Women's Soccer Adds Student-Athletes For 2017 Season

Central Connecticut women's soccer head coach Mick D'Arcy announced the signings of six student-athletes to join the program in the fall of 2017. The talented group includes standouts from Connecticut and players from the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and with international experience.

Tess Atkinson, Erica Bardes, Jenna Rae Covello, Rachael DeBellis, Lauren Featherstone, Yo Tachibana and Brianna Williams will be joining the Blue Devils for the 2017 season.

"The group certainly helps fill a lot of our needs to strengthen our team," D'Arcy said. "Overall, next year we will be much deeper in talent."

Atkinson is an all-state performer from Berlin High School in Berlin, CT. She played in the ECNL for FSA FC United and is an attacking player with the ability to play both centrally and wide. She has a fantastic work-rate and is exceptionally strong in the air.

Bardes is another player with ECNL experience, having played for World Class FC. She is from Montvale, NJ, and Pascack Hills High School. She has an attacking presence as an left-outside midfielder. Her pace and ability to go one-v-one will be a threat to opponents.

Covello is a local standout from Terryville High School in Terryville, CT. She earned all-state honors and also played for FSA FC United in the ECNL. She is an exciting player with exceptional speed. Her ability to get behind defenses and finish chances will be an asset for the Blue Devils.

DeBellis is another in-state student-athlete, joining Central from Danbury High School in Danbury, CT. She played for Yankee Soccer Club. She earned Second Team All-FCIAC honors and is a tall, strong goalkeeper.

Featherstone joins the Blue Devils from Kearns, Australia, where she attended Westfield Sports High School and played for Macarthur Rams FC. Featherstone is the seventh Australian to join the CCSU program and was originally recommended by former standout, Leah Blayney. She has a strong attacking side to her game and is comfortable with the ball. She is comfortable playing in the backline or in the midfield.

Tachibana is a transfer from Florida State who played in four games as a freshman. A midfielder, Tachibana played at JFA Academy Fukushima. She competed in the Japan Women's Soccer League Division 2 and scored 11 goals over 30 starts during two seasons. She competed at the Division 3 level in 2015 and started 13 of the team's 14 matches with one goal. She has participiated at several U-16 and U-17 national team camps and made three appearances at the AFC U-16 Women's Championship in China in 2013.

Williams is from Tomkins Cove, NY, and North Rockland Hills High School. She played for the New York Rush Soccer Club. Williams is coming off a strong senior season and had decorated career. She has the ability to play outside or centerback. 

Central shared the 2016 regular-season Northeast Conference title with a 6-2 record in league play and advanced to the title game of the NEC Tournament. The Blue Devils also earned the NSCAA's Gold Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award and the NSCAA Team Academic Award.