Blake Zerboni. F So. San Clemente, Calif. Laguna Beach HS. Caitlyn Mac Kechnie. Camarillo, Calif. Oaks Christian HS.

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1 2006 Radio/TV Chart Valerie Henderson GK Jr. Orinda, Calif. Miramonte HS Stacy Lindstrom MF/D Sr. Laguna Niguel, Calif. Aliso Niguel HS Mary Castelanelli D Sr. Lodi, Calif. Tokay HS Blake Zerboni F So. San Clemente, Calif. Laguna Beach HS Christina DiMartino F So. Massapequa, N.Y. Massapequa HS McCall Zerboni MF So. San Clemente, Calif. San Clemente HS Alma Playle F Jr. Davis, Calif. Davis Senior HS Lauren Cheney F Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. Ben Davis HS Bristyn Davis F Sr. Locust Valley, N.Y. St. Anthony s HS Molly Kruger MF So. Carmel, Ind. Carmel HS / Indiana Univ. Caitlyn Mac Kechnie MF So. Camarillo, Calif. Oaks Christian HS Erin Hardy D So. Costa Mesa, Calif. Newport Harbor HS Nicole Kleinert D So. La Canada, Calif. Flintridge Prep Catherine Calvert MF So. Malibu, Calif. Malibu HS Kara Lang F So. Oakville, Ontario, Canada St. Thomas Aquinas HS Lauren Switzer D Fr. St. Charles, Ill. St. Charles North HS Caitlin Ursini MF Sr. San Pedro, Calif. San Pedro HS Stephanie Kron MF RJr. Paradise Valley, Ariz. Xavier College Prep Lauren Wilmoth D Fr. Garland, TX Garland HS Kristina Larsen MF/F Fr. Mission Viejo, Calif. Mission Viejo HS Theresa Oda-Burns D So. Portola Valley, Calif. Menlo HS Jennifer Sayles MF Jr. Los Angeles, Calif. Harvard-Westlake School Lydia Cook MF/D Fr. Acampo, Calif. St. Mary s HS Michelle Gleason MF Sr. Laguna Niguel, Calif. Aliso Niguel HS Danesha Adams MF/F Jr. Shaker Heights, Ohio Shaker Heights HS Ali Lindstrom D Fr. San Francisco, Calif. San Francisco Univ. HS Britney Scannell D Fr. Palos Verdes, Calif. Chadwick School Jessica Harris D/MF Sr. Woodland Hills, Calif. El Camino Real HS Jacqui Simon MF Fr. Torrance, Calif. Redondo Union HS Ashley Thompson GK Jr. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Trabuco Hills HS Jillian Ellis Head Coach 8th Season William & Mary 88 Joe Mallia Assistant Head Coach 2nd Season Old Dominion 92 Mark Carr Assistant Coach 4th Season Bournemouth 01 BJ Snow Volunteer Assistant Coach 1st Season Indiana 00 Jill Oakes Undergraduate Assistant Coach 1st Season UCLA 06

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2006 UCLA Schedule Penn State Invitational (Aug. 25 & 27) Aug. Penn State 7:30 PM (EST) Aug. 27 vs. Maryland Noon (EST) Sept. 1 SAN DIEGO STATE 7:00 PM Sept. 3 LONG BEACH STATE 1:00 PM UCLA Women s Cup - (Sept. 8 & 10) Sept. 8 Santa Clara vs. UConn 4:30 PM UCLA vs. TEXAS A&M 7:00 PM Sept. 10 Santa Clara vs. Texas A&M 11:30 AM UCLA vs. UCONN 1:30 PM Sept. 15 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 6:00 PM Sept. Santa Clara 8:00 PM Sept. 24 PEPPERDINE 1:00 PM Sept. 29 SAN DIEGO 6:00 PM Oct. 1 GONZAGA Noon Oct. 6 CAL* 7:00 PM Oct. 8 STANFORD* 1:00 PM Oct. USC* 1:00 PM Oct. Arizona* 7:00 PM Oct. Arizona State* 1:00 PM Oct. 27 WASHINGTON* 6:00 PM Oct. 29 WASHINGTON STATE* Noon Nov. Oregon* 7:00 PM Nov. Oregon State* 1:00 PM Nov. 10 or 12 NCAA First/Second Rounds TBD Nov NCAA Third Round TBD Nov NCAA Quarterfinals TBD Dec. 1 & 2 NCAA College Cup (Cary, NC) TBD Home Games in BOLD CAPS played at Frank W. Marshall Field at Drake Stadium / * Denotes Pac-10 Conference Games All times pacific unless otherwise indicated - Match to be aired on a delayed basis by Fox Sports Net About This Publication: Writing/Editing/Cover Design: Danny Harrington, UCLA Assistant Sports Information Director. Photography: ASUCLA Campus Studio (Don Liebig and Todd Cheney). Additional photos provided by: Scott Chandler, Scott James, Paul Olden, Shane Lardinois, Milt Crossen and Tony Duffy. Special thanks to Jeff Sipsey for his NCAA College Cup photography and U.S. National Team images. Printing: