July 9, 2008
OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami University women's soccer program has added three student-athletes to its 2008 recruiting class.
All three new RedHawks add to Miami soccer's growing international feel. Nathalie Hillgren comes from Malmo, Sweden, while Sarah Dessfelt is a native of Vellinge, Sweden. Haley Clark will come to Oxford from London, Canada.
As well as each having international citizenship, all of the new RedHawks play in the back and will look to bolster Miami's back line.
Nathalie Hillgren |
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Hillgren comes to Miami from Malmo, Sweden, where she most recently played for Malmo FF and helped them to three top-three finishes at the national level.
As a defender, she has already compiled a wealth of experience, having helped her team to the Swedish Championship as a 14-year-old in 2003 and later to a Gothia Cup as the winners of the world's largest youth tournament. Last year, Hillgren and Malmo FF advanced to the European Club Team Championship at the under-17 level.
Hillgren combines speed, strength and smarts from her defender position and will likely see action for the RedHawks as an outside back. She comes from a strong soccer heritage. Her father, Peter, spend seven years in the Swedish Elite League, while her mother, Susanne, was also a defender for Malmo FF.
Miami head women's soccer coach Bobby Kramig commented on Hillgren.
"Nathalie is a very athletic, physical player. With excellent speed and an aggressive mindset, she will prove to be a great asset both defensively and going forward."
Sarah Dessfelt |
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Dessfelt comes from Vellinge in southern Sweden. She most recently played alongside Hillgren as a defender for Malmo FF.
She has played for Malmo FF for seven years, winning the Swedish Championship in 2003 and helped the squad to a Gothia Cup Championship in 2004.
Kramig explains that Dessfelt is "a very technical player with excellent vision and tactical understanding." Kramig continued, "Sara's ability to organize a defense and play out of the back will prove a huge asset to us this year."
Haley Clark |
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Clark, from London, Canada, will also join the Miami soccer team this fall.
Clark, a defender, has spent time playing for Geoff Painter at North London Soccer Club.
"Haley is a great combination of athleticism and skill. She has great awareness on the field and is a very good distributor of the ball from the back," said Kramig.
The RedHawk soccer team now boasts nine international players with five hailing from Sweden (Sara Lund, Eva Candia, Alexandra Karlsson, Hillgren and Dessfelt) and four from Canada (Krista Pace, Courtney Clarke, Krysti Clarke, and Haley Clark).
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