Sting Royal (2005-06)
High School
- Team's leading goal scorer
- Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) All-North Zone Team
- Team MVP for coach Tarik Guendouzi
- Four-year letterwinner in three sports: field hockey (2003-07), soccer (2003-07), track (2003-07); also lettered one season in swimming (2005-06)
- Two-time Southwest Preparatory Conference Honorable Mention in field hockey and track and field
- Honor Roll and "Who's Who Among American High School Students" selection