Marina Graphic Center Special thanks to Getty Images, ASUCLA Photography, Berliner Studios, Andrew Bernstein, Ruth Chambers, the Los Angeles Visitors and Convention Bureau and Scott Quintard for their photos in The UCLA Experience section. Purchase: Copies of the women s soccer media guide can be purchased in person at the UCLA s Sports Information Office for $6.00. By mail, make checks payable for $8.00 to UC Regents and mail to UCLA Sports Information Office, Women s Soccer Guide, PO Box 24044, Los Angeles, CA Tickets: Tickets to all UCLA home matches can be purchased prior to the match at the Drake Stadium ticket booth. Prices are $7 for adults and $5 for youth/students. UCLA students with valid ID are admitted for free (Non-NCAA Tournament matches). The 2006 Senior Class (From Left): Michelle Gleason, Caitlin Ursini, Jessica Harris, Stacy Lindstrom, Bristyn Davis and Mary Castelanelli QUICK FACTS Location...J.D. Morgan Center Westwood Plaza...Los Angeles, CA Athletics Phone... (310) Ticket Office...(310) UCLA-WIN Acting Chancellor...Norman Abrams Director of Athletics...Daniel G. Guerrero Sr. Women s Admin.... Petrina Long Assoc. Athletic Director (Soccer)... Ken Weiner Faculty Athletic Rep.... Donald Morrison Home Field (Capacity)... Frank W. Marshall Field...at Drake Stadium (11,700) All-Time Home Record Enrollment... 37,500 Founded Colors...Blue and Gold Nickname...Bruins Conference... Pacific-10 National Affiliation...NCAA Division I Head Coach...Jillian Ellis (William & Mary, 88) Record at UCLA (Years) (7 years) Career Record (Years) (9 years) Assistant Head Coach...Joe Mallia (Old Dominion 92) Assistant Coach... Mark Carr (Bournemouth 01) 2005 Record Pac-10 Record (Finish) (1st) 2005 NCAA Finish...2nd 2005 Final National Ranking...3rd (NSCAA/adidas) THE 2006 UCLA BRUINS Radio/TV Chart... IFC Roster...3 Jillian Ellis Q&A COACHING STAFF Head Coach Jillian Ellis Assistant Coaches...8 THE PLAYERS Returning Player Biographies Newcomer Biographies SEASON IN REVIEW Final Statistics...24 Scoring & Results...24 Season in Review...25 Final National Rankings...25 Box Scores Final Pac-10 Standings, Stats & Honors...28 UCLA HISTORY All-Time Letterwinners...30 All-Time Jersey Numbers...31 All-Time Game-by-Game Results Coaching Records / All-Time Assistant Coaches...33 Single-Season Records...34 Career Records...35 Bruin Honors...36 NSCAA/adidas & Soccer America All-Americans...37 Miscellaneous Team & Individual Records...38 All-Time Player Statistics...39 Yearly Leaders...40 Year-by-Year Team Statistics...40 UCLA Soccer Timeline UCLA Jersey Evolution NCAA Tournament History NCAA Tournament Results...42 Final NSCAA/adidas Polls (Since 1993)...43 UCLA s All-Time Record vs. Opponents...44 National Team Players...46 Former Players - Where Are They Now?...47 Frank W. Marshall Field at Drake Stadium...48 Facility Records...48 UCLA Athletic Department Personnel...49 This is UCLA...50 Player Photo Gallery...IBC Women s Soccer Media Guide 1

3 RADIO/TV CHART 2 MEDIA SERVICES Press Credentials: Working press can obtain media and photography credentials for UCLA home matches by ing or calling Danny Harrington in the UCLA Sports Information Office (dannyh@ucla.edu / ). All requests should be submitted at least 24 hours in advance to ensure availability. Press credentials can be picked up at the entrance gate to Drake Stadium. Photography: Television and photo credentials entitle video and still photographers to shoot from the endlines. No photographers will be permitted to shoot on the sidelines or near the coaches box. Photo passes can be picked up at the lower gate of Drake Stadium. Interview Policies: All interviews must be arranged by the Sports Information Office. Players have been instructed not to grant any interview, in person or by telephone, not