Women's Soccer Announces 2024 Signing Class
7/17/2024 4:18:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Roos will bring in 11 new players, including three transfers and eight incoming freshmen
KANSAS CITY - Kansas City Women's Soccer has officially announced its 2024 signing class, bringing in 11 new student-athletes. The Roos will bring in eight incoming freshmen, all of whom hail from either Kansas or Missouri.
Brooke Amos | 5'5 | D/M | Tulsa, Okla. | Tulsa Union HS | Southern Mississippi | Oklahoma | Rogers State
2023 (Southern Mississippi): Appeared in 16 games, making 14 starts … Played 1,225 total minutes … Played all 90 minutes in nine games … Attempted eight shots on the year, scoring one goal … Made season debut at Ole Miss on Aug. 17, playing 90 minutes … Scored in 22nd minute of win over Nicholls State on Sep. 10 … Placed one shot on goal in win at Troy on Sep. 21 … Attempted two shots at Appalachian State on Oct. 19 … Placed one shot on goal against Georgia State on Oct. 30
2022 (Oklahoma): Did not appear in a game for the Sooners
2021 (Rogers State): Honorable Mention All-MIAA … Played in 16 games, starting 15 … Averaged 80.5 minutes per game … Aided team in five clean sheets … Scored a game-winning goal against William Jewell on Sep. 5
Adriana Benassi | 5'9 | F | Lee's Summit, Mo. | Lee's Summit HS
High School/Club: 2023 First Team All-State … 2023 First Team All-Conference … 2023 First Team All-District … 2022 Second Team All-State … 2022 Conference Offensive Player of the Year … 2021 Second Team All-Conference … Team won 2023 district championship … Two-time conference champion (2021, 22) … Also played basketball, where she was a three-time First Team All-District performer … Played club soccer with Kansas City Scott Gallagher … Two-time ENCL All-Regional League Selection (2021-22, 22-23)
Personal: Born Oct. 4, 2006 … Daughter of Jill and Tom Benassi … Tom played football at Missouri S&T … Has two siblings: Alex and Drew … Alex plays basketball at Missouri S&T … Participated in National Honors Society, Spanish National Honors Society, Tiger Pride Advisory and Loud Crowd … Earned an academic letter every semester … Favorite movie is Legally Blonde … Favorite food is pasta … Would like to live in Australia … Intends to major in biomedical engineering
Why Kansas City?: "I chose to play at Kansas City because it is close to home and when I met the coaching staff I loved all of them."
Audrey Brown | 5'7 | GK | Glendale, Calif. | Crescenta Valley HS | Cal Poly Pomona
2023 (Cal Poly Pomona): Did not appear in a game for the Broncos
2022 (Cal Poly Pomona): CCAA Defensive Player of the Week (Sep. 13) … Appeared and started in 18 games … Played 1,530 minutes … Posted a 6-9-3 record in goal … Went for 63 total saves, seven shutouts and a .778 save percentage … Ranked sixth in the CCAA in goalie minutes played and seventh in saves … Made collegiate debut against CUI on Aug. 25, making two saves … Posted first-career shutout in win at Regis on Sep. 9, making four saves … Made a season-high seven saves in back-to-back games against Sonoma State on Oct. 16 and Cal State East Bay on Oct. 21
2021 (Cal Poly Pomona): CCAA Academic Honor Roll … Did not appear in a game for the Broncos
High School/Club: Played at Crescenta Valley HS, helping Falcons to Empire League title in 2019 and Pacific League crown in 2021 … 2019 All-League Honorable Mention … 2018 Women's Soccer Mariner Award winner … Played club ball for FC Premier WPSL and LA Surf Developmental Academy
Personal: Born July 8, 2002 in Shreveport, La. … Daughter of Rick and Suzanna Brown … Has two siblings: Phoebe and Henry … Off the field, served as treasurer for Armenia Club, academic peer advisor, Legends FC head coach and president of Student Academic Advisory Club … Graduated Summa Cum Laude … Favorite TV show is Ted Lasso … Favorite food is chocolate … Intends to major in accounting
Why Kansas City?: "I chose Kansas City because I connected the best with the coaching staff."
