UNCG women's soccer signs four

GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro's women's soccer team has signed four players for the 2009 season, coach Eddie Radwanski announced Friday.

California natives Lauren Hein and Cat Barnekow, Florida product Tabitha Padgett, and Katie Durst from Cary, NC, have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Spartans next season.

"This is an outstanding group of young student athletes that I expect to make an immediate impact on our push for another conference title and a run in the NCAA tournament," Radwanski said. "Not only do they bring serious talent to the soccer field, they are all good people, the type of kids we will be proud to have wearing the Spartan uniform."

Hein, a 5-8 forward/midfielder from Torrance, CA, was a four-year honor roll student for South Torrance High School, where she was a three-time team offensive MVP. A first-team all-league, all-California Interscholastic Federation and all-area selection, Hein led the league in scoring three times. Hein had a stellar showing at the CIF Southern Section Division V tournament as a senior, scoring the game-winning goal in the last minute of regulation in the semifinals, then netting the game-winner in golden-goal overtime in the championship game to give South Torrance the title. After scoring 34 goals her senior season, Hein was named the CIF Player of the Year. Coached by Traci Arkenberg, Hein played her club soccer for the PVSC Breakers in the nationally renowned Southern California Coast Soccer League. Hein was also recruited by Washington, Pepperdine, Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State.

Padgett, a 5-5 forward from Orange Park, FL, was a four-year all-state, all-county and all-conference selection in both soccer and track and field at Orange Park High School. A four-year recipient of the Raiders Champion Award for academic excellence, Padgett holds the Raiders' school record for career goals and several school and conference track and field records. She helped Orange Park's soccer team to a second-place conference finish in 2009 and third-place district finishes all four years. Padgett played club soccer for both the First Coast Kyx and Clay County United, leading United to back-to-back Florida State Cup championships in 2007 and 2008. A member of the Florida ODP team that won the 2008 ODP regional championship, she was also selected for the Region III ODP team. Padgett was the leading scorer for the Region III team as the team took first place at the 2008 International Cup in Spain. Padgett was also recruited by Florida State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, NC State and Baylor.

Durst, a 5-6 midfielder, is a three-year all-conference selection for Athens Drive High School in Raleigh. A two-time all-region pick, Durst helped the Jaguars to a state quarterfinals appearance as a sophomore. Coached by Jay Howell and Rusty Scarborough, Durst played her club soccer for CASL Elite and won a North Carolina State Cup championship in addition to three straight Super Y-League South Atlantic Division Championships. Durst was a member of the North Carolina ODP team and attended both regional ODP camp and Super Y national camp. A former teammate of current UNCG freshman Nicole Danford, Durst was also recruited by NC State, Charlotte, South Florida and High Point.

Barnekow, a 5-2 defender from Santa Rosa, CA, comes to UNCG as a sophomore. As a freshman at Santa Rosa Junior College last season, she earned first-team All-American honors in addition to being the only freshman named to the All-West Region team. Barnekow helped SRJC to a national semifinals appearance and a Big 8 championship in 2008. She was a four-year soccer player at Santa Rosa High School, where she also lettered in track and field. Barnekow played her club soccer for Northern California powerhouse Santa Rosa United. She was also a member of the Cal-North State ODP and Super Y Pacific ODP teams. This past summer, she played for the Sonoma County Sol of the Women's Premier Soccer League, coached by Emiria Salzmann and Chris Ziemer, helping the team to the conference semifinals. Barnekow was also recruited by Oklahoma, UC Santa Barbara, Saint Mary's and UC Irvine.

UNCG won its third straight Southern Conference regular-season title in 2008, going 16-4-3 and 10-0-1 in league play. The Spartans, who have not lost a league game in the last three years, ended the season on a 14-game unbeaten streak and held a final ranking of No. 10 in Soccer Buzz's Southeast Region rankings.

- UNCG -