arranged by the SID Office. Player telephone numbers are private and will not be released. Please do not expect players to be available if you have not made prior arrangements. Interview Availability: The UCLA team is scheduled to practice weekday afternoons at Drake Stadium. Players and coaches are available before or after practice. Arrangements for field access must be made in advance through the Sports Information Office. The best time to reach coach Jillian Ellis is in the morning. Travel Information: For security purposes, the UCLA Sports Information Office does not release any travel information for its athletic teams. If you would like to reach a member of the UCLA soccer team on the road, please contact the Sports Information Office. Live Stats/Audio: Live statistics and internet audio for all UCLA home matches can be accessed at UCLA s website www. uclabruins.com. Live statistics are free, while there is a small fee for internet audio. Media looking to obtain a password should contact the SID office. Obtaining Information: All weekly releases and updated statistics are updated in a timely manner on UCLA s website Game recaps and box scores are also accessible shortly after the conclusion of each match both home and on the road. Individual player biographies can also be accessed online. UCLA s Primary Media Outlets Local Newspapers Phone Fax Los Angeles Times West First St., Los Angeles, CA sports@latimes.com Orange County Register N. Grand Ave., Santa Ana, CA sports@ocregister.com Los Angeles Daily News - P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, CA dnlasports@dailynews.com Long Beach Press Telegram Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA Pasadena Star News/SG Valley Trib N. Azusa Canyon Rd., West Covina, CA South Bay Daily Breeze Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA Riverside Press-Enterprise th St., Riverside, CA UCLA Daily Bruin Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA National Outlets Phone Fax Associated Press South Figueroa, Ste. 300, Los Angeles, CA USA Today (LA Bureau) Wilshire Blvd. #406, Los Angeles, CA Soccer Publications Phone Fax Soccer America - P.O. Box 23704, Oakland, CA paul@socceramerica.com Soccer Buzz th Ave. 5th Floor, New York, NY editors@soccerbuzz.com Television/Radio Stations Phone Fax KCBS (Ch. 2) Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA KNBC (Ch. 4) W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA KABC (Ch. 7) Circle Seven Drive, Glendale, CA KTLA (Ch. 5) Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA KCAL (Ch. 9) Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA KTTV (Ch. 11) / KCOP (Ch. 13) S. Bundy Dr., Los Angeles, CA So. California Sports Report (Fox) South Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA ESPN Aston Place, Hollywood, CA ncaa@espn.com Fox Sports AM 1150 (Radio) W. Olive Ave., Burbank, CA UCLA Radio Network Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA University of California, Los Angeles Head coach Jillian Ellis addresses the media following the national championship match at the 2004 NCAA College Cup in Cary, NC. UCLA is continually in the media spotlight, having played on national television in each of the last three years. UCLA FanFone: The UCLA FanFone is an automated recording that features updated results of all Bruin athletic teams. It is re-recorded each evening with the results of Bruin athletic events for that specific day. The FanFone number is (310) Internet Access: Drake Stadium does not have DSL or wireless access. A limited number of phone lines are available for media members who are looking to gain access online, however you will need to use your own internet service provider. The UCLA Sports Information Office is available to the working media after each