STANFORD, Calif. – Fresh off guiding Stanford to its sixth NCAA Women's Soccer College Cup national final, The Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe has announced the signing of seven standout student-athletes for the 2024 season.
The high-profile signing class includes Lizzie Boamah, Ella Emri, Kaiya Jota, Charlotte Kohler, Sophie Murdock, Sammy Smith, and Jaden Thomas.
"We are very excited to add such a talented group of student-athletes to the program next season," Ratcliffe said. "Added to our outstanding list of returning players for next year, this class will help maintain and grow the high standard of success built within our program. We look forward to them helping us reach our goal of winning conference and national titles while also achieving excellence in all aspects of life off the field."
The signing class will look to help build off a 2023 season that saw Stanford go 20-1-4 and finish as the national runner-up while making its 11th all-time appearance in the College Cup.
Lizzie Boamah | Defender | San Diego, Calif. | Francis Parker HS | San Diego Surf
- Two-time team captain (2023-24)
- Two-time Coastal League champion (2022-23)
- Coastal League Player of the Year (2023)
- Coastal League Offensive Player of the Year (2022)
- Scored 23 goals during the 2022-23 season
- Helped guide Albion SC to 2022 GA National Championship
- Member of Albion SC 2023 GA Champions League Championship team
- Has competed with the U.S. Youth National Team, including at the 2023 Pan Am Games
Ella Emri | Defender | San Diego, Calif. | Torrey Pines HS | San Diego Surf
- Team captain of high school and club team (2023)
- Helped guide her team to the state quarterfinals (2021)
- Led San Diego Surf to the 2018 national title
- ECNL Southwest Conference champion (2022)
- Three-time Surf Cup Champion (2021-23)
- ECNL Girls Southwest All-Conference (2023)
- Has competed with U17 Canadian national team and U17 and U20 U.S. national teams
- Played for the U.S. at U17 FIFA Women's World Cup (2022)
- U20 Pan American Games participant (2023)
Kaiya Jota | Goalkeeper | Pasadena, Calif. | Marshall HS | LA Breakers
- Has served as team captain in her final two seasons
- Two-time Mission Valley League champion (2023-23)
- Guided her team to the CIF Division V championship (2022)
- MVL Defensive Player of the Year (2023)
- CIF All-Area (2022)
- All-League first team (2022)
- MVL first-team goalkeeper (2021)
- Helped her club team to the Surf Cup Championship (2021)
- ECL National Training Camp (2021)
- First Team All-Conference Soul west ECL U15 Region (2021)
- ECNL Southwest All-Conference U17 second team (2022-23)
- ECNL National Selection Game (2023)
- Member of the Philippine Senior National Team and earned a spot on the 2023 World Cup roster
Charlotte Kohler | Forward | Woodside, Calif. | St. Francis HS | MVLA
- California Gatorade Player of the Year (2023)
- Two-time WCAL Player of the Year (2022-23)
- Cal High Sports Girls CCS Player of the Year (2023)
- Guided her team to a pair of WCAL championships (2022-23)
- CCS and NorCal Champion (2023)
- CIF NorCal semifinalist and CCS Open Division finalist (2022)
- Helped MVLA to an ECNL national title (2021) and two conference titles (2022-23)
- ECNL First Team All-Conference (2022)
- ECNL Conference U18 Player of the Year (2023)
- Competed with the U.S. U17 and U19 national teams, including representing the U.S. at the 2022 U17 World Cup
Sophie Murdock | Defender | Los Altos, Calif. | St. Francis HS | MVLA
- Two-time team captain (2022-23)
- Guided her team to a pair of WCAL championships (2022-23)
- CCS and NorCal Champion (2023)
- CIF NorCal semifinalist and CCS Open Division finalist (2022)
- WCAL All-League first team (2023)
- Helped MVLA to two conference titles (2022-23)
- Northern California All-Conference first team (2023)
- ECNL U17 Northwest All-Conference first team (2022)
- ECNL New Jersey National Selection Game (2022)
- Competed with Canada U17 and U20 national teams, including helping U20 squad qualify for the 2024 U20 World Cup
Sammy Smith | Forward/Defender | Boise, Idaho | Boise HS | Boise Thorns
- Team captain as a sophomore, junior and senior
- Helped her team to a state title (2022) and three runner-up finishes (2020-21, 2023)
- Three-time Southern Idaho Conference champion (2021-23)
- Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year (2023)
- Southern Idaho Conference Player of the Year (2023)
- Three-time All-State (2020-21, 2023)
- Team captain of her club team and three-time ECNL National Training Camp selection (2018-19, 2022)
- Also competes in cross country skiing, track and field, cross country and freestyle skiing
- Member of the U.S. Ski Team and No. 1 ranked sprinter and No. 2 ranked distance skier in the world for her age
- Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year in track and field (2021) and cross country (2020)
- Competed with the U.S. U15, U17 and U19 national teams, including representing the U.S. at the 2022 U17 World Cup
Jaden Thomas | Forward | Dallas, Texas | The Hockaday School | FC Dallas
- Two-time team captain at The Hockaday School (2023-24)
- Two-time SPC champion (2021, 2023)
- Two-time SPC All-Conference (2021, 2023)
- ECNL Texas Conference Player of the Year (2023)
- ECNL U17 All-American (2023)
- Guided FC Dallas to a Texas Conference Championship (2023)
- Two-time Texas Conference first team (2021, 2023)
- Competed with the U.S. U17 national team