The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Reigning SEC Champions, No. 21 Soccer inks top five recruiting class
11.13.2024 | Soccer
Nine signees make up Texas’ latest signing class
AUSTIN, Texas – On Wednesday, The University of Texas women's soccer head coach Angela Kelly has announced the signing of nine prep student-athletes to Athletic Scholarship Agreements (ASA) to play soccer on the Forty Acres. The nine-member class, which is features seven ranked 114th-or-higher in the country, is ranked as the fifth-best freshman class in the country, according to Top Drawer Soccer.
"I'm really excited about this group," Kelly said. "We are bringing in student-athletes who will be able to contribute to our program immediately. They are from all four regions of the country, which is exceptional. There's also a lot of variety within the positions with three forwards, three midfielders, two defenders and one goalkeeper. I'm really excited about the versatility of the group and the competitiveness of the group. Our expectations are they are going to step on the Forty Acres and contribute immediately."
The class is made up of F Ava McDonald (FC Dallas), D Cameron Byrd (Solar SC), F Audrey Bryant (Solar SC), GK Mateya Dessieux (Tophat SC), F Anne Gnidula (Connecticut FC), M Ava Cashman (Slammers FC HB Koge), M Sadie Hoch (Slammers FC HB Koge), D Pearce Groer (FC Alliance (TN)) and M Brooke Martinez (San Antonio City SC).
2024 Texas Soccer Recruiting Class
Ava McDonald
Position: Forward
Hometown: Allen, Texas
High School: Allen (TX) High School
Club: FC Dallas
Ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect, according to Top Drawer Soccer, McDonald has participated in three USYNT camps at the U16, U17 and U19 stages, while also competing with the USYNT U19 squad at the 2023 Pan-American Games … during a runner-up effort at the PanAm Games, she turned in a hat trick performance against Venezuela … also participated in a U19 USYNT training camp at and two games against Spain's U19 squad in May 2024 … a two-time ECNL All-Conference performer, she scored 20-plus goals for FC Dallas ECNL over the last two seasons … helped guide FC Dallas to the 2022-23 ECNL League Championship …
Cameron Byrd
Position: Defender
Hometown: Mansfield, Texas
High School: Mansfield (TX) High School
Club: Solar SC
Byrd, a four-star recruit, is currently ranked as the sixth-best player in Texas and 32nd nationally, according to Top Drawer Soccer … has been recognized with multiple invites to USYNT ID camps in Texas between 2019 and 2022 … also a participant in the USYNT Central Region minicamp in 2020 and the USYNT ID Center in May 2022 … was selected to play in the ECNL National Selection Game in Nashville, Tenn., in 2022 … has won the Premier SuperCopa, Disney Cup, Vegas Cup, Dallas International Girls Cup and Dallas Cup, among several additional tournaments … was a finalist at Surf Cup in 2019 and 2021 … participated in the ECNL National Championship along with winning the USYS National Championship in 2021 … was a member of the 2022 Solar SC U16 squad that finished as national semifinalist … was selected to participate in the USYNT regional camp during the summer of 2021 … was a three-time First Team All-District 11-6A selection … earned the District 11-6A Newcomer of the Year in 2022 … the District 11-6A Utility Player of the Year in 2024 … a two-time all-region selection … in the classroom, she's currently in the top 25 percent of her graduating class with a grade point average of 3.8 …
Audrey Bryant
Position: Forward
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
High School: Ursuline Academy of Dallas (TX)
Club: Solar SC
Top Drawer Soccer ranks Bryant as the No. 45 overall prospect in this year's class … was a first-team all-conference selection at the U17, U18 and U19 stages of club soccer … selected to the first-team all-state list on three occasions … also a three-time first-team all-conference honoree … earned a spot on three all-tournament teams … a two-time offensive player of the year in addition to winning a most valuable player award …
Mateya Dessieux
Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.
High School: Farragut (Tenn.) High School
Club: Tophat SC
Dessieux was ranked as the No. 61 prospect, according to Top Drawer Soccer … was called into the USYNT U17 domestic training camp in 2023, and then the U19 camp in 2024 … invited to participate in the GA Southeast Regional and GA National talent ID events in 2023 … did not play high school soccer … maintained a 4.45 grade point average in high school …
Anne Gnidula
Position: Forward
Hometown: Easton, Conn.
High School: Hopkins (Conn.) School
Club: Connecticut FC
Gnidula has been ranked No. 80 in the latest class rankings provided by Top Drawer Soccer … a member of the U17 and U18 Polish Women's National Team … ECNL All-Conference New England First Team selection … participated at the ECNL National Training Center in 2022 … played in the ECNL National Selection Game in Phoenix, Ariz., in 2022 … was selected to the FAA First Team in 2021 …
Ava Cashman
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Trabuco Canyon, Calif.
High School: Trabuco Hills (Calif.) High School
Club: Slammers FC HB Koge
Ranked No. 94, according to Top Drawer Soccer, Cashman was a four-time conference champion on the club scene in addition to making the all-conference first team … a member of the Capelli and Kansas team … at the prep level, was a two-time league champion while earned league most valuable player honors along the way … was also selected as first team and second team all-league throughout her prep career …
Sadie Hoch
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Newport Beach, Calif.
High School: Newport Harbor (Calif.) High School
Club: Slammers FC HB Koge
Top Drawer Soccer ranks Hoch as the No. 114 prospect in the class … selected to the U17 SouthWest All-Conference First Team … a two-time All-CIF Southern Section First Team honoree … earned offensive player of the year status follow her junior campaign …
Pearce Groer
Position: Defender
Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.
High School: Webb School of Knoxville (Tenn.)
Club: FC Alliance
On the club scene, Groer was a two-time (2022-2024) ECNL Ohio Valley All-Conference selection … selected to the Division II-AA East Region First Team in 2022 and 2023 … the 2024 Division II-AA East Region Most Valuable Player … helped her prep team to a region championship as well as earning the state's runner-up trophy … also is a member of the National Hispanic Honor Society …
Brooke Martinez
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
High School: Alamo Heights (TX) High School
Club: San Antonio City SC/Lonestar SC
Martinez has participated at multiple GA National Talent ID Centers … team captain of SA City SC … earned a USYNT ID Center Invite in 2022 … 2022 Selected United Women's Soccer Southwest Conference Young Player of the Year … guided the San Antonio Athenians to the 2022 United Women's Soccer Conference Championship … a two-time first-team all-district selection at the prep level … a two-time San Antonio Express News Best XI, Player to Watch and Game Ball Winner … first-team all-region selection … an all-state honorable mention … district offensive most valuable player … in the classroom, she's a three-time academic all-district honoree and a four-time 4.0 grade point average honor roll selection … joined the National Honor Society in 2024
UP NEXT
The SEC postseason tournament champion Texas Longhorns (16-3-2) will take on the Patriot League postseason champion Boston Terroirs (6-7-7) on Friday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. CT inside Mike A. Myers Stadium in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.
FOLLOW US
For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TexasLonghorns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.