FORT MYERS, FL – In addition to the seven players that signed in the fall of 2019, FGCU women's soccer head coach Jim Blankenship has announced that he and his staff will add seven more players for 2020-21 academic year. Matilde Abrahamsson, Jenna Butcofski, Meagan Gruber, Kajsa Lang, Malaya Melancon, Lydia Paternoster and Leah Scarpelli have all committed to Blankenship's program, which has won nine ASUN titles in the past 10 years.

"I'm really excited that we've finally been able to finalize our class for the fall of 2020," five-time ASUN Coach of the Year Jim Blankenship said. "We already had an impressive class and now we've been able to add some really outstanding prospects that will round out the group. We have three athletes that rostered with the national team whose international playing experiences will be huge for our program. Scarpelli, Gruber and Abrahamsson enrolled this spring and have already had an impact as Eagles. In our spring match against FC Toronto, which we won 8-0, Gruber scored in the first minute and Scarpelli finished with two goals and an assist."
 
MATILDE ABRAHAMSSON | MF | 5'8" | HALMSTAD, SWEDEN | SANNARPSGYMNASIET
- Played for the Swedish national team (U14, U15, U17)
- Is most proud of winning the "best student" and the "best friend" awards for her high school
- Scored one goal as one of the national team's defenders during a match against Belarus
- Chose FGCU because of the beautiful campus, the weather and the soccer team
 
JENNA BUTCOFSKI | MF | 5'4" | HARMONY, FL | HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL
- Three-time Osceola All-County selection (2016-18), Osceola County Player of the Year (2019)
- Garnered Central Florida Second Team Honors
- Broke her high school's career assists record in just three years
- Four-year member of the National Honors Society
- Chose FGCU for the state of the art engineering program, the small class sizes, the winning soccer program, the team members and the coaching staff
Coach Blankenship on Butcofski: "Jenna is a player that plays with confidence and bite. We feel as though she can play anywhere on the field and make an impact."
 
MEAGAN GRUBER | D | 5'9" | LONG BEACH, CA | JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY
- Transferred to FGCU from Jacksonville University, where she started in every match she played in
- Landed a spot on the ASUN All-Freshman Team
- Notched one goal during her time with the Dolphins
- Earned a spot on the Dean's List throughout her time at Jacksonville
- Chose FGCU because it offered her an opportunity to use her last year of eligibility while obtaining her master's degree in hopes of becoming a future medical professional
 
KAJSA LANG | D | 5'10" | KALMAR, SWEDEN | STAGNELIUSSKOLAN
- U19 Swedish National Team Captain
- Played on Sweden's Youth National Team, as well as one of IFK Kalmar's teams, which former FGCU soccer standout Tabby Tindell plays for currently
- Has eight goals during her time on the Swedish Youth National Team
- Chose FGCU because of the combination of soccer and education
Coach Blankenship on Lang: "Kajsa comes from a very decorated background with the National Team. Her success at the International stage will be valuable to taking us to the next level"
 
MALAYA MELANCON | F | 5'7" | NAPLES, FL | FIRST BAPTIST ACADEMY
- Two-year National Honors Society member, honor roll student, academic algebra award recipient
- Served as her Class Vice President both junior and senior year
- Named her soccer team's MVP for four years and served as a team captain for all four years
- Scored over 100 goals in high school, setting a new record for her team
- Also had an accomplished track career, during which she won four state medals (4x100 relay, triple jump, long jump, high jump)
- Chose FGCU because she loved the family-like atmosphere of the soccer team, the coaching staff, the competitive environment and the educational opportunities
Coach Blankenship on Melancon: "We're excited to add Malaya, another SWFL star, who is super athletic and her pace will be a huge asset for us next season."
 
LYDIA PATERNOSTER | MF | 5'4" | VERO BEACH, FL | FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL
- Scored the winning goal to send her team to the Development Academy National Playoffs Winter Showcase qualifiers in 2019
- Recognized by TopDrawerSoccer.com as the U.S. Development Academy Player Standout of the Week during her junior year
- Advanced to the ECNL National Playoffs with Boca united ECNL, as well as the Regional Finals for her high school's soccer team that same season
- A three-time Principal's Honor Roll honoree, IRSC Dean's List member and won her high school's National Community Service Ambassador Award
- Chose FGCU for the excellent academic opportunities, and unrivaled sports culture.
Coach Blankenship on Paternoster: "Lydia's work rate and technical ability should translate into our team well. We're excited to bring someone with a mentality like hers into our program."
 
LEAH SCARPELLI | MF | 5'9" | BRICK, NJ | PENN STATE
- Transferred to FGCU after spending one season with the nationally-ranked Penn State women's soccer team
- Coming out of high school, was ranked No. 19 overall and the No. 6 defender by TopDrawerSoccer.com
- Captained the U.S. Women's National Team at the U15, U16 and U17 levels; the U15 team won the CONCACAF title
- Received the Best XI center back award in 2017, the same year that she won the 2017 Torneo Femminile Delle Nazioni Tournament with the US U17 National Team
- ODP member at the state, regional and national levels

For complete coverage of FGCU women's soccer, follow the Eagles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FGCU_WSoccer and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU women's soccer or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.

COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the ASUN Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just 13 seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to 13 double-digit win seasons, culminating with ASUN Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN Tournament titles as they became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN Tournament and hosted the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015 while finishing 24th in the nation. In 2016, the Eagles made it three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament with a third-straight ASUN Tournament title. A year later, the Eagles became the first ASUN women's soccer program to make four-straight NCAA Tournaments with another tournament title in 2017. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 167-59-25 (.716) overall record through the first 13 seasons of the program's existence, including an 82-15-15 (.801) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 407-130-36 (.743) over 26 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.

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ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 81 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just eight-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty-one consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall semester saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.

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