Maryam El-Demerdash | 5'5 | MF | Overland Park, Kan. | Blue Valley Southwest HS
High School/Club: Played at Blue Valley Southwest
Personal: Born Aug. 21, 2006 … Daughter of Dina Massoud … Has three siblings: Yaseen, Yusuf and Adam … Intends to major in pre-med/pre-dental
Why Kansas City?: "I love the environment and the program, and the coaches are awesome as well."
Ashley Koch | 5'8 | F | Prairie Village, Kan. | Shawnee Mission East HS | Saint Louis
2023 (Saint Louis): Appeared in six games, playing 105 total minutes … Made collegiate debut against Kansas City on Aug. 27, playing a season-high 39 minutes … Played 24 minutes in Oct. 12 win over Massachusetts … Scored first career goal in win over Duquesne on Oct. 19
High School/Club: Recorded 59 goals and 31 assists over three career high school seasons … In her senior year, was the Kansas Class 6A Forward of the Year, first-team All-State, first-team All-Region, first-team All-Conference, first-team Kansas City All-Metro and Shawnee Mission East's Most Valuable Player … Tallied league-leading totals of 26 goals and 11 assists … Helped the team to a state runner-up finish … As a sophomore, helped Shawnee Mission East to the Class 6A state final, scoring a league-leading 21 goals to go with 13 assists … 6A Forward of the Year, first-team All-Region, first-team All-State, first-team Kansas City All-Metro, first-team All-Conference and team MVP … Made the 2021 Bob Durig Mo-Kan All-Tournament team … Selected for the 2021 Kansas High School Sports Award (Top 12 Player – Best of Kansas, USA Today) … Was a Preps Soccer Prospect Player to Watch as a junior when she made the All-State, Kansas City All-Metro and All-Conference first teams as well as the Bob Durig Mo-Kan All-Tournament team … Selected to play in the inaugural Kansas vs. Oklahoma High School All-Star Game in 2022 … Magna cum laude graduate and National Honor Society member … Played club soccer for the ECNL top-five nationally ranked Kansas City Athletics that captured the 2022 Midwest Conference title … Was a 2021 ECNL first-team All-Conference performer … 2019 ECNL Player Development Program invitee … 2018 and 2019 youth national team invitee
Personal: Born Jan. 14, 2005 … Daughter of Matt and Elizabeth Koch … Participated in Argentina Club in high school … Favorite TV show is Vampire Diaries … Favorite food is steak … Would like to live in Italy … Intends to major in business
Why Kansas City?: "Coming to Kansas City gives me a great opportunity to play and be close to home."
Katie McCarthy | 5'5 | D | Florissant, Mo. | Incarnate Word Academy
High School/Club: Played at Incarnate Word Academy … Also played lacrosse … Played club soccer for St. Louis Development Academy
Personal: Born May 16, 2006 … Daughter of Erica and John McCarthy … Has two siblings: Jake and Abby … Participated in Student Council, Ambassador and FCA … Favorite movie is Hunger Games … Favorite color is orange … Went camping in the Redwoods for a week when she was eight … Undecided on major
Why Kansas City?: "I felt at home the second I stepped on campus. The team and coaches made me feel very welcome when I visited, and I absolutely loved the campus. The distance from home was perfect and I was impressed with the academics that UMKC has to offer."
Breckynn Pugh | 5'5 | F | Andover, Kan. | Andover HS
High School/Club: 2023 All-State Second Team … 2023 All-League First Team … Also played tennis for four years and basketball for two … Played club soccer with Kansas Rush Wichita Academy 05 and WPSL U21 Kansas Rush Wichita … 2021 President's Cup State Champion … 2021 President's Cup Regional Champion … 2021 President's Cup National's Third Place … 2021 President's Cup National Best XI
Personal: Born Sep. 4, 2005 … Daughter of Kristi and Robert Pugh … Has one sibling, Olyvia, who also plays soccer at Kansas City … Participated in Center for Advanced Professional Studies and volunteered at Via Christi- St. Joseph Hospital … Posted a 4.0 GPA in high school … Favorite movie is Spiderman: No Way Home … Favorite food is Italian … Would like to live in Hawaii … Intends to major in biology/pre-med
Why Kansas City?: "I chose to play at Kansas City because I loved all of the coaches and felt right at home on my campus visit. Soccer is my passion and I think that Kansas City gives me the best opportunity to take my game to the next level with an emphasis on building a positive team culture."
