NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion women’s soccer head coach Angie Hind announced the additions of Kat Rivera (Bensalem, Pa.), Cami Johnstone (Burke, Va.), Megan Watts (Stafford, Va.) and Malia Mariano (Norfolk, Va.) to the Soccer Monarchs roster for the 2019 season.
“The thing all of these players have in common is that they are competitive, talented in their positions and have a tremendous desire to develop as individuals,” explained Hind. “Each of them have shown through the recruiting process just how much they believe in what we are trying to build here at ODU and want to play their part in that. As young women, we are so excited to work with them as they are positive, hard-working, ambitious and will no doubt bring their personalities to the team. We have enjoyed every minute of getting to know them and their parents and greatly look forward to having them part of our Monarch family.”
MEET THE NEWEST MONARCHS
Kat Rivera
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: FC Bucks
Hometown: Bensalem, Pa.
Hind on Rivera:
“Kat is a player who has shown her desire to play for this program for some time now and that excites me. That heart teamed with the fact she is such an athletic and natural goalkeeper is great news for us. She is ready for the next step and the opportunity to develop further and I think she is a keeper who will embrace the opportunity to excel here at ODU. I am looking forward to seeing the impact Kat can make on our soccer program and welcoming her to the family.”
Cami Johnstone
Position: Midfielder
Club: BRYC
Hometown: Burke, Va.
Hind on Johnstone:
“I am thrilled for Cami to be joining our program. She is a player who just loves the game and with it has really strong technical ability and a deep desire to develop - key things for me in a player and I am excited for the quality, talent and ambition she will bring to the team. Cami also has some exposure within the Youth National teams in Scotland and that experience will also add to what she can bring. She is a player that throughout the process has shown her passion and desire to be part of this team. We as a staff are excited to welcome Cami to the program.”
Megan Watts
Position: Forward
Club: BRYC
Hometown: Stafford, Va.
Hind on Watts:
“Megan is a very exciting young player with the desire, competitive edge and energy to make things happen on the field. She is the type of forward that we are very excited to bring to the program, as we really feel she can make a difference and add much to our attack this coming year. Her talent in being able to link the play, bring others into the game and create opportunities are exciting to watch. As a staff, we are looking forward to the infectious energy we believe she will bring to the program. We are thrilled to welcome Megan to the family.”
Malia Mariano
Position: Midfielder
Club: Richmond United
Hometown: Norfolk, Va.
Hind on Mariano:
“I have always said that we want to attract the best local talent to represent their local team and I am excited that Malia is one of those kids. She is a player that we have watched develop closely over recent years and I look forward to working with her and seeing how much she can bring to the team. Her desire, commitment and competitive nature as a midfielder teamed with her quality, give her the potential to bring much to our team this year and beyond. I am very excited to have Malia be a part of this program.”