Feb. 10, 2005

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University women's soccer coach Susan Ryan announced that eight high school seniors have signed National Letters of Intent to play for Stony Brook. Trine Allenberg (Roberts, Wisc./Woodbury), Kate Attenberger (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington), Brittany Benthin (Medina, N.Y.), Kate Collins (North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex Regional), Chelsea Meints (Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula), Megan Murray (Bellevue, Wash./University Prep), Samantha Roos (Frederick, Md./Frederick) and Lindsay Snow (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton) will enroll at the University in the fall as members of the class of 2009.

"Our goal was to increase the talent and depth of our team," said Ryan. "We have clearly done that and more and that is a credit to Doug Shank and Megan Mills who led our recruiting efforts. Every player in the Class of 2009 has a chance to come in and make an impact right away which will undoubtedly make us better and give us a chance to compete for an America East championship."

Allenberg, a forward from Roberts, Wisconsin, will graduate from Woodbury High School in June. A three-year letterwinner for the two-time state champion Lions, Allenberg was a three-time all-conference selection and a two-time all-tournament pick. Woodbury won three straight conference titles, making it as far as the state championship in each of those years. She was named All-State by the Pioneer Press and was a second-team All-Metro pick. Allenberg played club soccer for the St. Croix Elite, Minnesota's top U-17 team which has won two league titles and two State Cup championships in the last two years.

Attenberger hails from Newark, Del., where she is a standout midfielder for the Charter School of Wilmington. She earned All-State and team MVP honors during her career in helping her team advanced to the state finals in 2002 and 2003. Attenberger, an honor roll student, will bring her winning ways to Stony Brook in the fall after helping her club team, the West Chester United Predators, to several tournament championships. The Predators advanced to the state finals from 2001-03 and captured the EPYSA State Cup championship in 2002 and 2004.

Brittany Benthin

Benthin comes to Stony Brook after a stellar career at Medina High School in Medina, N.Y. A two-time all-league and all-county pick, Benthin set school single-season scoring records in both her sophomore and senior seasons and led her team to the sectional finals for the first time in 2004. A member of the National Honor Society, she played club ball for the Under-17 US National Cup III Regional Champion Buffalo-Niagara Kiss Synergy. She currently plays club soccer for the Rochester Junior Rhinos.

Collins will graduate in June from West Essex Regional High School after a storied playing career with the Knights. As a senior, the 2004 Essex County Player of the Year led her team to a 17-7 record, its first Essex County championship and NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 titles. It was the culmination of an outstanding career that saw the forward earn all-conference, all-county and all-state honors four consecutive years. Following her senior year, she was chosen by the coaches in North Jersey as one of the top 20 players in the region. She played club soccer for the PDA Stampede under coach Jon Morgan which was ranked as the second best soccer club in the nation by Soccer America.

Chelsea Meints

Meints, a four-year honor roll student at Peninsula High School in Washington State, was a four-year letterwinner in goal for the Seahawks. The three-time All-League selection grabbed first-team honors in 2002 and 2004 while earning team MVP honors following her senior season. A two-time academic all-league selection, she also won the Presidential Service award in 2004. She played club soccer for the F.C. Royals under coach Brian Narramore.

Megan Murray

Another Washington state native, Murray joins the Seawolves from University Prep in Bellevue, Wash. A four-year letterwinner at midfield for the Pumas, Murray was team captain her junior and senior seasons. She earned all-league honors all four years and was an All-League MVP finalist this past fall. Murray played club soccer for Evergreen Soccer Academy. In addition to her exploits on the field, she was named to the honor roll three times and is a member of the National and French Honor Societies.

From Frederick, Md., Roos joins the Seawolves after an outstanding four-year career as a central defender at Frederick High School. An All-Area and All-Conference selection in high school, Roos also played for one of the most outstanding club teams in the nation. She was a standout for the Bethesda Eclipse which has won four straight Maryland State Cup titles. In 2002, the Eclipse, which is ranked as the No. 4 club team in the country, captured the Region I title en route to an appearance in the national championship game.

Lindsay Snow

Snow will head north from Alpharetta, Ga. after a four-year career at midfield with the Milton High School Eagles. The 2004 Offensive MVP will play her final season with the Eagles this spring after helping her squad to the state quarterfinals in 2002 and the state semifinals in 2004. Snow earned Offensive Player of the Year honors last season after leading her team in goals and assists. She enters her final season with 33 career goals and 25 career assists. She played club ball for the TopHat Gold under coach Andrew Trevers.