March 28, 2007 Toronto Lady Lynx signings (from Lynx media release)
TORONTO LYNX MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BERNIER AND BECKLES LEAD WAVE OF LADY LYNX SIGNINGS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2007(Toronto, CANADA) 2006 W-League Goalkeeper of the Year Justine Bernier and 2006 Toronto Lynx Co-Defender of the Year Vonya Beckles headline the first batch of Toronto Lady Lynx player signings for the 2007 W-League season, the club announced today. The pair are joined by midfielders Allysha Chapman and Tina Romagnuolo, defender Lexi Marton and forward Brittany Harrison, as the Lady Lynx begin preparations for their third season which is slated to kick off on May 12 against the visiting Sudbury Canadians at Centennial Park Stadium. The 1:00 PM kick-off will be followed by the Lynx’ PDL debut against the West Michigan Edge at 4:00 PM.
Oakville’s Bernier led the W-League in goals-against average and conceded only 2 goals in 8 starts in 2006. She also earned All W-League and All Eastern Conference honours, and was named Lady Lynx Rookie of the Year for her outstanding efforts. She recently joined the Ontario Provincial team on a tour of Chile which saw them compete against Chile and Argentina’s U20 National teams and served as team captain. The 18-year old year old recently accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Alabama and will join the Crimson Tide in the fall to begin her collegiate career.
Beckles, from Scarborough, helped led a rock-solid defence that carried the Lady Lynx to the Northern Division final in 2006, conceding only 4 goals in 12 regular-season games along the way. The 17-year old Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute student represented Canada in the FIFA U20 World Championships in Russia last September.
Whitby’s Chapman finished third in team scoring for the Lady Lynx in 2006 with 9 points in 11 matches, and tied Deana Everrett for the team lead in assists with 5. Like Bernier, she recently accepted an NCAA scholarship offer and will be off to the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the fall.
Forward Harrison saw limited action with the Lady Lynx during her rookie season in 2006, appearing twice including a start in Sudbury on June 3. The 18-year old Oakville native attends Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School and has represented Canada at the U15 level and is a member of the U18 national player pool.
Marton, 16 was the youngest Lady Lynx in 2006 and saw the field in 6 games. The 5’ 11 defender is a member of the Canadian women’s U20 player pool, and attends Country Day School in King City. She has verbally committed to attend Penn State University in the fall of 2008. She also captained the Canadian Women U16 on a three-game tour of Germany last fall following the W-League season.
Stouffville’s Romagnuolo will be making her debut with the Lady Lynx in 2007. The 17-year old midfielder spent the 2006 training with the club, but did not appear in any matches. The Brother Andre Catholic High School student joined Marton on Canada’s U16 women’s tour of Germany in September, which saw Canada finish with a 1-1-1 record in games against Germany’s U16 and U17 women’s national teams.
JR LYNX CORNER
The Toronto Lynx Jr’s kicked off their 2007 outdoor season on a high note over the past few weekends. The U17 Boys travelled to Richmond, Virginia for the prestigious Jefferson Cup tournament against top squads from across the United States, and reached the semi-finals in the highest division. The U15 Girls participated in the same tournament, and lost two of their three matches by narrow 1-0 margins and gained valuable experience for the upcoming season, as it was the first exposure to elite American soccer. The U15 Boys participated in the Metro Showcase in St. Louis winning two of three games and attracting the attention of collegiate scouts from across America.
One of the stars of the Toronto Lynx Academy program, Dane Roberts, recently announced that he has accepted a full scholarship at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. His hard work and the great exposure he received through the Toronto Lynx Jr’s Super-Y League program allowed him this opportunity. “Dane follows a long line of successful players in our Academy program who have went on to earn full scholarships from prestigious American schools over the past few years.” said Head Coach Duncan Wilde. “Our goal with the Academy and the Jr. Lynx Super-Y League program is to provide exposure for all of these great young Canadian players and to give them the chance to showcase themselves to these schools against top-quality American competition on a continuous basis.”
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
ROB IRWIN, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, TORONTO LYNX SOCCER CLUB
416-251-4625 ext. 23
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