Winnipeg midfielder Froese brings strong ability to score from distance to the Griffins

Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – As the Griffins women's soccer program rose from an upstart new Canada West team to a division champion in the years before they won a U SPORTS national title in 2021, one of the central figures was Suekiana Choucair.

The dynamic midfielder paced the team all over the field from 2015-20 and still holds multiple program records.

So, it's lofty praise when head coach Dean Cordeiro uses her as a comparison for his latest recruit.

Chloe Froese, who will join the Griffins as an attacking midfielder in 2024-25, certainly has attributes to her game that will help her make an impact right out of the gate.

"We love Chloe's ability to finish," said Cordeiro of the Winnipeg-based A.K. Soccer Academy product. "She just has the ability to shoot from distance and score in tight spaces. A little bit reminiscent of Suekiana Choucair for us back in the day where Suek would score from distance.

"That's high praise, obviously, because Suek was one of the best to wear the jersey here, but we see Chloe as someone that can contribute offensively for us."

Ranked among the top prospects in the First Touch Football (FTF) Canada rankings, along with several other incoming Griffins, Froese has all the attributes Cordeiro looks for in his attacking players.

"She plays with a little bit of an edge, we love that grittiness. She is effective anywhere in the midfield and front three," he said. "She's extremely mobile, as well. She's very technical, and has a very high soccer IQ.

"Her final pass is very good. She's deceptive and has a lot of attributes that are going to fit in really well to our midfield mix."

Chloe Froese has the innate ability to score from distance, which will add another element to the Griffins' attack.

Froese helped her Vincent Massey Collegiate team win the 2022 Manitoba 4A high school girls championship and has also long been a member of the Manitoba Soccer Association (REX) Regional Excellence program. In 2023, she was one of four players out of that invited to a trial with the National Development Centre in B.C.

"She's a dynamic attacking midfielder, who is very versatile and is comfortable playing in any attacking position," said Cordeiro. "We see her as an attacking midfield player, but she has a lot of versatility. Whenever you have a midfielder who can also fill the back of the net, it's a strong asset."

The Griffins have done a nice job addressing the midfield in their 2024 recruiting class as they aim to add another element to their game.

"We're really excited about the mids we have coming in and their versatility to play other positions," said Cordeiro. "The game is getting quicker and quicker. To ensure we're able to play the in our game model, we've got to be able to get to certain areas of the pitch. A lot of these kids we're bringing in, that's what they're known for."