Jan. 8, 2013

BERKELEY -

As the California lacrosse team prepares for its return to California Memorial Stadium for the 2013 campaign, second-year head coach Ginger Miles recently announced the signing of 10 recruits to National Letters of Intent. The future Golden Bears will join the program next fall.

"We are happy to welcome these 10 young women to our Golden Bear family," Miles said. "They represent some of the best and brightest lacrosse players in the country. They are coming to Cal not just as outstanding lacrosse athletes, but also with strong academic backgrounds and the quality of character that we seek here at Cal. I have no doubt this class will have a tremendous impact on this program's success going forward."

Two of the recruits - Charlotte Biffar and Nicole Vincelette - are from the Bay Area with Biffar coming from Palo Alto High School and Vincelette from St. Ignatius College Prep. They both currently play for the Bay Area Wave club team. Last season Vincelette tallied 46 goals for her high school team. She also played for Nor Cal Team 1 in 2011 and 2012 at the Women's Division National Tournament. Her squad took first in its division. Biffar also competed on Nor Cal Team 1. A three-time all-league first-team selection in high school, Biffar was named the MVP of the Germany vs. The Netherlands U19 World Championship game. She was the leading scorer on her high school squad in 2011 and 2012, as well as the leading scorer on her German U19 National team in 2011.

Miles also brought in two future Bears from Southern California - Julie Crowell (Seal Beach, Calif.) and Sara Nolte (Encinitas, Calif.). A high school All-American in 2012, Crowell is a three-time all-league and all-county first-team selection (2010-12), boasting career totals of 82 goals and 64 assists. Her Los Alamitos High School squad won the CIF Championship three straight years from 2010-12. Nolte's La Costa Canyon High School team also captured a CIF title in 2012. She was a first-team All-CIF and a first-team all-league pick in 2011 and 2012. Nolte also racked up awards like Most Inspirational (2011) and Best Defensive Player (2011) during her high school tenure.

The state of Colorado is currently home to two more in the recruiting class - Courtney Gielow (Parker, Colo.) and Caroline Schlegel from Denver. Gielow was named MVP last season and is also a two-time all-league selection (2011-12) at Regus Jesuit High School. Her squad also brought home a league championship last year. Gielow and Schlegel both currently compete for the Team 180 club team that has won the Sandstorm Tournament Division championship from 2008-12. Schlegel, who has been a member of Team 180 for five years, is an all-league and all-state selection, leading her Kent Denver High School team to the semifinals three years. Schlegel also played on the U17 National team for three years from 2010-12. She was the only freshman to make the squad in 2010.

Finally, Miles added four East Coasters to the mix - Jena Fritts (Darien, Ct.), Wheatley Raabe (New Canaan, Ct.), Megan Gray (Alexandria, Va.) and Bella Huther (Arnold, Md.). As a junior last year, Fritts was an All-American honorable mention pick as well as a first-team all-county and all-state selection. Her Darien High School squad won the county championship in 2012 and the state title in 2011. She was named the MVP of the county championship game last year. Fritts also plays for the Connecticut Chargers club team with Wheatley Raabe. Currently ranked No. 18 among high school lacrosse players, Raabe was a second-team all-county and all-state pick a year ago. Her New Canaan High School team went undefeated and won the state title in 2010 and 2012.

A four-year varsity starter, Gray was named the Defender of the Year in 2011 while playing for Georgetown Visitation High School. Her squad won the ISL championship with a 20-2 record and ended the season ranked in the top 10 nationally. Gray has also played for the DC Metro National Team 2. She was also a three-year varsity swimmer in high school and was a part of the school-record 100-yard medley relay.

A member of the ESPN Top 100 in 2012, Huther and her high squad at McDonough School were league champions and ESPN HS National Champions from 2010-12, enjoying a 69-game winning streak in that stretch. Huther, who also plays for the Skywalkers club team, also runs cross country and plays basketball and soccer for her high school.

"This class represents a wide range of talents at both ends of the field," Mile said. "With this class, we add playmaking attackers, pure shooters, two-way middies, shut-down defenders and players with the hunger and grit to help us win extra possessions. I look forward to seeing what this group is capable of accomplishing."

Cal opens the 2013 season on the road at James Madison on Thursday, Feb. 21.

2012 Cal Lacrosse Recruits

Charlotte Biffar
Position: midfield
Hometown: Los Altos Hills, Calif.
High School: Palo Alto
Club: Bay Area Wave

Julie Crowell
Hometown: Seal Beach, Calif.
High School: Los Alamitos
Club: XTEAM

Jena Fritts
Position: attack
Hometown: Darien, Ct.
High School: Darien
Club: Connecticut Chargers

Courtney Gielow
Position: midfield
Hometown: Parker, Colo.
High School: Regus Jesuit
Club: Team 180

Megan Gray
Position: defense
Hometown: Alexandria, Va.
High School: Georgetown Visitation

Bella Huther
Position: attack/midfield
Hometown: Arnold, Md.
High School: McDonough School
Club: Skywalkers

Sara Nolte
Position: defense
Hometown: Encinitas, Calif.
High School: La Costa Canyon
Club: Pacific Falcons

Wheatley Raabe
Position: defense
Hometown: New Canaan, Ct.
High School: New Canaan, Ct.
Club: Connecticut Chargers

Caroline Schlegel
Position: midfield
Hometown: Denver, Colo.
High School: Kent Denver
Club: Team 180

Nicole Vincelette
Position: midfield/attack
Hometown: Hillsborough, Calif.
High School: St. Ignatius College Prep
Club: Bay Area Wave