LA Strikers News Release - www.lastrikersfc.com
Saturday, April 23, 2011
PASADENA, Calif. – The LA Strikers continue to build an impressive roster with several exciting players from the Los Angeles area. The recent signings include Eva Dixon, Nancy Avesyan, Danny Cardenas, Frances Boukidis, Shannon Suarez, Amanda Rose Johnson, and Erin Frushon.
LA Strikers head coach Reggie Rivas likes the way the team is coming together.
“We’re looking forward to putting a good team out there and being competitive against established organizations,” Rivas said. “In this league, you need more than one or two good players – you need a team, and we are a team of good players.”
Dixon, a forward/midfielder, returns to Pasadena after an impressive career at Cornell University where she was named MVP in 2008 and was welcomed to the exclusive Cornell Red Key Athlete Honor Society for her high standards of academic excellence, an outstanding athletic performance and community outreach. Dixon received All-Ivy League honors in three of her four seasons playing for Cornell. A product of South Pasadena High School, where she was the school’s athlete of the year four times, Dixon took on the role of assistant coach of the girl’s varsity soccer team and head coach of the junior varsity team last fall. She was also the assistant coach of the Pasadena City College women’s soccer team.
Avesyan, a Los Angeles native, currently residing in La Cresenta, played professionally in Rome, Italy last summer for the Lazio Femminile. She played in the W-League for the Ventura County Fusion in 2009, after playing midfield for Cal State Northridge during 2008. She started all 19 games during her freshman season at Northridge and led the offense with five goals and four assists.
“I'm extremely excited to get on the field and represent the Strikers,” Avesyan said. “We’ve got a great coach, Reggie Rivas, whom I've played with for many years in the past. I love the staff and know we’re going to have a great season and a lot of fans to support us.”
Cardenas is a freshman midfielder at Long Island University. Cardenas is from Glendale and played at Cresenta Valley High School, where she earned First Team honors in 2009 and was a member of the squad that won the Pacific league titles in 2007 and 2009. In 2008, Cardenas was named Defensive Most Valuable Player. She was a member of the Cal South ODP State Team, winning the ODP Region IV title in 2006, and played on four Surf Cup championship teams, as well as the 2008 National Cup and regional finalists.
Boukidis, a La Cresenta native, is a freshman forward/midfielder at Northern Illinois University, where she played in all 19 matches this past season, scoring the game-winning goals in two of those games. In her senior year at Cresenta Valley High School, Boukidis was named the Pacific League Most Valuable Player after leading the league with 11 goals and 12 assists.
Suarez is a forward from Saugus, currently playing at Long Beach State University. Suarez played at Saugus High School where she was a member of the 2009 CIF championship team and the 2008 Foothill Champions. Suarez received first team all-CIF and all league honors in 2009.
Johnson is from Montrose and just finished her freshman season art NMHU where she is a goalkeeper. She played in all 19 games, starting in 17. She has a goals against average of 1.25, recorded 79 saves and three shutouts. Johnson has a .806 save average.
Frushon is a goalkeeper at Biola University where she started in all 17 games last season, posting five clean sheets and recording 80 saves for a .825 save percentage and a .93 goals against average. Frushon was named to the 2010 All-GSAC team, in addition to being named GSAC Defensive Player of the Week and NAIA Player of the Week during the season. Frushon played for the Santa Clarita Blue Heat last season, where she recorded 60 saves.
“I hope to show the community what good, smart, skilled soccer looks like,” Frushon said. “I hope that our team makes a big name for ourselves and that we can be an active part in the Pasadena community as we show people how we play this beautiful game. We are all in to win it!”
Season tickets are now on sale at www.lastrikersfc.com
For more information on the LA Strikers FC, you can visit the team’s website at www.lastrikersfc.com and follow the team on Facebook and Twitter.