CL South's Ross makes commitment to Toledo
In the midst of success with both the Crystal Lake South girls soccer program and the Crystal Lake Force Elite club team, Gator soccer star Ashley Ross recently made a verbal commitment to play soccer at the University of Toledo.
A junior midfielder, Ross is a two-year varsity starter who has helped South to consecutive Fox Valley Conference Valley Division championship titles. Last year, she led the team in scoring with 16 goals and 6 assists earning all-conference and all-sectional honors as a sophomore.
Ross will begin a new chapter in her soccer career by being slated to sign the NCAA National Letter of Intent with Division I Toledo in February of 2010, suiting up with the Rockets in the fall of that year.
"I am so excited," said Ross. "The first time I went there, I knew that Toledo was where I wanted to be."
At Toledo, Ross will join the elite.
Having won the NCAA regular-season title this past fall as well as their third consecutive Mid-American Conference Tournament championship title, the Rockets are arguably the top women's team in the MAC.
They are led by coached by 1992 Wooster graduate Brad Evans.
Taking over at the helm of the Toledo women's program in 2001, Evans was asked to take a 6-year program to new heights and in seven seasons, he has. Now entering his eighth year as head coach, Evans has helped the Toledo program reach unparalleled success, culminated by back-to-back Mid-American Conference Tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007.
In 2007, Evans led the Midnight Blue and Gold to a 14-6-3 overall record, including an 8-3-0 league ledger, en route to being named All-Ohio Coach of the Year. The Rockets set school records for most wins and fewest losses in a season, both overall and in MAC play. UT also established new marks with 43 goals scored and an eight-match unbeaten streak.
"The women's program at Toledo is top-notch, and I cannot wait to contribute," said Ross. "I had the opportunity to meet all of the coaches who are so nice and extremely talented."
In 12 seasons as a head coach Evans has accumulated a 129-86-17 overall record, 62-60-15 with the Rockets.
Toledo assistant coaches Paul Fabry and Jen Whipple had the chance to see Ross compete in Michigan this past summer as she spent the bulk of the off-season campaigning with the Force Elite in a number of showcase tournaments.
"Coach Fabry saw me play in Kalamazoo over the summer and again in Tennessee this past weekend," said Ross.
Prior to the verbal commitment, Ross was considering Central Michigan, Loyola, Western Kentucky, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Illinois State and Memphis.
"This past summer, I took a campus tour and fell in love," Ross said of Toledo. "On an unofficial visit, I was able to stay with one of the players and I also got to see the team play which was amazing."
A soccer player since the age of 5, Ross loves the midfield, but admits that she will play anywhere she is needed at Toledo.
She plans to study Spanish and hopes to become a Spanish teacher, and will attend Toledo on a partial athletic scholarship as well as an academic scholarship, which will be determined following her ACT results.