match. Drake Stadium: Frank W. Marshall Field at Drake Stadium is located just east of Charles Young Drive right next to the Los Angeles Tennis Center and Pauley Pavilion. From the 405 Freeway, take the Sunset Blvd. exit and head east. Take a right on Westwood Plaza into the parking kiosk in Lot 4. From there, parking is available in either Lot 4 or Lot 7 for $8. NCAA Tournament Matches: Notes, statistics and media guides for each team will be available in the press box located at the top of Drake Stadium. Media seating will also be designated prior to each match. Post-match interviews will be conducted after each team s cooling off period. UCLA Sports Information Office Marc Dellins Sports Information Director / Assistant AD Phone: / mdellins@athletics.ucla.edu Sports: Football, Men s Basketball (Secondary) Steve Rourke Associate Director Phone: / srourke@athletics.ucla.edu Sports: W. Basketball, Football (Secondary) Rich Bertolucci Associate Director Phone: / rbert@athletics.ucla.edu Sports: M/W Golf, Men s Volleyball Ryan Finney Associate Director Phone: / rfinney@athletics.ucla.edu Sports: M. Basketball, M/W Track & Field, X-Country Liza David Assistant Director Phone: / ldavid@athletics.ucla.edu Sports: M. Soccer, W. Basketball, Gymnastics Danny Harrington Assistant Director Phone: / dharrington@athletics.ucla.edu Sports: W. Soccer, M/W Tennis Amy Hughes Assistant Director Phone: (310) / asymons@athletics.ucla.edu W. Volleyball, Softball Stephanie Sampson SID Intern Phone: (310) / ssampson@athletics.ucla.edu W. Swimming & Diving, M/W Track & Field, M/W X-Country Alex Timiraos SID Intern Phone: (310) / atimiraos@athletics.ucla.edu Baseball, M. Water Polo UCLA Radio Network Michael Sondheimer Danny Lee The UCLA Radio Network is scheduled to broadcast every UCLA home match in 2006 (including post-season). Please visit UCLA s website to access the live streaming audio feed.

4 THE 2006 UCLA BRUINS THE 2006 UCLA BRUINS - [First Row, L-R] Theresa Oda-Burns, Nicole Kleinert, Bristyn Davis, Stephanie Kron, Blake Zerboni, McCall Zerboni, Jennifer Sayles, Christina DiMartino, Jacqui Simon, Lauren Wilmoth. [Second Row, L-R] Equipment Manager Hector Tovar, Caitlin Ursini, Ali Lindstrom, Kristina Larsen, Erin Hardy, Lydia Cook, Catherine Calvert, Britney Scannell, Team Manager Therese Cresalia, Assistant Coach Mark Carr. [Third Row, L-R] Lauren Switzer, Caitlyn Mac Kechnie, Michelle Gleason, Mary Castelanelli, Molly Kruger, Danesha Adams, Kristin Munoz, Head Coach Jillian Ellis. [Fourth Row, L-R] Assistant Head Coach Joe Mallia, Jessica Harris, Kara Lang, Ashley Thompson, Valerie Henderson, Stacy Lindstrom, Alma Playle, Lauren Cheney, Volunteer Assistant Coach B.J. Snow. Numerical Roster No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown (High School/College) Pronunciation 1 Valerie Henderson GK 5-7 Jr. Orinda, Calif. (Miramonte) 2 Stacy Lindstrom MF/D 5-11 RSr. Laguna Niguel, Calif. (Aliso Niguel) 3 Mary Castelanelli D 5-7 Sr. Lodi, Calif. (Tokay) Zer-BO-nee 4 Blake Zerboni F 5-2 So. San Clemente, Calif. (Laguna Beach) 5 Christina DiMartino MF 5-2 So. Massapequa, N.Y. (Massapequa) 6 McCall Zerboni MF 5-4 So. San Clemente, Calif. (San Clemente) Zer-BO-nee 7 Alma Playle F 5-9 Jr. Davis, Calif. (Davis Senior) PLAIL 8 Lauren Cheney F 5-10 Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. (Ben Davis) 9 Bristyn Davis F 5-4 Sr. Locust Valley, N.Y. (St. Anthony s) 10 Molly Kruger MF 5-7 So. Carmel, Ind. (Carmel/Indiana) 11 Caitlyn Mac Kechnie MF 5-7 So. Camarillo, Calif. (Oaks Christian) Ma-KECK-nee 12 Erin Hardy D 5-6 So. Costa Mesa, Calif. (Newport Harbor) 13 Nicole Kleinert D 5-4 So. La Canada, Calif. (Flintridge Prep) 14 Catherine Calvert MF 5-6 So. Malibu, Calif. (Malibu) 15 Kara Lang F 5-10 So. Oakville, Ontario, Canada (St. Thomas Aquinas) CAR-uh 16 Lauren Switzer D 5-8 Fr. St. Charles, Ill. (St. Charles North) 17 Caitlin Ursini MF 5-5 Sr. San Pedro, Calif. (San Pedro) Ur-SEE-nee 18 Stephanie Kron MF 5-3 RJr. Paradise Valley, Ariz. (Xavier College Prep) KROAN 19 Lauren Wilmoth D 5-2 Fr. Garland, TX (Garland) 20 Kristina Larsen MF/F 5-5 Fr. Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo) 21 Theresa Oda-Burns D 5-5 So. Portola Valley, Calif. (Menlo) 22 Jennifer Sayles MF 5-3 Jr. Los Angeles, Calif. (Harvard-Westlake) 23 Lydia Cook MF/D 5-6 Fr. Acampo, Calif. (St. Mary s) 24 Michelle Gleason MF 5-4 Sr. Lake Forest, Calif. (El Toro) 25 Danesha Adams MF/F 5-6 Jr. Shaker Heights, Ohio (Shaker Heights) 26 Ali Lindstrom D 5-5 Fr. San Francisco, Calif. (San Francisco University HS) 27 Britney Scannell D 5-5 Fr. Palos Verdes, Calif. (Chadwick) 28 Jessica Harris D/MF 5-10 Sr. Woodland Hills, Calif. (El Camino Real) 29 Jacqui Simon MF 5-3 Fr. Torrance, Calif. (Redondo Union) 30 Ashley Thompson GK 5-4 Jr. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (Trabuco Hills) 31 Kristin Munoz D 5-7 Fr. Coto de Caza, Calif. (Santa Margarita) Head Coach: Jillian Ellis (8th Season, William & Mary 88) Assistant Head Coach: Joe Mallia (2nd Season, Old Dominion 92) Assistant Coach: Mark Carr (4th Season, Bournemouth 01) Volunteer Assistant Coach: B.J. Snow (1st Season, Indiana 00) Undergraduate Assistant Coach: Jill Oakes (1st Season, UCLA 06) Team Manager: Therese Cresalia Equipment Manager: Hector Tovar Jr. Staff Athletic Trainer: Julia Seamark Student Athletic Trainer: Helen Chen Alphabetical Roster Name...No. ADAMS, Danesha...25 CALVERT, Catherine...14 CASTELANELLI, Mary...3 CHENEY, Lauren...8 COOK, Lydia...23 DAVIS, Bristyn...9 DIMARTINO, Christina...5 GLEASON, Michelle...24 HARDY, Erin...12 HARRIS, Jessica...28 HENDERSON, Valerie...1 KLEINERT, Nicole KRON, Stephanie...18 KRUGER, Molly...10 LANG, Kara LARSEN, Kristina...20 LINDSTROM, Ali...26 LINDSTROM, Stacy...2 MAC KECHNIE, Caitlyn MUNOZ, Kristin...31 ODA-BURNS, Theresa...21 PLAYLE, Alma...7 SAYLES, Jennifer...22 SCANNELL, Britney...27 SIMON, Jacqui...29 SWITZER, Lauren...16 THOMPSON, Ashley...30 URSINI, Caitlin WILMOTH, Lauren...19 ZERBONI, Blake...4 ZERBONI, McCall...6 By Height Stacy Lindstrom Lauren Cheney... Jessica Harris... Kara Lang Alma Playle Lauren Switzer Mary Castelanelli...Valerie Henderson...Molly Kruger... Caitlin Mac Kechnie...Kristin Munoz Danesha Adams...Catherine Calvert... Lydia Cook...Erin Hardy Ali Lindstrom...Kristina Larsen... Theresa Oda-Burns...Britney Scannell...Caitlin Ursini Bristyn Davis...Michelle Gleason...Nicole Kleinert... Ashley Thompson... McCall Zerboni Stephanie Kron...Jennifer Sayles... Jacqui Simon Christina DiMartino... Lauren Wilmoth... Blake Zerboni By Class Freshmen (9) Cheney, Cook, Larsen, A. Lindstrom, Munoz, Scannell, Simon, Switzer, Wilmoth Sophomores (10) Calvert, DiMartino, Hardy, Kleinert, Kruger, Lang, Mac Kechnie, Oda-Burns, B. Zerboni, M. Zerboni Juniors (6) Adams, Henderson, Kron, Playle, Sayles, Thompson Seniors (6) Castelanelli, Davis, Gleason, Harris, S. Lindstrom, Ursini By Position Forwards (5) Cheney, Davis, Lang, Playle, B. Zerboni Midfielders (14) Adams, Calvert, Cook, DiMartino, Gleason, Kron, Kruger, Larsen, S. Lindstrom, Mac Kechnie, Sayles, Simon, Ursini, M. Zerboni, Defenders (10) Castelanelli, Hardy, Harris, Kleinert, A. Lindstrom, Munoz, Oda-Burns, Scannell, Switzer, Wilmoth Goalkeepers (2) Henderson, Thompson By State/Country Arizona (1) Kron California (22) Calvert, Castelanelli, Cook, Gleason, Hardy, Harris, Henderson, Kleinert, Larsen, A. Lindstrom, S. Lindstrom, Mac Kechnie, Munoz, Oda-Burns, Playle, Sayles, Scannell, Simon, Thompson, Ursini, B. Zerboni, M. Zerboni Canada (1) Lang Illinois (1) Switzer Indiana (2) Cheney, Kruger New York (2) Davis, DiMartino Ohio (1) Adams Texas (1) Wilmoth 2006 Women s Soccer Media Guide 3

