PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Prairie View A&M soccer team made a big splash during the February signing period as they announced the addition of 10 new players to the Lady Panthers team for the 2016 season.
 
Head coach Abe Garcia announced the signings of seven high school players, as well as three college players who have, or will transfer to Prairie View A&M in time for the season.
 
"I'm pretty excited about this class," Garcia said. "They seem to be team-oriented. I think they will fit well with the current group."
 
Prairie View A&M is returning 14 players from the 2015 team that advanced to the semifinal round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament. The 10 additions will give Garcia plenty of depth for the 2016 season; a foundation is also being built as the team will have only three seniors in the fall.
 
"It adds depth and strength to our team, which should help us in the long run," Garcia said. "My goal was just to add as much depth as possible and add competition for positions and playing time."
 
The Lady Panthers have advanced to the SWAC semifinals in each of the last five seasons. Prairie View A&M played in the tournament championship game and clinched its first-ever berth in the NCAA Division I Tournament in 2014.
 
Two of the transfers – Carla Keegan (San Antonio, Texas/Churchill) and Amira Wynn (Frisco, Texas/Heritage) are returning to their home state after playing at four-year colleges in the Southeast. Keegan transferred from Converse College in South Carolina, while Wynn transferred from West Alabama.
 
The third transfer, Ravyn Gilbert (Mansfield, Texas/Legacy) is a junior college transfer from Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas.
 
"I think the players not only fit well," Garcia said of his overall signing class, "I also think these new student-athletes have bought into the culture of the program in terms of what our current and former players represent, and what's to come in the future."
 
The seven high school signees are as follows:
 
Jasmine Heine
Defender • Conroe, Texas • Conroe High School • Texas Rush (Woodlands Rush)

 
Blair Lane
Defender • San Diego, Calif. • Clairemont High School • Albion Soccer Club

 
Alexis Mack
Striker • Temple, Texas • Belton High School • Lone Star Soccer Club

 
Nicole Morgan
Midfielder/Defender • Austin, Texas • Westwood High School • Austin Texans Soccer Club

 
Leslie Rodriguez
Midfielder • Pflugerville, Texas • Connolly High School • Austin Texans Soccer Club

 
Lauryn Rutherford
Striker/Midfielder • Friendswood, Texas • Clear Springs High School • Space City Fútbol Club

 
Gina Zavala de Rojas
Midfielder • San Diego, Calif. • San Diego High School • Albion Soccer Club