New recruit comes with NCAA experience, scoring touch
Jefferson Hagen / MacEwan Athletics
Armed with NCAA Div. 1 experience, Kaylin Hermanutz has the potential to provide the Griffins women's soccer team with a scoring boost heading into the 2017 Canada West campaign.
The Edmontonian is the latest member of MacEwan's 2017 recruiting class, head coach Dean Cordeiro announced on Monday.
After completing high school at Strathcona, Hermanutz headed to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga for her freshman season last fall. The attacking midfielder started five times in 17 games, scoring once in seven shots on goal.
But in January, she returned home, joining the Griffins as a redshirt in preparation for the 2017 Canada West campaign.
"I think she's going to be a great fit," said Cordeiro. "We had a great year, but we struggled to score goals when it matters. I think Kaylin's pretty clutch and will step in and contribute right away.
"I think her experience in the NCAA will definitely be huge for us. We're still a young team, but her going into her first year with us, I think will be big, in terms of what she can take playing at the NCAA level and bringing it back here."
The Griffins went to the Canada West Select Six tournament last November, but lost 1-0 in the bronze medal game to Saskatchewan, falling just shy of qualifying for U Sports nationals for the first time. While they exhibited elite defensive play, a lack of consistent scoring punch caught up with them. So Hermanutz's scoring touch in 2017 will be a welcome addition.
"She's very good in the attacking half – great instincts, can score goals, can create," said Cordeiro. "She's very quick, very good on the ball, so she fits our style and philosophy well, in how we keep the ball. We're looking to acquire some attack-minded players to help out our offence a little bit. She'll be a huge piece to that."
Cordeiro coached Hermanutz on the 1998-born Alberta team that lost to Ontario in a shootout in the national final. Current Griffins defender Izabella Ponciano was also on that squad.
"Alberta has never won that competition at that age category and we lost to Ontario in a shootout in the final. So it was a very impressive tournament. Kaylin, along with Izabella Ponciano, were starters and major contributors to the team."
Since then, Cordeiro has also coached Hermanutz on his women's club team Northwest United.
"Her decision making is elite. She reads the play really well and takes just as much enjoyment in creating a goal as she does scoring a goal," he said.
