UIW Trio added to Athenians 2022 Squad
Published by San Antonio Athenians SC Communications
SAN ANTONIO TX (May 10 2022) - Midfielder Sierra Wannamaker, Defender Eve Clarkson, and Forward Keeley Ayala of the University of the Incarnate Word have joined the San Antonio Athenians for the 2022 UWS season. This trio of Cardinals will strengthen all areas of the pitch for San Antonio’s premier UWS team.
Technical Director Leland Hammonds emphasized the importance of connecting with the local universities in the recruitment process: “We want to be a team that first and foremost, represents our city well. Adding local talent and players that play here in San Antonio for their university is a big part of doing that. We believe that these 3 fantastic players will strengthen the spine of this year’s roster and deepen the relationship we have with Coach Wright-Cates and the Cardinals at UIW.”
Sierra Wannamaker is a San Antonio-native who attended James Maddison High School prior to her two years at UIW. She was selected to the Southland all-conference first team along with Eve Clarkson and former Athenian Isabela Beletic in 2021. In Cardinals’ colors she has totaled 28 appearances with 22 starts, scoring 8 goals and assisting 5. Eve Clarkson is a defender from Whalley, Lancashire, England going in to her 4th season at UIW. She is a two-time all-conference selection and has totaled 51 appearances and 4 goals at the collegiate level. Keeley Ayala is a forward from Wichita Falls, Texas. She has played 4 seasons for the Cardinals and is a two time all-conference selection with 19 career goals in 71 games.
In 2021, UIW made history, finishing the season 9-10-2 and 7-4-1 in Southland Conference play, earning a program-best #3 seed for the postseason conference tournament. They defeated Houston Baptist 4-0 in the quarterfinals, with Wannamaker and Beletic on the scoresheet. After defeating McNeese State in the semifinals, the Cardinals advanced to a program-first conference championship game, where they fell to Northwestern State 1-0, ending as conference runners-up.
The Athenians 2022 roster is nearly complete with the UWS season set to begin in 10 days. Mia Wildeman, Helene Farris, Olivia Wright, Eden Bretzer, Ashley Newland, and Jade Piper have been announced as returners from the 2021 UWS Southwest Championship squad, with Emma Bates, Enzi Broussard, Amanda Chimbima, Camellia Xu, Jessi Reinhardt, Sierra Wannamaker, Eve Clarkson, and Keeley Ayala set to don the Purple and White for the first time this season. Stay tuned to SanAntonioAthenians.com and the club’s social media for further announcements in the coming weeks.
The San Antonio Athenians Soccer Club (SAASC) was created in 2016 and played its inaugural soccer season in 2017. SAASC is the first women’s semi-pro soccer team in San Antonio and features top players from the San Antonio area and beyond, including amateurs, collegiate, semi-pro and former professional players. After a change in ownership and a move to Soccer Central (6610 Low Bid Lane, San Antonio TX 78201), The Athenians lifted the first trophy in club history in 2021, defeating Lone Star Republic in the UWS Southwest Final 1-0.
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