Monday, July 22, 1996
If Overgaard transfers from UCLA, team will scramble to find a
replacement in goalBy Mark J. Dittmer
Summer Bruin Senior Staff
As a UCLA Bruin, soccer goalie Gretchen Overgaard earned
All-American honors as a freshman and helped the Bruins reach the
playoffs for the first time ever as a sophomore. Unfortunately,
that will probably be all that she accomplishes in a UCLA
uniform.
At the end of her sophomore season, Overgaard asked for and
received a release to transfer from UCLA. She withdrew Spring
Quarter 1996 and stayed at her home in Danville, Calif., near
Berkeley.
Legally it is still possible for Overgaard to return to the
Bruins this fall. But will that happen?
"Probably not," Overgaard answered from her home in Danville.
"As of right now, I have not committed to any school. My future is
pretty much up in the air, which is why I don’t really like to talk
about it."
In accord with that statement, Overgaard refrained from saying
anything more about her probable transfer, leaving the rest of her
team to speculate as to why she might leave.
"She just discovered that she wasn’t as happy as she thought she
should be," Bruin defender Cheryl Williams said. Williams was one
of Overgaard’s closest friends on the team. "I don’t know if it
necessarily had to do with the program  it was just a lot of
personal things."
Assistant coach Paul Ratcliffe added, "I think she had high
expectations of what college would be like. I think that people
hype up college too much. She thought it would be the best years of
her life; but college usually also makes up the hardest years of
your life."
* * *
So the 1996 Bruins might have a spot to fill at goalie, and they
have taken steps to fill it. While Overgaard will probably be gone,
new recruits Lindsay Culp and Maria Jeffers are two of four
candidates to start at that position this year.
Also competing for the goalkeeper spot are senior Shanelle Eng
and sophomore Amy Moreno, who both backed up Overgaard last season.
Nobody has an edge in getting the starting spot right now, as all
four share an almost complete lack of game experience.
The rest of the Bruins’ 1996 recruiting class also look to make
an impact on the defensive end. Of the Bruins’ six remaining
recruits, five are either defenders or midfielders.
As for the goalie position, speculation will end if Overgaard
decides to return, which is still a possibility. But that doesn’t
look likely.
"She seemed to really want to get away from Los Angeles,"
Ratcliffe said.
In all likelihood,Gretchen Overgaard will get her wish.
Daily Bruin File Photo
Goalie Gretchen Overgaard