5 JILLIAN ELLIS Q&A Soccer Buzz Preseason Top UCLA 2. Santa Clara 3. Notre Dame 4. Florida State 5. Portland 6. North Carolina 7. Virginia 8. Penn State 9. Boston College 10. Tennessee 11. Florida 12. Duke 13. Yale 14. Texas A&M 15. Illinois 16. Marquette 17. USC 18. Georgia 19. Stanford 20. Pepperdine 21. West Virginia 22. Dartmouth 23. BYU 24. Mississippi 25. Gonzaga UCLA By the Numbers Total number of UCLA victories in the last six years. 43 Total number of Pac- 10 victories since Average number of wins per season. 15 Number of current U.S. players (out of 29) who have been involved with the U.S. National Team Program. 8 Total number of NCAA College Cup appearances and conference titles since Consecutive top-10 finishes in the final NSCAA/adidas National Rankings. 1 The UCLA Athletic Program s national rank in overall NCAA team championships (99) Q&A With Head Coach Jillian Ellis After playing in the last three NCAA College Cups, including the last two finals, this veteran UCLA squad is poised to make another run at the championship in Q: What are your thoughts about the upcoming season? JE: I believe we are a deeper team than last year, especially with the addition of an outstanding freshman class. I think this is a team that can have a very successful year. One of the biggest challenges we will face will be developing chemistry on the field. Having players involved with the U-20s has been great for our program and now we will have to work on getting them integrated as quickly as possible and establishing good team play. (Note: Christina DiMartino, Lauren Cheney, Erin Hardy, Danesha Adams and Valerie Henderson will miss the first part of the season while playing with the Under-20 U.S. National Team). Q: What was your overall assessment of this team in the offseason? JE: What the spring showed me was that every player here has something to offer. Our players really blossomed and I thought it was our best spring ever. It was extremely competitive and featured the highest level of play that I ve ever seen in a spring season since I ve been here. The players really committed themselves to work hard and prove, not only to me but to themselves, that they have a lot to offer. This now strengthens their ability to impact us this fall. The spring reaffirmed my belief that everyone can contribute. If you re a player coming off the bench, then it s your job to chase down the starters. If you re a starter, now it s your job to be the most impactful player in a game or at practice. If you re injured, then it s getting yourself as healthy as quickly as you can. Maximizing your personal potential benefits the team, and if everyone grasps this concept, we are going to be successful. Q: How will you adjust to the absence of Kara Lang, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the offseason? JE: As much as I like to emphasize just how deep this team is, the loss of Kara definitely impacts us. She came in as the top recruit in the country last year and worked hard to become an impact player for us. She is a great target player and inevitably we will miss her goal production. But I m also looking forward to seeing other players rise to the challenge and give us an attacking presence. We re going to move Bristyn Davis back up top. She did extremely well for us on defense last year, but she s an experienced goal scorer who is excited to get the opportunity to return to her more natural attacking role. Q: With three-straight College Cup appearances, this team features a number of players who are extremely seasoned in terms of tournament play. How do you see that helping this year? JE: Without question that is an asset. This year s senior class is the only one in school history to