ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis head women's soccer coach Katie Shields has announced the addition of seven student-athletes to the Billikens' program. All seven will have four years of eligibility beginning next fall.
 
"We are thrilled to officially welcome our 2021 class into the Billiken Family," Shields said. "Associate head coach Chris Allen did tremendous work leading the effort to assemble this class during a challenging recruiting time. This group of seven newcomers will combine with our talented and experienced returners in our quest for a fourth straight Atlantic 10 Conference championship and NCAA Tournament success."
 
The new Billikens are:
Katelyn Brinkman • D • Overland Park, Kan. (Notre Dame de Sion H.S. | Sporting Blue Valley)
Lily Ellis • G • Holt, Mo. (Kearney H.S. | KC Athletics)
Emily Gaebe • F • Union, Mo. (Union H.S. | Lou Fusz)
Hannah Sawyer • F • Hamilton, Ohio (Hamilton H.S. | Cincinnati United Premier)
Madelyn Smith • M • Florissant, Mo. (Marquette H.S./Alton, Ill. | Lou Fusz)
Liz Stureman • D • Fort Wayne, Ind. (IMG Academy | IMG Academy Elite)
Mattyn Summers • D • Saratoga Springs, Utah (Westlake H.S. | La Roca FC)
 
Katelyn Brinkman • D • Overland Park, Kan. (Notre Dame de Sion H.S. | Sporting Blue Valley)
Started every game as a freshman at Notre Dame de Sion and helped lead the team to a district title … earned a spot on the All-Tournament team at the Bob Durig Memorial MO-KAN tournament … was a co-captain on the Sporting Blue Valley Showcase 2003 team that won the 2017-18 Kansas state championship … went on to play for SBV's U16 and U17 DA team and her current U19 GA squad, which qualified for the GA playoffs … achieved summa cum laude academic honors all four years at Notre Dame de Sion … member of National Honor Society, Student Council, Student Advisory Council and Student Ambassadors.
 
Shields on Brinkman: "Katelyn is a smart, technical left-sided defender. She reads the game at a high level and can build the game out of the back. She will strengthen our backline, which has been among the top in the country the past four seasons."
 
Lily Ellis • G • Holt, Mo. (Kearney H.S. | KC Athletics)
Played club soccer exclusively during her first three years in high school but played for Kearney High School this spring … helped lead the KC Athletics ECNL National Team to a sweep of the Fall National Showcase in 2020 … competed in the FC Kansas City Development Academy, and started every game for Sporting Blue Valley … prior to her freshman year, was between the posts for an FC Kansas City Academy team that captured the Missouri State Cup … four-year academic letter recipient.
 
Shields on Ellis: "Lily is an athletic and agile goalkeeper. She plays aggressively off her line, serving as an 11th field player who is confident with her feet in possession. Additionally, her explosiveness and agility combine to make her an excellent shot stopper. We look forward to welcoming another outstanding goalkeeper into our program with the addition of Lily."
 
Emily Gaebe • F • Union, Mo. (Union H.S. | Lou Fusz)
Two-time first-team All-State selection … twice chosen the Class 3 Region 3 Player of the Year and Four Rivers Conference Player of the Year … made the All-District and All-Metro first teams twice each … led the St. Louis area in goals as a freshman and sophomore, including a school-record 62 in her freshman season … helped lead Union to fourth-place state finishes in 2018 and 2019 … played on a club team that claimed two state championships … also played basketball, earning first-team All-District and first-team All-Conference accolades twice.
 
Shields on Gaebe: "Emily is a goal scorer. In her first two seasons of high school soccer, she scored 113 goals with 27 game-winning goals in 53 games. Those are remarkable numbers that speak to Emily's competitive fire. She is an opponent's nightmare because she can score goals in all types of ways – off the dribble, both feet, on service, from distance, and in tight spaces in the box. We look forward to adding her goal-scoring prowess as one more weapon in our team's attack."
 
Hannah Sawyer • F • Hamilton, Ohio (Hamilton H.S. | Cincinnati United Premier)
Four-year varsity starter who tallied 54 goals and 123 points … was named to the All-Ohio second team as a senior … made the All-City and All-Conference first teams in each of her four seasons … four-time Offensive Most Valuable Player … set the school record for goals and points in her junior year.
 
Shields on Sawyer: "Hannah is a fast and dynamic player. She will give us an added dimension of speed that will allow us to stretch any opponent in the nation's backline. Her ability to beat players 1v1 and get played in behind will create space for our midfielders to be playmakers. In addition to her pace and ability on the ball, Hannah is a confident and proven goal scorer at the youth level. Her skillset will elevate our program's defensive pressing ability as well as our attacking style of play."
 
Madelyn Smith • M • Florissant, Mo. (Marquette H.S./Alton, Ill. | Lou Fusz)
All-Conference as a sophomore … honorable mention All-Sectional as a freshman … Marquette won the regional title her freshman and sophomore seasons … in club competition, was selected to the USYS National Championships Best XI and the National League Midwest Conference Top XI … played on club teams that won the national and regional championships in 2019, four state titles and two National League crowns.
 
Shields on Smith: "Madelyn joins Lou Fusz Soccer Club teammate Emily Gaebe in this year's class. She is a magician on the ball and a tremendous playmaker in the midfield. Her vision, creativity and technical ability will add to our dynamic attacking group. Billiken fans will enjoy the Smith-to-Gaebe scoring combination in the years ahead."
 
Liz Stureman • D • Fort Wayne, Ind. (IMG Academy | IMG Academy Elite)
Reached the Development Academy playoffs with her IMG Academy U17 team in 2018 and 2019 (quarterfinals) … received IMG Academy's 2020 Coach's Award and was named the club's U19 Girls Academy team leadership captain for 2021 … 2017 U.S. Soccer Training Center invitee … helped the 2017 Chicago Fire Juniors Elite Regional Team claim the Presidents' Day Tournament overall championship while earning All-Tournament plaudits … guest player with an older age group of the Indiana Fire Juniors at the 2017 Sanford Showcase … played in the 2016 and 2017 ECNL national playoffs with the Indiana Fire Juniors … was a national runner-up and regional age-group winner in the 2016 U.S. Technical Championships … ODP Region II player pool in 2015 and 2016 … three-time member of the Indiana ODP State Team … won a state title with Fort Wayne Fever in 2013 … member of the 2017 U.S. Youth National Futsal Team … member of the Fort Wayne Phoenix futsal regional championship teams in 2017 and 2018.
 
Shields on Stureman: "Liz joins us from a very talented IMG Academy program. She is an athletic, lockdown defender. Liz fits the profile of a Billiken outside back. She plays end-line to end-line for 90 minutes and is both relentless defensively and a dangerous attacking threat going forward. Liz will be a tremendous addition to our outstanding backline."
 
Mattyn Summers • D • Saratoga Springs, Utah (Westlake H.S. | La Roca FC)
Four-year varsity starter … scored 24 goals (1.3 per game) as a senior, earning first-team All-State, All-Utah Valley and Westlake Most Valuable Player honors … scored a game-winning goal in the state tournament that was chosen as the Thunder Awards Play of the Year … received a certificate of Congressional recognition in public health.
 
Shields on Summers: "Mattyn is a fast, technical and versatile athlete. She was the Utah high school Class 6A leader in goals and points as a forward, and she plays center back for her club team. She can fly with and without the ball and is comfortable finishing with either foot. Additionally, Mattyn can be a lockdown defender who chases down, tackles and regains possession in the back. We are thrilled to welcome Mattyn to the Billiken Family."