George Washington University

July 27, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With just eight days remaining before the start of preseason training, George Washington women's soccer head coach Tanya Vogel has announced two additional commitments to the Colonials' roster in defender Sarah Hayashi and midfielder Sydney Morris.

"Assistant Coach Lane Davis and I are thrilled that both Sarah and Sydney have made a commitment to compete for our program and pursue their education at the George Washington University," said Coach Vogel. "Our coaching staff is anxiously awaiting the return of our entire team back to Foggy Bottom to begin our preparations for the 2011 season."

The addition of Hayashi and Morris brings the women's soccer program's incoming freshmen total to nine after previously announcing seven recruits back in February.

The nine-player recruiting class will join rising seniors Taryn Dietrich, Janine Rotsides, Lindsey Rowe and Sierra Smidinger, along with a strong young core of rising sophomores and juniors, to comprise the Colonials' roster for 2011.

The full 24-player squad will return to the Mount Vernon Campus on August 4th for preseason training on newly resurfaced Mount Vernon Field. GW will host 2010 NCAA Tournament quarterfinalist Georgetown in its season opener Aug. 19 at 4:00 pm.

Coach Vogel's Scouting Report: "Sarah comes to GW from the Honolulu Bulls and youth club coach Phil Neddo. She is extremely technical, hard working and a true student of the game. She will work hard to make herself, her teammates and our program better."

Sarah Hayashi on why she chose George Washington: "I chose GW because of my interest in America's history and government and I know that studying at GW will give me the opportunity to experience and learn many things unique to living in our nation's capital. I believe I can make GW women's soccer better through my passion for the game and my determination not to let myself, teammates or my coaches down after years of preparing for this opportunity."

Sarah Hayashi's Resume: Sarah earned four varsity letters and a scholar-athlete award at Punahou School while helping the Buffanblu to three straight state championships from 2009-11. She was voted All-State and to the State All-Tournament teams in each of her final three seasons. On the club level, she played for Hawaii's ODP State team from 2005-08, and the Honolulu Bulls 93G team that qualified for the USYSA Region IV in 2010, the US Club National Qualifier in 2009 and multiple Surf Cups.

Sydney Morris
Midfielder
Woodbridge, Va.
C.D. Hylton High School - Northern Virginia Majestics

Coach Vogel's Scouting Report: "I first saw Sydney at our August 2010 camp. I immediately recognized her athleticism and willingness to take players on one-on-one. The Division I game demands athleticism, physicality and determination, and Sydney possesses all of these traits. Her upside is tremendous as she is a great student and will grow quickly in our program."

Sydney Morris on why she chose George Washington: "I chose GW because I desire to attend a prestigious academic institution that will undoubtedly prepare me for my future endeavors. GW offers a one-of-a-kind university experience to say the least. I am excited to play for GW because I know I will be challenged through the competitive women's soccer program and ultimately grow, not only as a player, but also as an individual. The program's insistency to excel and focus on becoming a threat from every position on the field reveals its excellence and I am very excited to have such an opportunity."

Sydney Morris's Resume: During her four-year scholastic career, Sydney was named Hylton High's team MVP three times and served as team captain for two years. She was selected Second Team All-District three times from 2008-10, as well as named 2010 preseason All-Area and 2011 Player to Watch by The News & Messenger. Sydney also captained the Northern Virginia Majestics club team and was a USL Super-Y National IDP nominee three times from 2009-11. She holds Hylton's track records in the 500-meter, 4x400-meter and 4x800-meter runs and competed in the Virginia Indoor Track State Championships in the 500m and 4x400m events. The National Honor Society member graduated summa cum laude with a class ranking of third out of 543 students.

In the heart of the nation's capital with additional programs in Virginia, the George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia. The university offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study, as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 130 countries. The George Washington University Department of Athletics fields teams in 22 varsity sports (10 men's, 12 women's), 16 of which compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

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