Several Chattanooga FC Academy athletes saw their hard work in the classroom and the practice field pay off this week when six players signed to play soccer in college. A seventh player gave her verbal commitment for Class of 2018.

Five of the six college recruits come from the 98 Premier Girls team. 

Samantha Green, a 4.0 student in high school, signed a letter of intent to attend and play soccer for Tennessee Wesleyan College. TWC Coach Naomi Kolarova is impressed with her training from CFCA.

“She’s smart, she’s strong and powerful, and she can shoot from anywhere,” Kolarova said. “At the end of October she came for a campus tour and training session. She did really well.”

Green added, “I loved how close-knit the team was and the campus is small and close to home. It just felt really good.”  

Green’s CFCA teammate, Hannah Dearing, will also play for Tennessee Wesleyan. Dearing was an All-State player for Tennessee her senior season as well as MVP of her team. Like Green, Dearing has been honored as a Best of Preps athlete in Chattanooga.

Emma Higgins will also stay close to home and player for national soccer powerhouse, Lee University. Higgins attends Notre Dame High School with Dearing. She trained under CFCA coach Doug Sanders. Her next coach at Lee University will be Chris Hennessey, who also coaches the CFCA u15 Premier Girls. Hennessey was named Gulf South Conference coach of the year in his first season as Lee’s head coach.

Izzy Huddleston, CFCA 98 Premier, has signed with the University of Alabama-Huntsville. UA-Huntsville head coach Jimmy Mitchell said he’s excited to get her on campus. 

"When I first saw Izzy play with her club team the thing that immediately stood out to me was her competitive nature,” Mitchell said.

“Every successful program has to have players that embrace competition and Izzy does this. She can play in a number of positions making it possible for her to make an immediate impact on our program."

The Engles family has had a big week with older sister Riley Engles, 98 Premier, signing with Trevecca Nazarene University while younger sister Avery, ’00 Premier, verbally committed to Lee University.

Riley will head to middle Tennessee to play for Mark Foster’s Trojans at TNU in the fall.

On the boys’ side of the club, CFCA 98 Premier’s James Teal has landed a scholarship to play soccer for University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Teal is joining a UAB team with eight NCAA tournament appearances under its belt, two Sweet Sixteen appearances, and one Elite Eight round.  

Chattanooga FC Academy is the region’s premier soccer club that begins training players as young as u6 to love the game. The club is part of NPSL national finalists Chattanooga FC. Click here for information on tryouts for CFC Academy.