Follow @HBUWSoccer

HOUSTON – On Wednesday, February 1, HBU head women's soccer coach Misty Jones and her staff announced the signing of five new student-athletes to the 2017 recruiting class.

"This 2017 signing class is a very versatile and talented class. We are bringing in every position to help fill some voids left by an amazing senior class," said Jones. "Each student-athlete that we are signing has the ability to make an immediate impact on our team. I anticipate that they will each excel on the field as well as in the classroom. We recruit student athletes that are well-rounded athletically, academically and spiritually and this signing class will help us achieve our goals on and off the field."

Jessica Nevils is a 5-4 defender from Beaumont, Texas and a four year letter-winner at Hamshire-Fannett High School. Nevils has earned All-District honors every year and was a Second Team All-State performer as a junior. She plays club soccer for the Albion Hurricanes and coach Chris Carter and has earned A/B Honor Roll laurels all four years of high school. The daughter of Brian and Patti Nevils, she intends to study nursing at HBU.

"Jessica will add speed and aggressiveness to our back line, where she will make an immediate impact," Jones added. "She has great closing speed and is difficult to beat. She is doesn't shy away from tackles and is solid in the air. We graduate two starters in the back line (O'Brien and Adams), which will give Jessica immediate opportunities to contribute."

Avery Cortez is a native Houstonian from Jersey Village High School who can play Forward or Midfield. So far during her senior year she has scored 33 goals through the first 12 games of the season. The daughter of Christopher Cortez and Tiki Campbell, she plays club soccer for coach Daniel Hill and is a team captain for the Albion Hurricanes.

"I have enjoyed watching Avery play for the past couple of years," said Jones. "She is very technical on the ball and has a solid tactical awareness of the game and is a player that will enhance our attack. Avery has scored 33 goals in 12 games during her senior high school campaign so far. We are expecting that she will put the ball in the net quite a few times for the Huskies next fall."

Emily Harves is a 5-7 midfielder hailing from Lumberton, Texas who is a four year letter-winner and starter at Lumberton High School. A three-time All-District performer on the pitch, Harves is a team captain and a member of the National Honor Society. She has been a four-year captain for club coach Chris Carter and the Albion Hurricanes. She plans to major in nursing at HBU and is the daughter of Michael and Janet Harves.

"We will look for Emily to help fill the void that seniors, Abendschein and DalMonte, left in the middle of the field," Jones added. "Emily is very composed under pressure and will help link our defense and midfield together with her ability to connect passes. She is versatile and can play in the attacking or defensive midfield roll."

Emma Dooher, a 5-8 midfielder, will come to Houston from Cedar Park High School in Cedar Park, Texas. One of the top-scorers at her high school, she has earned All-District honors and has been named Academic All-District every year. Dooher is the leading scorer for her club team, Lonestar 98/99 coached by Wes Schevers. She is the daughter of Andrew and Holly Dooher and plans to pursue a degree in legal studies.

"Emma plays for the Lonestar soccer club, which has provided us with many excellent players. There are currently six Lonestar alumni on our roster," Jones said. "Emma will bring an intensity and passion to play. She is well versed and can play centrally or as a winger. We saw Emma at camp a couple of years ago and were impressed with her work rate and her ability to hold and distribute the ball. We look for her to make an immediate impact on the team."
 
Kaimyn Beal, a 5-4 defender from San Antonio, Texas, is a four year letter-winner at O'Connor High School. She earned team Defensive Player of the Year honors last season and has shown a knack for helping on the offensive end as a back line player with five goals and nine assists during her high school career. Beal has been a four year captain for her club team, Lonestar San Antonio 99 and off the field has earned A/B Honor Roll every year of high school.
 
"Kaimyn is an excellent athlete who will play a defensive role for us this fall," Jones stated. "She possesses great speed and is a very technical defender. She reads that games well and can distribute well from the back. We graduated a starting outside back (Adams) and Kaimyn will be in a fight with a few returners to fill that role."

The new signees will be a part of a 2017 Huskies squad looking to defend their 2016 Southland Conference championship, the program's second conference title in the last three seasons.