Canadian soccer prodigy Kara Lang, UCLA’s top recruiting
target in this year’s senior class, committed to the Bruins
earlier this week, her club team confirmed on Thursday. Securing
Lang, who made her debut with the Canadian national team at the age
of 15, is a huge coup for UCLA coach Jill Ellis. The 18-year-old
attacking midfielder had also been considering perennial
women’s soccer powers North Carolina, Penn State, Florida and
Nebraska. “It was a tough decision,” Lang said.
“In the end, UCLA made the most sense in terms of its soccer
program, education and social atmosphere.” Lang, a senior at
St. Thomas Aquinas High in Oakville, Ontario, has scored 21 goals
in 43 games for Canada. She is also a member of the Vancouver
Whitecaps, one of the top club teams in Canada. Adding Lang to an
already potent lineup should make UCLA one of the favorites to win
the national championship next season. The Bruins, who lost to
Notre Dame in the NCAA Finals last month, return seven starters in
addition to midfielders Stacy Lindstrom and Stephanie Kron, who
redshirted the season due to national team duty. Lang cannot make
her decision official until Feb. 2, the first day that soccer
recruits can sign their letters of intent. Neither Ellis, nor
anyone associated with the UCLA program, can comment on Lang until
then.
CALLED UP: Veteran defender Jill Oakes was one of four Bruins
who were invited to participate in training camp with the U.S.
Under-21 National Team in preparation for the annual Nordic Cup,
held every summer in Europe. Goalkeeper Valerie Henderson, forward
Danesha Adams and defender Mary Castelanelli also were selected to
the camp which will take place at the Home Depot Center in Carson,
Calif. from Jan. 23-29.