Houston Adds Five to 2020 Signing Class
5/13/2020 3:48:00 PM | Soccer
HOUSTON –The University of Houston Soccer program and Head Coach Diego Bocanegra are pleased to announce the addition of five more student athletes to the 2020 signing class.
The Cougars are excited to welcome Salma Ghazal, Chanel Jimenez, Caitlyn Mathhews, Taiya Mitchell and Aryana Purifoy.
SALMA GHAZAL | GOALKEEPER | SUGAR LAND, TEXAS
Ghazal comes to Houston after spending a season at Texas Southern where, after the preseason, she ranked No. 2 in NCAA saves per game and was awarded Goalkeeper of the Week honors in the Southwestern Atlantic Conference. The goalkeeper was named to the Jordanian National Team, where she was given the nod in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers and 2019 Olympic Trials.
Bocanegra on Ghazal: "We are ecstatic to have Salma choose to finish her playing career at the University of Houston. Between her time as the starting GK for the Jordanian National Team during the Olympic Trials, World Cup Qualifiers and as a division one starter, she brings some much needed experience to our GK core. Her combination of length and quickness makes her an incredible shot stopper. Most importantly, she is a great teammate who pushes herself out of her comfort zone to improve every day."
CHANEL JIMENEZ | MIDFIELDER | RIVERSIDE, CALIF.
Jimenez joins the Cougars from Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Riverside, Calif. The midfielder was a four-year varsity member for the Wolves, as well as a Southern California Developmental Soccer League champion with club team Legends FC. The Calif. native was also a two-time surf cup champion with the Legends and alternate club squad Arsenal ECNL.
Bocanegra on Jimenez: "Chanel is someone who will do all of the hard work in the midfield to win the ball, break up plays and make it difficult for the other team to find a rhythm. On the flip side, she has the ability to connect passes, keep possession and start the attack. She will add depth to our midfield group and will make the players around her better by pushing them."
CAITLYN MATTHEWS | MIDFIELDER | FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS
Matthews joins Houston from Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas. The captain helped lead the Jaguars to the playoffs and a district championship in 2019-20 and was named District Newcomer of the Year in her sophomore season. Matthews helped lead U.S. Soccer Development Academy team, the Dallas Texans, to the national playoffs her junior season and finished off with 10 goals in her senior season with the Texans. The Texas native was also a member of the National Honor Society and the National Mathematics Honor Society.
Bocanegra on Matthews: "Caitlyn is a multidimensional attacker who has the ability to make an immediate impact. She can play on the wing and beat you with her pace and one-on-one ability. From a central position, she can make dynamic runs to get in behind or can slalom through the midfield with her skill. Her style of play fits perfectly within our team structure and I think she will make a quick transition to this level."
TAIYA MITCHELL | DEFENDER | HOUSTON
Mitchell joins the Cougars from J. Frank Dobie High School in Houston, where she was a four-year letterwinner for the Longhorns. The defender has back-to-back District Defensive MVP honors, was a First-Team All-District Selection and the only member to start in every game of her high school career. Mitchell helped lead the Longhorns to three playoff qualifiers and a second place finish in state qualifiers for her club team. The Houston native simultaneously played volleyball for the Longhorns where she was named Offensive MVP, Newcomer of the Year, Second-Team All-District and Academic All-District.
Bocanegra on Mitchell: "Anytime we can keep top Houston area talent at home, we consider it a victory. Taiya is a physically dominate defender who adds another dimension to our back line with her combination of strength, pace and size. She is versatile as she can play centrally or out wide. Once she gets accustomed to our speed of play, her potential is off the charts."
ARYANA PURIFOY | GOALKEEPER | ROCKFORD, ILL.
Purifoy joins Houston from Harlem High School in Machesney Park, Ill. The Goalkeeper helped lead her Olympic Development Program team to a State Cup Championship in 2016 and a top three finish in the ECNL Midwest Conference. Purifoy was also a basketball varsity letterwinner for the Huskies and a member of the Multicultural Student Union.
Bocanegra on Purifoy: "Ary is an explosive goalkeeper who covers the goal extremely well with her positioning and quickness. What stood out to me the most during the recruiting process was her mentality. She constantly wants to be pushed out of her comfort zone and will never shy away from a challenge. I see huge potential in her."
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with the latest in University of Houston Cougar athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonAthletics), Twitter (@UHCougars), Instagram (houstoncougars) and YouTube.com (Youtube.com/UHAthletics). In addition, the soccer team has established its own official Facebook (Facebook.com/UHCougarSoccer) and Twitter pages (@UHCougarSoccer), which provide regular updates on the team and live results during home matches.