have played in the College Cup every year of their career. Having that experience is invaluable. These players know what it takes to reach the highest level, to experience the ups and downs of a season, and to play in the pressure situations. After falling in the championship match the last two seasons, I can only hope that the motivation level of these players is at an all-time high. I sincerely believe that the driving force for this team is to win the 100th national championship for UCLA and to leave that legacy at this school. Q: In talking about goalkeeping, having a player as experienced as Valerie Henderson returning has got to make you happy. JE: Certainly. Val has done extremely well and is continuing to develop and improve her game. Her presence and strong mental attitude gives us experience in the back. Our other goalkeeper Ashley Thompson has worked very hard this summer to prepare herself for the opening match against Penn State. With Val gone with the U-20s, I know Ashley will step in and do a terrific job. Ashley received a lot of experience in games this spring and I know the whole team has confidence in her. The playing time she will gain during the early part of the year will make us stronger at this position upon Val s return. I m also hoping that Val s experience in Russia will make her a stronger player and someone who is eager to get back and make this team better. 4 University of California, Los Angeles

6 JILLIAN ELLIS Q&A Q: Defense has been a key element to the team s success the last few years. With starters Erin Hardy and Mary Castelanelli returning, along with the addition of several standout freshmen, how do you see the defense shaping up this year? JE: Well, having Erin and Mary back is obviously key for us. Mary is one of the top attacking defenders in the nation and a dynamic presence in the back. She also has the ability to push forward and create chances for our offensive players. Erin s learning curve last year was just phenomenal. She grew as the season went on and I m excited to see what she will do with one year under her belt. We have also added two of the top freshmen defenders in the country in Lauren Wilmoth and Lauren Switzer. These two players have had a lot of exposure at the U.S. Youth National Team level, and I expect them to step in and make an impact right away. Cat Calvert, Jessica Harris, and CoCo Kleinert all had very strong springs and will be pushing for playing time. Newcomers Dea Cook and Britney Scannell also have the athleticism to step in and contribute to the back line. Q: The midfield is the one area that didn t suffer any departures and is basically the same unit as a year ago. What kind of look will it have this season? JE: Returning Stacy Lindstrom, McCall Zerboni, Danesha Adams and Christina DiMartino will give us a veteran midfield. Add to that Steph Kron, Michelle Gleason, Caitlin Ursini and Caitlyn Mac Kechnie, and it will probably be our most experienced area. I m anticipating transfer Molly Kruger will compete for playing time as well. Q: With Lang out for the year, most of the attention up top will be focused on incoming freshman Lauren Cheney. Is she ready to step in and have the type of breakout year that Lang enjoyed last season? JE: Lauren is a special player and we re just so excited to see what she brings to the table this year. She s only in her first year, but she s really ahead of the curve in terms of her ability to hold the ball and then seize the opportunity to finish when she gets an opening. As I mentioned before, Bristyn will be playing up top, as will Alma Playle and Blake Zerboni, two players who really did some great things in the spring. Freshman Kristina Larsen, who is coming off and ACL injury, is also expected to give us a boost up there. A lot of