University of New Hampshire Athletics
Wildcats Welcome Seven Newcomers for 2021 Season
6/11/2021 2:52:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DURHAM, N.H. – Steve Welham, eighth-year head coach of the University of New Hampshire women's soccer team, has announced that seven newcomers – five freshmen and two transfers – will join the program for the 2021 season.
"We are very excited about the addition of these new players, and we welcome them to Durham," Welham said. "We have no doubt they will continue to help us along this upward trajectory, and we look forward to their contributions this season and beyond."
| Name | Year | Pos. | Ht. | Hometown | High School | Previous School |
| Abbie Burgess | Fr. | F | 5-7 | Killingly, Conn. | Killingly | |
| Meghan Guarente | Fr. | M/F | 5-7 | Sewell, N.J. | Gloucester County Institute of Technology | |
| Jamie Irwin | Sr. | B | 5-5 | Roxbury, N.J. | Roxbury | Bryant |
| Molly McHugh | Fr. | B | 5-3 | Tyngsboro, Mass. | Tyngsboro | |
| Sarah Peternel | So. | M | 5-3 | Wolfeboro, N.H. | Virtual Learning Academy Charter School | Memphis |
| Sally Rainey | Fr. | GK | 5-8 | West Lebanon, N.H. | Lebanon | |
| Brooke Samborski | Fr. | B | 5-5 | Chicopee, Mass. | Belchertown |
"We are very excited about the addition of these new players, and we welcome them to Durham," Welham said. "We have no doubt they will continue to help us along this upward trajectory, and we look forward to their contributions this season and beyond."
Abbie Burgess, Fr., F, 5-7
Killingly, Conn., Killingly High School
Abbie was an all-conference team selection every year at Killingly High School and was named All-State as a junior. She led the team in both assists and scoring all four years, and finished with 75 goals.
Killingly, Conn., Killingly High School
Abbie was an all-conference team selection every year at Killingly High School and was named All-State as a junior. She led the team in both assists and scoring all four years, and finished with 75 goals.
- Led Killingly to four state tournament appearances
- Academic honors: National Honor Society, twice
- Played club for FC Stars of Massachusetts
- ODP state and regional player for two years
- Also lettered in basketball and outdoor track & field at Killingly
- School record holder in outdoor triple jump
- Two-time all-conference honoree in track & field
Coach Welham: Abbie is a fast and dangerous attacking presence who can score goals. She will allow us to stretch the opposing backline, which will create more space in the final/midfield thirds for herself and those around her to play in.
Meghan Guarente, Fr., M/F, 5-7
Sewell, N.J., Gloucester County Institute of Technology
Meghan comes to UNH following a record-breaking career at Gloucester County Institute of Technology, where she scored a program-best 78 career goals and also had 28 assists. She broke the school's single-season goal record with 23 as a sophomore and surpassed that with 33 as a junior. Meghan was named to the all-conference first team three times, as well as twice to both the All-South Jersey team and the All-Group 3 team.
Sewell, N.J., Gloucester County Institute of Technology
Meghan comes to UNH following a record-breaking career at Gloucester County Institute of Technology, where she scored a program-best 78 career goals and also had 28 assists. She broke the school's single-season goal record with 23 as a sophomore and surpassed that with 33 as a junior. Meghan was named to the all-conference first team three times, as well as twice to both the All-South Jersey team and the All-Group 3 team.
- Named to the Top 85 NJ Seniors and Top 50 NJ Midfielders by NJ.com
- NJ.com All-State Third Team (2020)
- Tri-County Conference Player of the Year (2020)
- South Jersey Times All-Area Team (2020)
- Courier-Post All-South Jersey First Team (2020)
- Team captain as a senior
- Three-time team MVP
- Ferguson Tournament MVP twice
- Team won the NJTAC tournament championship as a junior in 2019
- High school academic honors: Principals List twice; Honor Roll once; top 10% of class
- Won the U.S. National League title in 2018 with the SJEB Rush club team coached by Bill Shute
- Also lettered in lacrosse at Washington Township High School
Coach Welham: Meghan is a dynamic, technical midfielder capable of playing in a multitude of positions. She possesses a high soccer IQ, has great vision/awareness and can see/play the final pass.
Jamie Irwin, Sr., B, 5-5
Roxbury, N.J., Roxbury High School, Bryant University
Jamie is a transfer from Bryant University, where she became the first player in program history to make the All-NEC First Team four consecutive years. She was named the team's Defensive MVP for the 2020-21 season.
Roxbury, N.J., Roxbury High School, Bryant University
Jamie is a transfer from Bryant University, where she became the first player in program history to make the All-NEC First Team four consecutive years. She was named the team's Defensive MVP for the 2020-21 season.
