K-State Soccer Adds 12 to Roster for 2023 Season

MANHATTAN, Kansas – Following the departure of the largest senior class in program history, Kansas State soccer head coach Mike Dibbini has restocked the roster for the 2023 season and beyond with the signing of 12 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the November signing period. The 12 signees will join the Wildcat roster for the 2023 season.

The 12 student-athletes that will compete for the program in its eighth season are: Grace DeShetler (Frisco, Texas), Lily Hendrickson (Olathe, Kansas), Alexis Morrison (Overland Park, Kansas), Annie Mulder (Lincoln, Nebraska), Crosby Nicholson (Palm Harbor, Florida), Anna Pagano (St. Louis, Missouri), Lily Patterson (Columbia, Missouri), Laney Reishus (Shawnee, Kansas), Rilyn Rintoul (Apple Valley, Minnesota), Jo Sees (Highlands Ranch, Colorado), Reece Walrod (Overland Park, Kansas), Acacia Weis (Shawnee, Kansas).

"We are losing eleven players this year to graduation, so it was important we brought in a large class," said Dibbini about the signing class. "The 2023 class brings in twelve players who are hard-working, skillful and competitive and will add depth at every position. In addition to their abilities on the field, they are quality people off the field and in the classroom and are great fits to our culture. They are great additions and will complement our talented group of returners. We look forward to them joining the K-State soccer family this upcoming fall, as we look to continue to move the program upward."

DeShetler is an outside back from Frisco Liberty High School and plays club soccer with Dallas Sting Black ECNL. In addition to soccer, DeShetler was a state qualifier in cross country in 2019.

"Grace is a very good flank player who reads the game well defensively, wins her 1v1 duels and wants to get forward out of the back," stated Dibbini about DeShetler's game. "We are excited about her ability as a player and the depth she will add to the back line."

Hendrickson is a defender from Olathe West High School and plays club soccer with KC Athletics. Hendrickson is a highly decorated player joining the Wildcats' backline as she has been named a two-time All-America honorable mention, a two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region honoree, the 2022 Kansas Class 6A Defender of the Year award, a 2022 KSHSAA Player to Watch, a two-time All-State First Team selection and a two-time All-Sunflower League First Team recipient.

"Lily is a strong, hard-working tenacious defender," said Dibbini about Hendrickson. "She adds size and toughness to our back line, and is not only a very good 1v1 defender but a back who is also comfortable on the ball and playing out of the back."

Morrison is a midfielder and joins the Wildcats from Blue Valley West High School and Sporting Blue Valley ECNL. Along with teammate and fellow K-State signee Reece Walrod, they led the Jaguars to a 16-3-1 overall record and the 2022 Kansas Class 6A state title. Morrison finished the 2002 season with team-highs of 12 goals and nine assists.

While playing for Sporting Blue Valley ECNL, Morrison helped the club to a number three ranking in the nation in 2021-22 and was named a "Player That Impressed" in the 2022 ECNL National Playoffs. She also captained the IMG Academy DA 05 team in 2019-20.

"Alexis has a great soccer brain as a central midfielder," Dibbini said about Morrison. "She sees things other players don't see in attack and creates opportunities for others and herself. In addition to what she does in the flow of play, she will be a great asset to our team on restarts."

Mulder is a defender from Lincoln East High School and played club soccer for Gretna Elite Academy ECNL. Mulder has collected numerous all-state and all-league honors, as she was a 2022 All-Nebraska First Team selection by the Omaha World-Herald and a two-time All-City recipient by the Lincoln Journal Star.

"Annie brings a presence on the field in the back," said Dibbini about Mulder. "She is a very good defender and is very strong in the air. In addition to her defensive presence, she is confident on the ball and will help us build attacks out of the back."

Nicholson is a midfielder who joins the Wildcats from Palm Harbor University High School in Palm Harbor, Florida, and plays club soccer with Tampa Bay United ECNL. Nicholson ended her junior season with 20 goals and 14 assists and helped the Hurricanes to a state semifinal appearance.

"Crosby was a late addition to the class, but when we had the opportunity to add her to this class, we couldn't pass up on her," said Dibbini about the Sunshine State product. "She is a very smart, technical player who will help us both offensively and defensively in the midfield, as well as in the air. We expect her to compete right away for time in the midfield."

Pagano is a midfielder and captain for Notre Dame High School in St. Louis, Missouri and plays club soccer for St. Louis Development Academy. Pagano collected 2022 Missouri Class 3 Region 1 Offensive Player of the Year and Class 3 All-Region 1 First Team honors and was a 2022 Missouri Class 3 All-State First Team honoree. During her junior season, Pagano tallied 14 goals and five assists.

In her sophomore season, Pagano notched 13 goals and seven assists and was a 2021 Missouri Class 3 All-State honorable mention recipient and a 2021 Missouri Class 3 All-Region 1 selection.

"Anna was a great pick up for us out of St. Louis," said Dibbini about the newcomer from the Gateway to the West. "She is very composed in the back in both her defending and attacking and does a great job of organizing the players around her. She is a two-way defender and we expect her to contribute to a very talented returning back line."

