Soccer program adds eight newcomers

The Montana soccer program got commitments from eight prep players on Wednesday when those future Grizzlies inked National Letters of Intent on the opening day of the NCAA's signing period.

In addition to signing Skyleigh Thompson of Kalispell, third-year coach Chris Citowicki added three players from Washington, three from Colorado and one from California.

"This is a group that is immensely talented," Citowicki said. "I was watching their film the other day, and it's amazing how much talent is in this group.

"Now that I'm used to the Big Sky (Conference), I feel like this group is going to be very dominant for many, many years."

From Washington, Citowicki will be bringing in Lena Beaufait, of Seattle, Bella O'Brien, of Federal Way, and Maddie Seelhoff, of Snohomish.

From Colorado: Ally Henrikson, of Pueblo, Ava Samuelson, of Louisville, and Delaney Lou Schorr, of Fort Collins.

Riley O'Brien, of Huntington Beach, Calif., also signed.

"The first two years, it was about getting my bearings and figuring out where Montana is as a program. How does it fit into the Big Sky, the region, nationally?" Citowicki said.

"Now that I know where these upper mid-major programs are within our region -- Gonzaga, Boise, Wyoming -- those are the ones we want to compete with in recruiting in addition to trying to out-recruit the Big Sky.

"Those are the type of kids we're getting now, who could be going to schools like that but are selecting to come here instead. When I look at these players, they can compete at that level. That's what I'm excited about."

Thompson will give Montana another in-state player to follow in the footsteps of current Grizzlies Alexa Coyle (Bozeman), Quinn Peacock (Missoula) and Josie Windauer (Columbia Falls).

The forward, who goes to Flathead High, scored 24 goals as a junior, 17 as a senior.

"She checks all the little things you look for, but the one piece you can't ignore is she scores all the time," said Citowicki.

"We brought her to a camp and any window that was open, she would shoot and score. Every single time. You can't ignore that. You have to take a player like that because goal-scoring is so hard to do, and she just naturally does it. We couldn't pass up on that."

Riley O'Brien and Schorr are also forwards. O'Brien plays high-level club soccer in Southern California for Slammers FC ECNL. Schorr plays with Arsenal Colorado.

The trio will give the Grizzlies even greater depth up front, joining current freshmen Josie Windauer and Meredith Udovich, who are playing alongside scorers like seniors Alexa Coyle, Mimi Eiden and Taylor Stoeger.

"The more I'm in this, the more I want to have forwards who can cycle in and out," said Citowicki. "I don't need Alexa to play 90 minutes. It would be great for her to go 45 to 60.

"If the rules allow for us to sub, then let's sub and run a back line ragged. If you don't have a deep enough back line, sooner or later we're going to score on you."

Citowicki has changed his thoughts on the back line as well. Most teams will play their center backs all 90 minutes, their outside backs nearly as much.

It's an approach that's worked well for Montana. The Grizzlies have allowed 41 goals in 41 matches under Citowicki.

But those minutes add up over the course of a season. By November, when the stakes are at their highest, fatigue can result in a misplay, which can lead to a goal that ends a season.

The addition of Beaufait, an outside back, Henrikson, a center back, and Seelhoff, another outside back, addresses that issue.

Samuelson, who can play either outside back or on the wing up front, is another potential defender.

"The back line has to be able to be subbed out at some point too," said Citowicki. "There has to be more depth to it. We can't keep playing Friday-Sunday, 90 minutes every single match for them.

"When you get to the tournament, they are going to be tired and we're going to make mistakes in key moments, and I don't want that anymore. The addition of these four is the long-term solution to that."

Bella O'Brien, whose dad is the technical director for the Pacific Northwest Soccer Club, is the only midfielder in the class.

"We didn't feel we needed any more midfielders. Then you see someone like Bella. She's the type of player who comes along very rarely," said Citowicki. "You can't pass up on that."