- Played and started 56 games in four years at Bryant
- Recorded two assists for two points (one assist in 2018 and one in '19)
- United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Third Team (2020)
- United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Third Team (2017)
- All-NEC Rookie Team (2017)
- 2017 graduate of Roxbury High School, where she was a four-year starter
- Played club for STA Morris of the NPL
- Also lettered in track & field at Roxbury
Coach Welham: Jamie was a standout player at Bryant for four years and we are ecstatic that we were able to finally bring her in to Durham after missing out the first time around. A shutdown defender, Jamie has the necessary experience, know-how and ability to step in a make a major contribution, all the while executing at a very high level.
Molly McHugh, Fr., B, 5-3
Tyngsboro, Mass., Tyngsboro High School
Molly is a 2021 graduate of Tyngsboro High School, where she won the Golden Boot Award as the team's top goal scorer as a sophomore and senior.
Tyngsboro, Mass., Tyngsboro High School
Molly is a 2021 graduate of Tyngsboro High School, where she won the Golden Boot Award as the team's top goal scorer as a sophomore and senior.
- United Soccer Coaches Fall Girls High School All-New England Region (2020)
- Mid Watch League All-Star (2020)
- Tyngsboro MVP (2020)
- Led Tyngsboro to the ECNL Northeast title (2020)
- Three year starter at Tyngsboro
- Sidelined by injury as a junior in 2019
- Played club for FC Starts of Massachusetts
- Led club team to ECNL Northeast title
Coach Welham: A tenacious, fast and aggressive defender is what comes to mind immediately when I think of Molly. Molly will add "steel" to our back line. She is a fearless 1v1 defender and we look forward to her contributions.
Sarah Peternel, So., M, 5-3
Wolfeboro, N.H., Virtual Learning Academy Learning Charter School, University of Memphis
Sarah was a freshman at the University of Memphis for the 2020-21 season. She did not see any game action for a team that advanced to the NCAA tourney and finished 8-4-0.
Wolfeboro, N.H., Virtual Learning Academy Learning Charter School, University of Memphis
Sarah was a freshman at the University of Memphis for the 2020-21 season. She did not see any game action for a team that advanced to the NCAA tourney and finished 8-4-0.
- Transfer from the University of Memphis
- Lettered in soccer and cross country skiing at Kingswood Regional High School
- All-State Honorable Mention
- New Hampshire ODP U14 state team
- Played club for the FC Stars of Massachusetts
Coach Welham: A local player who comes home to the Granite State and we are very excited to have her back in New Hampshire. Sarah is a technical, quick and intelligent player who will look to use her previous college experience to adapt to life as a Wildcat.
Sally Rainey, Fr., GK, 5-8
West Lebanon, N.H., Lebanon High School
Sally was a four-time All-State First Team selection at Lebanon High School, where she was a three-time captain for both the soccer and basketball teams. Sally was an All-State Second team honoree in soccer as a senior.
West Lebanon, N.H., Lebanon High School
Sally was a four-time All-State First Team selection at Lebanon High School, where she was a three-time captain for both the soccer and basketball teams. Sally was an All-State Second team honoree in soccer as a senior.
- High school academic honors: Highest Honors, four years
- United Soccer Coaches Fall Girls High School All-New England Region (2020)
- Played club for FC Stars of Massachusetts
- Also lettered in basketball
- All-State Second Team and state champion in basketball as a senior
Coach Welham: Sally is a strong, athletic, assertive and confident goalkeeper who will solidify our goalkeeping core and compete for time. She has a wonderful maturity and presence about herself that will benefit her on the field and in the classroom.
Brooke Samborski, Fr., B, 5-5
Chicopee, Mass., Belchertown High School
Brooke was a two-time All-Western team and all-league team selection at Belchertown High School. She was also an All-State honoree as a senior.
Chicopee, Mass., Belchertown High School
Brooke was a two-time All-Western team and all-league team selection at Belchertown High School. She was also an All-State honoree as a senior.
- Team captain as a senior
- U.S. National Team Regional Camp (Fall 2017, Spring 2018)
- Academic honors: High Honor Roll (grade 12); Honor Roll (grade 9-11)
- Played club for the FC Stars of Massachusetts
Coach Welham: Brooke is a very strong defensive presence and does not shy away from physical contact. She is strong in the tackle and is a relentless force capable of playing anywhere along the backline.
These seven newcomers join a UNH program that qualified for the Spring 2021 America East semifinals, started the season 4-0-0 for the first time in program history, and had a perfect 5-0-0 home record. The Wildcats have made the semifinals four of the last five seasons.
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