Patterson is a defender from Rock Bridge High School and plays club soccer for Lou Fusz Athletic GA. She helped Rock Bridge to the Missouri Class 4 Final Four in 2022 and a Missouri Class 4 District 9 title in 2021. For her efforts over the last two seasons, Patterson was a two-time Class 4 District 6 All-District Team selection and a 2021 All-Central Missouri Athletic Conference First Team recipient.

"Lily is the most competitive player in this class," Dibbini stated about the defender from the Show Me State. "There is not a tackle, 1v1 challenge or aerial battle that she shies away from. She embodies what it is to be a K-Stater and we see her as being able to play centrally in the back and even as a defensive midfielder."

Reishus is a forward who plays for Shawnee-Mill Valley High School and plays club soccer with Sporting Blue Valley ECNL. She is high school and club teammates with fellow K-State signee Acacia Weis. Reishus helped the Jaguars to a 2022 Class 5A state runner-up finish and was a 2022 KSHSAA Class 5A All-State First Team selection, a 2022 All-Metro First Team honoree and was named the 2022 Sunflower League Player of the Year and to the 2022 All-Sunflower League First Team.

"Laney's versatility as a player is one of her great strengths," said Dibbini about Reishus' style of play. "She can play higher up the field and create attacking opportunities, as well as pressure on opposing defenses. In addition, she can play outside back as she is a good 1v1 defender and does a great job of attacking out of the back."

Rintoul is a forward and comes to K-State from Rosemount High School in Rosemount, Minnesota, and plays with the Minnesota Thunder Academy ECNL. During her high school career, Rintoul has helped the Irish to a 29-4-0 overall record, a state title in 2022 and a fourth-place state finish in 2021. While competing for Rosemount High School, Rintoul piled up 27 goals and 19 assists and was a 2022 All-State First Team, a 2022 All-Metro recipient by the Star Tribune and a two-time All-South Suburban Conference First Team selection

While playing with the Minnesota Thunder Academy ECNL, Rintoul was named to the 2021-22 Midwest All-Conference team and named a "Player That Impressed" honors at the 2022 ECNL Florida National Event.

"Rilyn is a very technical player who scores and creates goals with her ability on the ball, as well as her dynamic runs off the ball," Dibbini said about the forward from the Land of 10,000 Lakes. "Her speed up front will cause havoc for opposing defenses and her constant work rate on defense will help us pressure teams higher up the field."

Sees is a forward who comes to Manhattan from Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and plays for the club team Real Colorado National ECNL. Sees has helped the Eagles to a pair of 5A Jefferson County titles in 2021 and 2022 and helped Valor to a number three ranking in the U.S. During the previous two seasons, Sees has registered 22 goals, 12 assists and 109 shots on goal. She is a two-time All-5A Jefferson County First Team selection and has been named All-State Second Team and Honorable Mention.

Sees also ran track in 2021 and helped Valor win the 2021 Colorado girls high school state track title. She finished eighth in the state in the 300-meter hurdles and 12th in the 100-meter hurdles.

While playing for Real Colorado National ECNL, Sees helped her squad to a pair of ECNL Conference titles and the 2019 Colorado State Cup title and was named MVP of the event. She has also been a member of the 04 ECNL National Team and the 05 ECNL National Team.

"Jo's desire and commitment to the sport and to be the best is second to none," stated Dibbini about The Centennial State native. "Her blue-collar work rate, speed and abilities as a forward make her a great addition to our attack and will help us in putting constant pressure on defenses."

Walrod is a defender and joins the Wildcats from Blue Valley West High School and Sporting Blue Valley ECNL. Along with teammate and fellow K-State signee Alexis Morrison, they led the Jaguars to a 16-3-1 overall record and the 2022 Kansas Class 6A state title. Walrod was named to the 2022 KSHSAA Class 6A All-State First Team and the 2022 All-Eastern Kansas League First Team.

While playing for Sporting Blue Valley ECNL, Walrod helped the club to a number three ranking in the nation in 2021-22 and was named the Midwest Player of the Year in 2022.

"Reece is a natural leader who makes great decisions in the back on and off the ball," Dibbini said about Walrod. "She is very intelligent in her defending and makes things look easy at times but will put in the tackle when necessary to stop opposing forwards. In addition to her ability as a defender, she will be a threat for us on set pieces."

Weis is a right back who plays for Shawnee-Mill Valley High School and plays club soccer with Sporting Blue Valley 05. She is high school and club teammates with fellow K-State signee Laney Reishus.

Weis captained the Jaguars to a 2022 Class 5A state runner-up finish and was named a 2022 Class 5A All-State First Team and a 2022 All-Sunflower League First Team.

Prior to her time at Shawnee-Mill Valley, Weis played basketball at Salina South High School. During her freshman and sophomore seasons at Salina South, Weis led the team in assists and field goal percentage and was a two-time Class 5A All-State Honorable Mention selection and a two-time All-AVCTL D1 Second Team honoree.

"Acacia is an excellent and tough 1v1 defender, who also has the ability to get forward out of the back," Dibbini said about Weis and her game. "Her athleticism and soccer brain will help to make a smooth transition from club to college soccer and will add depth to our back line."

K-State concluded its seventh season of action by making its first appearance in the Big 12 Soccer Championship and tying the school record for wins in a season with six.

Kansas State University Athletics

Related Videos