Citowicki brings up Montana's team from 2014 as an exemplar, the one that won the Big Sky with a league record of 8-0-2.

A coach he was speaking with, whose team played those Grizzlies, told him that every time that team subbed, the player who came on was just as good as the player she was replacing.

"I want to get to that," said Citowicki. "It's going to be competitive across the board. The depth is going to be amazing.

"This is the group I want to build a lot of things around for the future. They are coming in to be an impact class."

Citowicki on:

Lena Beaufait (Defender; Seattle, Wash.; Garfield HS)

"Our communication started once I got the job in 2018, and I watched her over the months. She is a strong, dynamic outside back who can get up the line. She is fast, great with the ball at her feet and solid in a tackle. She came to one of our camps and really impressed everyone there. She continues the tradition of Taylor Hansen, someone who can get forward and create chances."

Ally Henrikson (Defender; Pueblo, Colo.; Pueblo County HS)

"Ally is a classic center back. An organizer, very strong in the air and someone who can play out of the back. She is going to be very good in our program, conference and region. She was invited to train in France earlier this year with the Lyon and Dijon academies."

Bella O'Brien (Midfielder; Federal Way, Wash.; Decatur HS)

"I saw her at a camp hosted by her club and instantly knew she was someone we needed here. Bella has a brilliant mind for the game and was being recruited by some very good programs. I think of her as a ringmaster in a circus. She can control the tempo of the game and make something happen out of nothing. She is always steps ahead of the opponent and is going to be a joy to watch during her career. And at 5-foot-7, she adds some height to our midfield."

Riley O'Brien (Forward; Huntington Beach, Calif.; Edison HS)

"I saw Riley last summer in Boise at regionals. Her team was doing well, and she was the main goal-scoring threat up front. She is a forward but has an Allie Larsen personality to her, meaning she'll do anything to make sure she stops you from scoring. Riley is the same thing but as a forward. When the ball drops into the box, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure it ends up in the back of the net. She's a great finisher and will cause a lot of problems for teams."

Ava Samuelson (Forward/Defender; Louisville, Colo.; Monarch HS)

"She's a spunky winger or outside back who can run forever, connect passes and create chances with her crosses. Crossing is a skill we work on often because it's not emphasized enough. Ava is one of the few players I've come across who is naturally good at it. She's going to be a very dangerous player in this conference for many years to come."

Delaney Lou Schorr (Forward; Fort Collins, Colo.; Rocky Mountain HS)

"We saw her play in Boise at regionals last year. Like Bella, she is someone I knew we wanted right away. She is a goal scorer who is 5-foot-10 and fast. Put a cross in the air and she can head it in. Drive a ball in and she can finish it. Cut it back from the end line and she can put it away. Send her through 1-v-1 and she'll place it. Let her turn on top of the box and she'll pull an Alexa Coyle and hammer it in. Forwards usually have one or two strengths. D-Lou has shown she can do it all."

Maddie Seelhoff (Defender; Snohomish, Wash.; Glacier Peak HS)

"She came to our camp last November. That's when she won me over. She's a defender who has a very high ceiling. She does the basics correctly and has this bite to her that really surprises people. I distinctly remember a ball that was played in the air at camp and the way she headed it and took out the player in front of her was a statement. The word that best describes her is 'efficient.' She's going to be a shutdown outside back for us for years to come."

Skyleigh Thompson (Forward; Kalispell, Mont.; Flathead HS)

"I have seen Skye at camps over the years. She was never the cleanest with the ball but for some reason, she always scored goals and created chances. And you can't pass that up. Her dribbling is great. She's very hard to knock off the ball, and when you give her a small window to shoot, she takes it and hardly ever misses. These is no doubt in my mind that Skye will score goals and be a huge threat in our conference."

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Alexa Coyle

Mimi Eiden

Taylor Hansen

Allie Larsen

Quinn Peacock

Taylor Stoeger

Meredith Udovich

Josie Windauer

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