FORT MYERS, Fla. - FGCU women's soccer head coach Jim Blankenship has announced that former program standout and FGCU graduate Julia Rodar (Falun, Sweden, Shattuck-St. Mary's Academy/Wisconsin) has signed a professional contract with Kvarnsvedens IK in her home nation of Sweden.
Prior to attending FGCU Roddar made 27 appearances for the Swedish National Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 teams. She also competed with Kvarnsvedens IK, Falun Elite and Korsnas IF in non-professional capacities. The team competes in teh Elitettan (Division 1) league and is coached by Jonas Bjorkgren.
"I'm so pleased for Julia and her opportunity to continue her playing days," Blankenship said. "It was a pleasure to have coached her and a big part of our championships. We are very proud of everything she has done on and off the field for the Eagles."
The Falun, Sweden native played and started in all 62 matches after joining the Eagles following her freshman campaign at Wisconsin. Roddar scored one goal and handed out a career-best four assists as a sophomore, helping the Eagles to a second-straight A-Sun Tournament Championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament. Last season Julia collected a pair of goals and assists and grew her senior season into one of the most technically proficient players on the field for FGCU.
"I am really happy and grateful that I get the opportunity to play for this team," Roddar added. "Kvarnsvedens IK have always been a successful team. They have welcomed me with open arms and I am excited to see where this will take me."
As a senior she handed out four assists and scored her only goal of the year in the Eagles' 4-0 win over Palm Beach Atlantic. FGCU went 21-1-3 against A-Sun competition after Roddar's arrival with three A-Sun Regular Season Championships, two A-Sun Tournament Championships and two NCAA Tournament berths.
"Julia is a very ambitious girl with a great drive in everything she does," Bjorkgren said of Roddar. "She can play many different positions which makes her a great addition to the team. Last but not least, she also fit very well into the group together with the other players."
FGCU put together a record-breaking season in 2014, winning a program record 17 games, a fifth-consecutive Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship, a third A-Sun Tournament title and hosted the first NCAA Tournament match in the history of FGCU Athletics which produced a record-shattering attendance of 2,014 fans. After dropping a 2-0 result to No. 16 South Carolina on Sept. 14 on a neutral field, the Eagles won a program record 13 consecutive matches, outscoring their opponents 36-6 with seven shutouts, including a 15-2 advantage against A-Sun competition during the regular season. The Eagles are now 7-0-1 all-time in the A-Sun Tournament and 3-0-1 in the Championship match.
JIM BLANKENSHIP – 2014 A-SUN COACH OF THE YEAR
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the 2012 and 2013 A-Sun Coach of the Year as well, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the Atlantic Sun Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just eight seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to eight double-digit win seasons, culminating with Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back A-Sun tournament championships and became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 101-36-17 overall record over the first eight seasons of the program's existence, including a 54-9-9 mark in the A-Sun.
FOLLOW ALONG
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