players are going to get a chance to see what they can do in the attacking half of the field. Q: With the departure of seniors Iris Mora and Jill Oakes, which players do you see assuming leadership roles this year? JE: Well, our captains are Lang, Castelanelli and Davis, and I really like this group because they all bring different characteristics to the leadership role. They all have their own personalities, but at the same time have the ability to lead on and off the field. We re fortunate in the fact that when you go deep in the tournament and play in big matches year in and year out, leaders are born. One of the things that really stood out in my mind last year came in the final against Portland. Although we were losing, I saw the will and determination in freshmen like McCall Zerboni, Lang, Hardy and DiMartino. They never gave up, and that showed me a lot about their character. That proved to me that these players, although now only sophomores, are ready to lead despite their youth. I guess what I m trying to say is that I expect the leadership this year to come from many different areas, starting with, but not limited to, the senior class. Q: Have you set any goals for this season? JE: Our goal every year is to compete for a conference and national championship. In the grand scheme of things, if we meet the primary goal of developing players, we will have a good chance every year of positioning ourselves to winning a championship. This program has come very far quickly, and as one of the top-5 in the country, we are the youngest. We ve had to close ground on schools who in some instances have had programs around 20 more years than we have. We ve managed to do that and establish ourselves as a team that can compete year in and year out for a national championship. Q: How do you assess this year s schedule? JE: As usual, I think our schedule is one of the most competitive in the country. Our non-conference portion of the season will be very challenging, but it will make us stronger in the long run. We re fortunate because our tournament brings together three excellent teams in Santa Clara, UConn and Texas A&M. We also start the year back east against two great teams in Penn State and Maryland, so we will see some tough matches right off the bat. It doesn t get any easier once conference play begins, especially since the Pac-10 had six teams make the NCAA Tournament last year. But I truly believe that playing the competitive schedule that we do is what makes us stronger in the latter part of the year and into the postseason. Q: Looking back on seven seasons at UCLA, what are some of the things that stand out in your mind? JE: I d have to say the relationships that I ve made with people who are involved with this program is what stands out most in my mind. The players who have come through here and the coaches I have worked with have made this a great seven years, and have given me some wonderful memories. CiCi Peterson is a player who really stands out. I was her third coach in three years and she came into my office on my first day here and was essentially about to quit. I talked her into giving it another week and she ended up being one of the best goalkeepers in this program s history. Watching Jill Oakes work her way back from a devastating injury and emerge as one of the top players in the country is something I will never forget. And then players like Danesha Adams and Erin Hardy who have grown in the program and worked their way on a U-20 World Cup team. That is definitely a lasting memory. Finally, watching players like Karissa Hampton, Staci Duncan and Tracey Milburn move into the next stage of their lives and call me to share their professional and personal accomplishments is a big reason why I coach Women s Soccer Media Guide 5