Photo by: Eric Roth
Wake Forest Field Hockey Announces 2021 Signing Class
6/21/2021 11:34:00 AM | Field Hockey
The Deacs welcome seven members with a wealth of experience and accomplishments to the program for the upcoming season.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest Field Hockey and head coach Jennifer Averill has announced the addition of six members to the Demon Deacon field hockey program.
"Wake Forest hockey is excited to announce the class of 2021," said Averill. "This group is packed with talent and personality. They have persevered through great adversity this past year. That challenge will create great growth and opportunity for them."
Ashley Arnold, Brooke McCusker, Julia LeClerq, Lilly Avrigian, Safa Jan and Ashley Hart will look to make an immediate impact in their first collegiate seasons, while Sloan Isen comes to Winston-Salem after spending her first season in 2019 as a goalkeeper for Colgate.
The class will join a Demon Deacons squad that returns 17 players from the 2021 spring campaign. Overall, the Deacs posted a record of 6-11, highlighted by a spring record of 3-3 and a berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference Automatic Qualifying Game to conclude the spring slate. Additionally, the program rose all the way to No. 9 in the National FIeld Hockey Coaches Association poll, its highest ranking since 2016 and the 23rd-consecutive poll that the Deacs have been ranked.
The 2021 Wake Forest Field Hockey Signing Class
Ashley Arnold (Hersey High School | Hershey, Pa.)
Lilly Avrigian (William Penn Charter School | Philadelphia, Pa.)
Ashley Hart (The Governor's Academy | Byfield, Mass.)
Safa Jan (Wisconsin Virtual Academy | Muskego, Wisc.)
Sloan Isen (The Westtown School | Bala Cynwyd, Pa.)
Julia LeClerq (Lake Forest High School | Lake Bluff, Illinois)
Brooke McCusker (Windsor Secondary School | North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
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"Wake Forest hockey is excited to announce the class of 2021," said Averill. "This group is packed with talent and personality. They have persevered through great adversity this past year. That challenge will create great growth and opportunity for them."
Ashley Arnold, Brooke McCusker, Julia LeClerq, Lilly Avrigian, Safa Jan and Ashley Hart will look to make an immediate impact in their first collegiate seasons, while Sloan Isen comes to Winston-Salem after spending her first season in 2019 as a goalkeeper for Colgate.
The class will join a Demon Deacons squad that returns 17 players from the 2021 spring campaign. Overall, the Deacs posted a record of 6-11, highlighted by a spring record of 3-3 and a berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference Automatic Qualifying Game to conclude the spring slate. Additionally, the program rose all the way to No. 9 in the National FIeld Hockey Coaches Association poll, its highest ranking since 2016 and the 23rd-consecutive poll that the Deacs have been ranked.
The 2021 Wake Forest Field Hockey Signing Class
Ashley Arnold (Hersey High School | Hershey, Pa.)
- Four-year letter winner
- Team Captain as a senior
- Led team in goals and assists twice
- NFHCA Pennsylvania All-State and All-Region Selection - 1st Team
- 2020 PennLive Preseason Mid-Penn Conference Field Hockey MVP
- 2020 U19 National Indoor Tournament Pool Medalist
- Ranked a Top-10 Player for the 2021 Class in 2018
- 2018 Pennsylvania AAA State Champion as team was ranked No. 2 in the nation
- Two-time MaxFH All-American Watch List
- Tallied multiple medals in the National Indoor Tournament Pool, Rise National Futures Championships, Pennsylvania National Futures Championships, AAU Junior Olympics, National Club Showcase, Disney Showcase levels
- Selected as a member of the AAU Junior Olympics in 2018
- Member of the 2019 Pennsylvania All-State Academic Team
- Also played golf and basketball
Lilly Avrigian (William Penn Charter School | Philadelphia, Pa.)
- Three-year starter and team captain, including becoming the first sophomore to be chosen as a captain
- Two-time Inter-Academic Athletic League: All-League Award honoree
- Selected Philafieldhockey Student- Athlete of the Week
- William Penn Charter School Coach's Award Varsity Field Hockey
- 2020 ESPN Disney Field Hockey Showcase Pool H Bronze Winner
- 2020 WC Eagles National Indoor Tournament Pool F Runner Up
- 2019 WC Eagles, Thanksgiving Showcase Tournament Pool A Winner
- 2019 U16 WC Eagles National Indoor Tournament Pool J Winner
- Three-time USA Field Hockey National Futures Selection
Ashley Hart (The Governor's Academy | Byfield, Mass.)
- Ranked as a Top 50 player by MAX Field Hockey 2021
- All NEPSAC and all ISL first team field hockey
- Anne Marie Murphy Award for best female athlete for the class of 2021 at The Governor's Academy
- Placed second at the National Club Championship for U16
- Earned 12 varsity letters in field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse during 4 years of high school
- Captain of field hockey and ice hockey junior and senior year
- Captain of lacrosse senior year
- Selected for U16 Stars and Stripes and Under Armour Select Game
- Selected as a member of the AAU Junior Olympics 2018 and 2019
Safa Jan (Wisconsin Virtual Academy | Muskego, Wisc.)
- Joined the team as a grey shirt in the spring of 2021
- Ranked as a Top-100 player in the class of 2021 by MAX Field Hockey
- Named to the 2021 Class Watch List by MAX Field Hockey
- 2017 Wisconsin State Champions at Brookfield Academy
- 2017 and 2019 National Futures Championship selections
Sloan Isen (The Westtown School | Bala Cynwyd, Pa.)
- Played freshman season at Colgate in 2019
- Logged 15:00 of action against American, posted two saves
- Named to the Patriot League Honor Roll
- Named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad
- Named to the Raider Academic Honor Roll
- Tallied 102 saves on 113 shots for a .902 save percentage in her senior season
- Named to All-League First Team and All-Area Honorable Mention accolades
- USA National Indoor Tournament pool winner from 2015-19 with the WC Eagles, also a USA National Showcase pool winner in 2017
Julia LeClerq (Lake Forest High School | Lake Bluff, Illinois)
- Three-year letter winner
- First Team IHSA All-State and All-Conference honoree
- Named to the 2020 MAX Field Hockey West/Midwest Region High School players Watch List
- Ranked as a top-100 member of the 2021 class by MAX Field Hockey
- Team competed in the 2018 & 2019 Illinois High School State Championships
- Three-time National Futures Championship participant (2016-18)
- Selected to play in the College Connection Under Armour Select Game
- Played club field hockey for 7 years at Windy City Field Hockey
- Also played high school soccer
Brooke McCusker (Windsor Secondary School | North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
- Member of the West Vancouver Field Hockey Club's Premier team (2019-21)
- Two-time British Columbia Provincial Team Selection
- Led the 2018 British Columbia U15 Provincial Team in goals and squad won the Canadian Nationals
- Awarded "Most Promising" Player in the Field Hockey British Columbia High School Academy in 2019
- Selected to Canadian Junior Women's National Team (JWNT) NextGEN Program (2019
- 2019 Canadian JWNT U17 Netherlands Tour for the "On Fire in Holland Elite Cup" in Den Bosch, the Netherlands.
- 2019 Canadian JWNT U17 International match vs. Belgian Junior National Team, hosted in Kontich, Belgium.
- 2020 Canadian JWNT U18 Chula Vista Tour vs. USA U18 Junior Women's National Team in Chula Vista, Southern California.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |
Players Mentioned
Forward/Midfield
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Midfield
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Goalkeeper
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