Olyvia Pugh | 5'4 | F | Andover, Kan. | Andover HS
High School/Club: 2023 All-State Second Team … 2023 All-League Second Team … Also played tennis for four years and basketball for two … Played club soccer with Kansas Rush Wichita Academy 05 and WPSL U21 Kansas Rush Wichita … 2021 President's Cup State Champion … 2021 President's Cup Regional Champion … 2021 President's Cup National's Third Place
Personal: Born Sep. 4, 2005 … Daughter of Kristi and Robert Pugh … Has one sibling, Breckynn, who also plays soccer at Kansas City … Participated in Center for Advanced Professional Studies and volunteered at Via Christi- St. Joseph Hospital … Posted a 4.0 GPA in high school … Favorite colors are blue and pink … Favorite food is her mom's homemade pepperoni pizza … Would like to live in a beach house in Italy … Intends to major in biology/pre-med
Why Kansas City?: "I chose to play at Kansas City because it was the best fit for me both athletically and academically. The coaching staff was what convinced me to choose Kansas City Soccer, they are invested in the team and the future of the program. The future is bright for Kansas City and I cannot wait to play a role in this amazing program."
Emery Ruliffson | 5'6 | MF | Manhattan, Kan. | Manhattan HS
High School/Club: Two-time Second Team All-State (2022, 23) … Two-time First Team All-Centennial League (2022, 23) … 2021 Second Team All-Centennial League … Led team with 24 goals in 2023 and 15 goals in 2022 … Lead team in assists with 11 in 2022 … Also played basketball … Played club ball for KCSG ECNL RL 05/06 … 2022-23 Heartland Conference All-Regional Team
Personal: Born Dec. 5, 2005 … Daughter off Tad and Rebecca Ruliffson … Has two siblings: Ella and Evie … Ella plays soccer at Emporia State … Participated in Student Council, National Honors Society and Manhattan High Tribe … Earned Silver Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish … Favorite TV show is Friends … Favorite food is street tacos … Intends to major in Biochemistry with a minor in English
Why Kansas City?: "I love the competitive and engaging environment that the team and school have to offer."
Maddie Sibbing | 5'10 | GK | Lee's Summit, Mo. | Lee's Summit North HS | Saint Louis
2023 (Saint Louis): Did not appear in a game for the Billikens
High School/Club: Two-time First Team All-State (2021, 22)… 2020 Second Team All-State … Class 4 MSHSAA Goalkeeper of the Year as a senior … Three-time Region 4 and Suburban Gold Conference Goalkeeper of the Year … Academic All-State honoree … Also played volleyball, earning First Team All-District honors four times and Second Team All-Conference honors twice … 2022 NAIA Champion of Character … Played club ball for Kansas City Scott Gallagher … Won four state championships and advanced to national championships … Also played for Kansas City Union WPSL … 2023 USYS Nationals Golden Glove Award … 2023 USYS Nationals Best 11
Personal: Born Oct. 29, 2004 in St. Louis … Daughter of Ellee and Matt Sibbing … Mother Ellee played basketball at Louisville … Has two siblings: Kylie and Brady … Member of SAAC, National Honors Society and Med Club … Favorite movie is Step Brothers … Favorite food is sushi … Favorite musical artist is Zach Bryan … Intends to major in biology
Why Kansas City?: "I wanted to come home and play for my home town team."
Kinsley Smith | 5'7 | D | St. Louis, Mo. | Nerinx Hall HS
High School/Club: One-time First Team All-Conference … One-time Honorable Mention All-Conference … Played club soccer with J.B. Marine Thunder 05
Personal: Born Feb. 6, 2006 … Daughter of Paige Smith, who played soccer at Tulsa … Has two siblings: Kaden and Killian … Kaden plays soccer at Rockhurst, while Killian plays lacrosse at Aurora … Participated in Markers in Prayer and Fitness and Wellness clubs … Favorite TV show is Supernatural … Favorite color is pink … Intends to major in business
Why Kansas City?: "I loved the energy of the team and the coaches, I could really see myself there."
