Nielsen Signs 12 to 2024 Class
11/9/2023 8:02:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's lacrosse head coach Hannah Nielsen announced Thursday (Nov. 9) the signing of 12 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. The list includes: Emma Arico, Emma Burke, Caroline Byrd, Molly Fagan, Brynne Grant, Madeline Jensen, Zoe Martin, Olivia Perriello, Remi Schaller, Brinley Vrooman, Kate Van Oast and Truus van Wees.
The 2024 class includes: four midfielders, four attackers, three defenders and one goalie.
"I am ecstatic to welcome this group of student-athletes into our Michigan family today," said Nielsen. "We continue our tradition of bringing different people together with nine different states represented in the class, including one from our own backyard. As people, these young women will add tremendous value to our culture and as our players, they will provide an immediate impact and help this program grow to new heights. Go Blue!"
Emma Arico | M | 5-6 | Saline, Mich. | Club: Long Island Legacy
- Prepped at Detroit Country Day School
- Is a three-time all-state honoree
- Earned All-America honors twice
- Led her team to a state championship in her junior campaign
- Won 130 draw controls in her junior season and had five goals and one assist in the state championship game
- Earned USA Lacrosse Magazine Midwest Player of the Week as a junior
- Named a team captain
- Recorded a career-best six goals in one game as a sophomore
- Is a two-time All-Academic honoree
- Plays club lacrosse for Long Island Legacy, which ranks inside the top 10 of best lacrosse club programs by USA Club Lacrosse
Emma Burke | M | 5-7 | Glenview, Ill. | Club: Team One Wildcats
- Prepped at Loyola Academy
- Is a two-time state champion, winning in both her freshman and junior seasons
- Named Midwest Player of the Year in her junior campaign
- Selected as a USA Lacrosse All-American
- Is a two-time all-state honoree
- Chosen as the Girls Athlete of the Year for the Catholic Athletic Conference
- Earned all-conference and all-region honors
- Received all-sectional and was a "Best in Class" invitee in her sophomore season
- Named an American Select Honorable Mention as a sophomore
- Named to the American Select Midwest Team as a freshman
- Plays club lacrosse for Team One Wildcats, which is the No. 1-ranked team in the midwest
Caroline Byrd | A | 5-5 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | Club: Florida Select 2024
- Prepped at American Heritage School
- Helped her team to a state championship in her freshman and junior seasons
- Named to 2023 USA Lacrosse Magazine's "Players to Watch" as a junior
- Was named to the Under Armour 150 and American Select Florida Team twice
- Team ranked 12th nationally and No. 1 in the South Region in her junior season
- Selected as all-county, all-region and all-district first team as a sophomore
- Was a nominee for All-County Girls Lacrosse Player of Year and winner of the All-Hustle Award during her sophomore season
- Named ESPN West Palm and USA Lacrosse Magazine (South Region) Player of the Week during her sophomore campaign
- Team ranked 24th nationally and No. 1 in the South Region in her sophomore season
- Was a "Best in Class" invitee as a sophomore
- Received all-district honorable mention as a freshman
- Plays club lacrosse for Florida Select 2024, which has been ranked in the top-10 nationally for the last three seasons
Molly Fagan | D | 5-9 | Summit, N.J. | Club: STEPS NJ Blue
- Prepped at Summit High School
- Won the New Jersey North Group 2 in her junior campaign
- Helped her team to win the New Jersey Tournament of Champions in her sophomore season
- Named team MVP in her freshman campaign
- Plays club lacrosse for STEPS NJ Blue, which was ranked fourth nationally and first in New Jersey
Brynne Grant | M | 5-9 | Summit, N.J. | Club: Building Blocks Lacrosse
- Prepped at Blair Academy
- Is a two-time All-MAPL honoree
- Named to the Prep A All-Girls Lacrosse All-League team twice
- Recorded a game-high 11 goals en route to 100 goals in her junior season
- Plays club lacrosse for Building Blocks Lacrosse
Madeline Jensen | G | 5-7 | Clarendon Hills, Ill. | Club: Lakeshore Lacrosse National Premier 2024
- Prepped at Benet Academy
- Was named a USA Lacrosse All-American during her junior campaign
