Melissa Abraham and Cortney Casey have each signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer at UTEP, head coach
Kevin Cross announced Tuesday.
Abraham, a 5-4 midfielder from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, attended Colonel By Secondary School and spent the 2004 season playing for the Ottawa Fury of the W-League in the United Soccer League. She saw action in eight games and registered five points on two goals and an assist.
"Melissa achieved Canada's version of an All-American at Ottawa University," Cross said. "(UTEP) Assistant coach Kelly Parker played with her on the Ottawa Fury and recommended her to the program. We feel she is the last piece to our puzzle and can make an immediate impact in the program."
Casey, a 5-7 forward from Mesa, Ariz., was a first-team All-State selection as a senior after scoring 28 goals and assisting on 31 others for Red Mountain High School.
"Cortney is an extremely talented striker who can put the ball in the back of the net," Cross said. "She has a great passion for the game and has a very high skill level. Her attitude will allow her to be a big contributor to the program in her freshman year."
Complete bios on Melissa Abraham and Courtney Casey follow.
Melissa Abraham
5-4, Midfielder, Ottawa, Ontario (Colonel By Secondary School)
Named to the Ontario University all-star first-team and first-team All-Canadian in 2004 ... In 2003, she was named the Ottawa University Soccer MVP, Female Athlete of the Year and Rookie of the Year ... also earned second-team All-Canadian honors ... helped lead the Ottawa Fury, coached by Frank Lofranco to a third place finish in the USL's W-League in 2004 ... the Fury was ranked 18th in the world ... scored two goals and had an assist in eight games ... also played club ball for the Gloucester Hornets ... led Gloucester to the finals of the 2001-02 Ontario Youth Soccer League and the Ontario Cup both years.
Cortney Casey
5-7, Forward, Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain HS)
Four-year letterwinner at Red Mountain HS for coach Heather Osborn ... named first-team All-State and All-Region as a senior after scoring 28 goals and assisting on 31 others ... also garnered first-team All-State honors by the Arizona Republic and Arizona Tribune ... was the only forward named to the coaches 5A All-State team ... as a junior, she scored 27 goals and had 17 assists while securing second-team All-State honors for the second consecutive season ... named to the All-East Valley team in 2003 as well ... part of the 2003 ODP Regional Pool ... played club soccer for the Mesa United 87 from 2000-03 ... led the Scottsdale FC team to a fourth-place finish in the state in 2003 ... current member of the ASUSC Blackhawks coached by Jeff Hulseweh and Aaron Muth that was a state finalist in 2004.
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