Florida Gulf Coast University women's soccer signed five incoming freshmen Wednesday on National Signing Day. Head coach Jim Blankenship continued his Sunshine State pipeline with four from the state of Florida.
Kendall Hecht | Parrish, Fla.
Kendall Hecht is a 5-foot-2 wing from Parrish, Florida, and attends Parish Community High School. Hecht set the Parrish Community High School single-season record with 35 goals and 15 assists, guiding her squad to an undefeated spring season.
She landed on the ECNL All-Conference First Team and was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Area, All-Region and All-State Teams.
"Kendall is such a handful of a striker," Blankenship said. "We are excited to get her under our wing and develop her as a player. She is a workaholic, and we feel she will only get better and better in her time at FGCU."
Ashley Fonseca | Miami, Fla.
Ashley Fonseca is a 5-foot-7 goalie from Miami, Florida, and competes for Immaculata LaSalle High School. Fonseca is a three-time First Team All-Dade and All-State recipient.
In the classroom her freshman year, she was a member of the Spanish Honors Society. She plans to major in construction management at FGCU.
"Ashley is a well-rounded goalkeeper with excellent shot-stopping ability," Blankenship said. "She comes in with a super high ceiling and will be looking to challenge our high-level goalkeeping unit."
Ava Russell | Orlando, Fla.
Ava Russell is a 5-foot-7 midfielder from Orlando, Florida, who attends Timber Creek High School. Russell is a four-year varsity starter and a two-year captain.
She has produced 23 scoring strikes throughout her high school career. During her junior season, she notched 14 goals and nine assists in just 13 matches.
Russell was selected to the Metro Conference First Team, the Orlando Sentinel All-Central Team, and named All-State and All-Academic. In the classroom, she has made the Valencia College President's List three times and is a member of both the Science and Social Studies Honor Societies.
"Ava is a very physical, box-to-box, and high-energy player," Blankenship said. "She is super versatile and has a great foundation on which to build from. We expect her to get right up to speed and continue her growth at the next level."
Kaitlin Gabelman | West Palm Beach, Fla.
Gabelman is a 5-foot-4 forward from West Palm Beach, Florida, and attends William T. Dwyer High School. Gabelman was named All-County and Southeast All-Conference Second Team in 2022-23.
She scored a hat trick in a college showcase event. In the classroom, she is a four-year honor roll student-athlete.
"Kaitlin is a phenomenal technician that can beat you on the dribble or for pace," Blankenship said. "Her soccer IQ and attacking movements complement our style of play, so we are pumped to get her into our program."
Nele Karowski | Hamburg, Germany
Nele Karowski is a 5-foot-8 defender from Hamburg, Germany. Karowski competed in the U1 7 Bundesliga, 3rd league and 2nd league as a right and left back.
"Nele has been very successful at the highest level in Germany," Blankenship said. "She has shown that she has the attributes to be successful here in the USA and the mentality to compete and win. We are excited to get her into our backline."
