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Coach-of-the-Year Roden adds three more signees

Coach Dale Roden

MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan University women’s soccer coach Dale Roden, who was named GPAC and NSCAA Region Coach-of-the-Year in 2009, announced Friday that he has added three more recruits to his 2010 class to help his team as it tries to defend its GPAC Championship.

All three of Roden’s new recruits, who recently signed Letters of Intent to commit to DWU, have South Dakota ties. Two of the signees, Alexandra Kuehler and Kelsey Huber, are from Sturgis High School in Sturgis, S.D., and the third, Shaylyn Masterson, has spent her final two seasons at Chesterton High School in Valparaiso, Ind., after playing her first three varsity seasons at Rapid City Central High School in Rapid City, S.D.

Roden said his latest group of recruits will bring a lot to his program. In addition to their talent and abilities, he said all three players possess a strong desire to improve and succeed and he thinks that mindset will really help them fit in with his team this fall. He said that this season’s championships have been a result of successful recruiting in the past, and he hopes these new student-athletes will continue the tradition.

“We feel that our past success is a direct result of attracting quality student-athletes who are dedicated to elevating this program,” Roden said. “Today, we have the privilege of welcoming three more of them to our team.

“The individual credentials of these three outstanding student-athletes are very impressive, although we feel their collective hunger to continuously improve outshines any past accomplishments. We are anxious to see them in the DWU blue this fall.”

Roden expects Kuehler to provide talent and depth to his core of defenders. She received All-State First Team honors in 2009 after four years as a starter and a letterwinner for Sturgis. She also served as a team captain and won the Spirit of One award in 2009. Kuehler has also earned six varsity letters in cheerleading and gymnastics, and she is a member of the National Honor Society. She is the daughter of Myron and Lynette Kuehler of Black Hawk, S.D., and plans to major in pre-med at Dakota Wesleyan.

““We consider Alexandra to be a large portion of our defensive stand in the future,” Roden said. “During her freshman campaign we will ask her to supply us with defensive support, as well as fuel for the quest to continue success while demanding more of the veterans.”

Huber will give the Tigers a versatile, talented player who could help the team in a number of ways. At Sturgis, she received All-State honors as a wing in 2007 and as a sweeper in 2009. She was named the team’s MVP in 2008, and the Defensive MVP in 2009. She has been a five-year starter and letterwinner for the Scoopers. In addition to her success on the field, Huber is a Regent Scholar and she also plans to pursue a pre-med degree at DWU. She is the daughter of Jon and Brenda Huber of Piedmont, S.D.

“Kelsey is a fierce competitor with the aggression to make her presence known even as a newcomer this fall,” Roden said. “She exhibits the desire and work ethic that could possibly propel her into an important role in our program right away.”

Masterson has had plenty of soccer success in two states. She grew up in Rapid City, and was teammates with current Tigers Kasha Roberts, Kayla Pahl and Skye Pahl at Central High School. During her time there, the midfielder/defender received the team’s Most Improved Award as freshman. She received the same award at Chesterton High as a junior, before earning All-Conference and All-Area Second Team honors as a senior. She was also named to the Indiana 2010 All-Star Team after leading the Trojans to sectional and regional titles in 2009. Masterson was a four-year member of the varsity, and a three-year starter and letterwinner. She is the daughter of Bill and Julie Masterson of Valparaiso, Ind., and she plans to major in special education with a minor in forensic science at Dakota Wesleyan.

“Shaylyn possesses the tactical awareness that all GPAC programs strive to have in their midfield,” Roden said. “We believe that she will provide us with much-needed consistency as our program begins to lose players due to graduation.”

Roden’s three new recruits join a Tiger team that defied all expectations in 2009 to win GPAC regular season and postseason tournament championships while advancing to the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championships for the first time in school history. DWU completed an undefeated regular season, and finished with a 17-1-4 record.

These latest signees bring Roden’s 2010 recruiting class to five members, and he said he hopes to have a few more newcomers to announce in the coming weeks.

“We anticipate having an opportunity to announce a couple more key recruits in the near future,” Roden said.