George Mason women's soccer head coach Diane Drake is pleased to announce the addition of 10 players to the 2011 recruiting class as seven high school seniors have signed National Letters-of-Intent while three others have made clear their intention to play for the Patriots beginning this fall.

Liz Agiato, a midfielder from Garden City, N.J., Paige Babel, a midfielder/defender from Springfield, Va., Emily Harvey, a forward/midfielder from Freestate, Md., Liz Hodges, a forward from Lorton, Va., Courtney Kim, a midfielder from McLean, Va., Noel Kowalewski, a defender from Bristow, Va. and Kelly Pizzingrilli, a midfielder/forward from Mechanicsburg, Va. have all signed National Letters-of-Intent. Additionally, Amy Driessen, a forward/midfielder from Fairfax, Va., Briana Kottler, a goalkeeper from Solon, Ohio and Katie Montgomery, a defender from Frederick, Md., will all enroll in the university this fall and be a part of Mason women's soccer.

“The 2011 recruiting class is one of great depth and talent both on and off the field,” Drake said. “We have 10 players coming in who will need to gain experience immediately as we prepare for the graduation of the nine rising seniors.”

Agiato plays club soccer for the Syosset Sting and her squad was State Cup champions three times, was Regional champion twice, and was a USYSA National Semifinalist twice. She played for the Eastern New York ODP in 2007 and she is a member of the National Honor Society.

“Liz is a born leader with fantastic work rate and energy,” Drake said. “She will be the player who will thread final passes as an attacking midfielder. She is very strong on set pieces and will help to run our creative attack in the midfield.”

Babel has been playing soccer for more than a decade, having joined her first travel team as a second-grader. In sixth-grade, she joined BRYC where she helped win six Virginia state championship for BRYC (now McLean) Azul. She was the captain of the West Springfield varsity team as a junior and senior and has been very involved in school activities as a SGA Representative and a senior event coordinator.

“Paige is strong on the ball, composed with a great field sense,” Drake said. “She will play wide back or central holding midfield positions.”

Harvey has played for both the Freestate Soccer Club (ECNL) and the Clearwater Chargers Club. With the Clearwater Chargers she competed for a Regional Championship. She has also been a member of the Florida State ODP Team and she has earned varsity letters in soccer and track while twice being named track MVP. A member of the National Society of High School Scholars and an Honor Roll student, her parents, Andrea and Kevin, both served in the military.

“Emily is a fiery competitor who will play up front and at outside midfield,” Drake said. “She is very quick and a threat to score at any time due to her breakaway speed.”

Hodges played four years of varsity soccer and was named All-District in 2009. She spent five years on the ODP team and was selected for Region One team in 2009. A six-time State Cup champion, she is recovering from ACL surgery but was released to play several months ago.

“Liz is a technical forward who is gifted around the net,” Drake said. “She has a knack for setting up and more specifically scoring goals. She has been a member of the ODP Regional Team and this experience will be very valuable at the college level. Her strong physical presence will aid in her ability to turn on defenders and quickly get a shot off.”

Kim, who played basketball and field hockey in high school in addition to soccer, plays for FC Virginia Explosion and was named to the ECNL All-Event Team by the Elite Clubs National League for her performance at the 2010 Disney Showcase. A three-time recipient of the Scholar-Athlete Award at Langley High School, she plans to major in Education.

“Kim has quick, tidy feet both with and without the ball and she is a very versatile player,” Drake said. “She has the ability to be a creative player in our conference where she will be used mainly in the midfield.”

Kowalewski was a member of the USL Washington Freedom U-20 team and competed in the 2010 USL Super 20 North American Finals. She was a 2010 USL SYL National ODP Camp First Selection and she played club soccer with the ECNL FCV Explosion, which competed in the ECNL National Championship. An All-District and All-Region player at Brentsville District High School, she was invited to Capitol Hill as a member of the Future Business Leaders of America.

“Noel is a composed central defender with a strong competitive side,” Drake said. “She will be called to help in the central defense position for the Patriots. She has good service ability with either feet and a good feel for the game.”

Pizzingrilli is both an Honor Roll student and the President of the Student-Athletic Trainers at Cumberland Valley High School, the same high school as current Patriot Mary Kate Lowry. Named ESPN Rise 2010 Top Pennsylvania H.S. player, she was named a Mid-Penn All-Star while being named Harrisburg Patriot and Carlisle Sentinel First-Team. She led Cumberland Valley to three straight conference titles and they finished as state runner-up in 2010.

“Kelly is incredibly hard working, versatile, and very passionate about soccer,” Drake said. “She is a very consistent player who will play an important role in the holding midfield or wide midfield positions as well as up front.”

Driessen played club soccer for FC Virginia and McLean Legend and was a member of the Region I ODP Camp in 2009. She participated in the Maccabi Summer Games in Houston in 2008 and she also was in the American Youth Concert Orchestra for three years.

“Amy has a fantastic shot, an incredible work rate and great technical ability with the ball at her feet,” Drake said. “She will play up front or at attacking midfield.”

Kottler played with the Syosset Sting the past two years, commuting from Ohio to play in Showcase events with the National Finalists. A member of the ODP State team from 2005-09, she set a Solon High School record for shutouts in season with 13. A member of the Honor Roll, she is also an avid skier.

“Briana is a tall goalkeeper who commands her six-box well, is naturally left-footed and who will bring added energy to the goalkeeping depth chart,” Drake said. “I suspect she could challenge for minutes of playing time in her first year.”

Montgomery was a member of the National Honor Society and earned highest honors from 2007 through 2009. As a member of the FC Frederick Club soccer team, she was a State Cup champion and a Discovery Cup finalist while serving as the captain of her high school team and earning the coaches choice MVP.

“Katie has incredible integrity surrounding her,” Drake said. “Her work ethic is top notch and she has a very strong disposition on the field. She will play outside wide back when she comes to Mason.”