Canisius College women's soccer head coach Jim Wendling has
announced the addition of five student-athletes for the 2012 season. Joining
the Griffs are Brittany Bowen, Erika Falinski, Brittany Krause, Alexis
Kroese, and Tara McPherson. The
incoming 2012 freshmen class is compromised of student-athletes, representing
three different states and Canada.
"I am very excited with the caliber of players we are bringing to the team next fall," said Wendling. "Each player will
provide the needed technical and tactical abilities to our team that will get us back into the MAAC Tournament and compete for a second MAAC Championship."
Brittany Bowen
Position: Center-back
Height: 5'9"
Hometown:
Sacramento, Calif.
Intended Major:
International
business and marketing
Bowen currently plays for the Davis Shock Soccer Club, while
previously playing with the Elk Grove Everton Soccer Club. Displaying her
skills at the Region Six Player Development Program, she was invited to the US Soccer
Training Center to train under the Technical Advisor for the USSF, Hugo Perez.
In addition, she took part in the MTC Girls Showcase with Mike Dickey, the
former head coach of the U15-17 U.S. National team. Bowen has been a part of
successful club teams that have captured the GSSL League Championship and the
CYSA District League Championship, while reaching the 2009 State Cup Finals. She has played and started at JFK High
School since her freshmen year. In 2011, the Cougars captured the Metro League Championship
with Bowen earning All-League honors. This year, she served as captain of her
team. In addition to playing center back, Bowen can also play center-midfielder and
forward. She plans on studying international
business and marketing. Her parents are Tom and Lisa Bowen and she has a sister,
Jessica.
Erika Falinksi
Position: Center-back
Height: 5'4"
Hometown: West
Monroe, N.Y.
Intended Major:
Sports medicine
Falinski plays for the Syracuse Blitz Tsunami team that is
currently ranked 67th in the Nation in the U19 age group. Her club
team has won the 2008 MAPS/MSSL College Showcase, the Hudson Invitational
Tournament Championship, 2010 Albany Empire Championship, and 2011 State Cup
Championships. As a part of the Blitz Tsunami, the team was a finalist in the
US Club Soccer Region A Championships. Including in her ability to play center back, she can
also play midfielder or a winger position. Falinski has very good speed and reads the game very
well. She has a great long and
dangerous free kick that will create goal-scoring opportunities for the team
during set players. While not tall, one of her strengths is locating the ball
off corner kicks. The Blitz Tsunami finished second in the New York State Cup
in 2011. Her parents are Mark and Barb
Falinski and she has a brother, Mark and a sister, Aly. Her father played tennis at
Florida State University.
Brittany Krause
Position: Forward
Height: 5'4"
Hometown: Virginia
Beach, Va.
Intended Major:
Sports medicine
Krause
plays for the highly ranked Virginia Rush Nike team of the ECNL League as a forward,
winger, and center-midfielder. She is currently the leading goal-scorer for
the Rush Nike team. Her club team has won numerous tournaments, including the
2010 Rush Sun Cup and 2009 Disney College Showcase Premier Championship. In the
Virginia State Cup, her team finished as a finalist in 2010 and semifinalist in
2009. As a senior at Frank W. Cox High School, Krause was named to the All-Beach
District First Team, All-Eastern Region First Team, All-Tidewater First Team,
and All-State Honorable Mention. In her senior year, she placed in the Eastern
Region for most goals scored. As a junior, she was selected All-Beach District
Second Team, All-Eastern Region Second Team, and All-Tidewater Second Team.
Krause tied for fourth in the Eastern Region as the goals leader as a junior.
The Falcons are the reigning All-Beach District Champion, winning the title in
2009, 2010, and 2011. Her team went on to capture the All-Eastern Regional
Championship back-to-back years in 2009 and 2010, while reaching the
semi-finals both years in the Virginia State AAA Championship. In 2011,
finished as a finalist in the State Championship. Her success on the pitch
mirrors her achievements in the classroom as a member of the National Honor
Society, National English Honor Society, National Math Honor Society, and the
National Latin Honor Society. She decided to attend Canisius over Bryant,
East Tennessee State, Longwood, Georgia Southern, and Florida Gulf Coast.
Her parents are Cary and Kelley Krause. Her father Cary played football for the
US Naval Academy as a strong safety.
Alexis
Kroese
Position: Back
Height: 5'4"
Hometown: Amherst,
N.Y.
Intended Major:
Currently undecided
Kroese is a fast,
technical left-outside back, who is versatile with the ability to play as sweeper
or forward. An Amherst-native, she plays for the Buffalo Soccer Academy of the ECNL
Club League. For the last five seasons, the Buffalo Soccer Academy has been the
premier club team in the Western New York region. The team has captured three
State Cups in that span, while reaching the 2010 Region-One Championship. The Buffalo Soccer Academy is currently
ranked second in Western New York and 41st nationally. Attending
Williamsville North, the Spartans has been ranked first in the Western New York
polls and third in the State. While she was a part of the team, the Spartans
successfully won their District and Regional. As a senior captain, she was named
first-team All-State, scoring four goals and adding three assists. In her
junior and senior seasons, she was selected to the All-Western New York First
Team along with ECIC First-Team All Star honors. As a Spartan, she tallied a
combined 32 goals and 22 assists. At this time, Kroese is undecided on her
major. Her parents are Mario and Veronica and she has a brother, Anthony, who also
attends Canisius.
Tara McPherson
Position: Center-back
Height: 5'6"
Hometown: Stratford,
Ontario
Intended Major:
Business and psychology
McPherson is
capable of playing down the middle of the soccer field, as a center-back,
center-midfielder or forward. She is projected to play either as a center-midfielder
or center-back. The Stratford, Ontario-native is very composed with the ball,
has great vision to go along with her quickness, agility, and speed. On
defense, she is a great tackler of the ball, playing defense and can get up in
the attack on free kicks and corner kicks, as she great threat in the air. McPherson
played club soccer for Waterloo United, a level-one team based out of Ontario,
Canada. In addition to playing soccer St. Michael's Catholic Secondary, she played
basketball and volleyball. She currently intends to study business and
psychology. Her parents are Dan and Leah McPherson. Her father Dan, played Division-I
Hockey for the University of New Hampshire. She also has two brothers, Grant and Kent, who played hockey
at Michigan Tech.