- Led her team to winning the East Suburban Catholic Conference Championship in her junior season
- Earned conference player of the year honors as a junior
- Has recorded 500 career saves in three seasons
- Selected to the IHSA All-State First Team and all-sectional team twice
- Is a three-time all-conference selection
- Helped her team win the East Suburban Catholic Conference and Sectional Championship twice
- Helped her team finish fourth at the IHSA State Finals, the highest placing in school history
- Was a member of the Super-Sectional Championship team in her freshman season
- Plays club lacrosse for Lakeshore Lacrosse National Premier 2024
Zoe Martin | A | 5-4 | Denver, Colo. | Club: Team 180
- Prepped at Colorado Academy
- Helped her team to three-straight CHSAA 5A State Championships
- Recorded a career season-high with 79 goals in her junior season
- Selected as Colorado Academy Co-MVP during her junior campaign
- Was an Under Armour All-American Selection (Baltimore) – Highlight Division Championship as a junior
- Named first-team all-conference and CHSAA and MaxPreps First Team All-State twice
- Chosen as CHSAA and MaxPreps Colorado 5A Player of the Year in her sophomore season
- Selected as a USA Lacrosse All-American as a sophomore
- Was a Best in Class of 2024 Selection in her sophomore season
- Named Under Armour 150s Selection twice
- Named to CHSAA and MaxPreps Second Team All-State in her freshman season
- Was a Nike Lacrosse American Select Colorado Team, Under Armour All-American (Baltimore), and Athletes Unlimited Futures (Colorado) Selection as a freshman
- Plays club lacrosse for Team 180
Olivia Perriello | M | 5-7 | Rye, N.Y. | Club: Prime Time
- Prepped at The Loomis Chaffee School
- Missed her junior season due to an injury
- Named All-New England Preparatory Schools Athletic Council First Team as a sophomore
- Led her team in goals with 76 in her sophomore campaign
- Plays club lacrosse for Prime Time
Remi Schaller | A | 5-7 | Owings Mills, Md. | Club: M&D Black
- Prepped at McDonogh School
- Helped her team win the IAAM Championship in her junior campaign
- Earned IAAM All-Conference as a junior
- Was named Baltimore Sun All-Metro in her junior season
- Selected as an ESPN Geico Player of the Game during her junior campaign
- Scored 40 goals and had 14 assists in her junior season
- Plays club lacrosse for M&D Black, which has been the No. 1-ranked team in the country for seven years straight -- only losing three games in four years
Brinley Vrooman | D | 5-9 | Darien, Conn. | Club: CT Grizzlies
- Prepped at Darien High School
- Helped her team to rank No. 1 nationally by Nike USA Lacrosse in her junior season and No. 2 in her sophomore season
- Led her team to an undefeated season during her junior campaign, winning the FCIAC and Class L State Championship titles
- Helped her team get to the FCIAC and CIAC Championship games as a sophomore
- Plays club lacrosse for CT Grizzlies, which was the No. 1-ranked team in the country her sophomore season and a top 5 nationally ranked team in her freshman season
- Was a Maryland Cup Champion with the CT Grizzlies
- Helped her club team win the America Select national championship
Kate Van Oast | D | 5-8 | Belvedere, Calif. | Club: STEPS California
- Prepped at Westlake High School and St. Ignatius College Prep
- Helped her team win the Western Bay Athletic League Championship and the California Central Coast Section Championship twice
- Helped her team to a Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League Division 1 Championship in her freshman season
- Earned Central Texas All-League honors in her freshman season
- Plays club lacrosse for STEPS California, which is ranked in the top-10 nationally
Truus van Wees | A | 5-8 | Ridgefield, Conn. | Club: CT Grizzlies
- Prepped at The Taft School
- Recorded 120 points (80 goals, 40 assists) during her junior season
- Earned All-NEPSAC Award three times
- Named a captain in lacrosse, field hockey and hockey for her senior seasons
- Plays club lacrosse for CT Grizzlies, which was the No. 1-ranked team in the country her sophomore season and a top-5 nationally ranked team in her freshman season
- Was a Maryland Cup Champion with the CT Grizzlies
- Helped her club team win the America Select national championship as a freshman and sophomore
