Warsaw Community High School women’s soccer star Elizabeth Van Wormer has officially inked on to continue her soccer career at Grace College. Van Wormer leaves Warsaw as the all-time leading scorer in both goals and points. (File photo by Mike Deak)

WINONA LAKE – Grace College’s women’s soccer team has signed seven players for its 2016 class, including area standout Liz Van Wormer from Warsaw Community High School.

Liz Van Wormer from Warsaw and Olivia Johnson from Covenant Christian are the Indiana signees in the class of 2016. Joining them is the California quartet of McKenna Cruz, Corinne Villalobos, Joana Schimmel and Isabel Applequist and Brazil-native Flavia Villaça de Faria.

“This is a fantastic class for Grace College women’s soccer,” began women’s head coach Michael Voss. “Each woman is unique and unified to the Grace College women’s soccer commitment to develop her game intensely, play possession attacking soccer and chase hard after Jesus!

“These women have continued to progress and impress me over the last three years, and I believe that they are the exact pieces we need to move forward. This class will impact us immediately. These women and their families just stoke me out when I think of who the entirety of the Grace College women’s soccer program will be in 2016. There is a tremendous excitement in our crew for the fall of 2016.”

Van Wormer is an accomplished goalscorer for Warsaw. She finished her Tiger career as the program’s all-time leading scorer, breaking current Lady Lancer junior Meredith Hollar’s old record of 67 goals. Van Wormer finished her incredible and historic career with 70 goals and 30 assists, one shy of the all-time assists mark. Van Wormer graduates as the program’s all-time leading scorer, concluding her senior season with 27 goals and 14 assists, one tally shy of the all-time season mark and tied for most helpers in a season.

She was named to the ISCA Top Team for District 2 and was Third Team All-State as a junior. Van Wormer played club soccer for Fort Wayne United.

“Grace is a school that is close to home and has an amazing soccer program,” Van Wormer said. “The team provides an environment that I want to be a part of, and I’m ready to continue growing as a player and a person.”

Voss said: “Liz is smooth and crafty on the ball and has an appetite to work. She loves to hit the ball and relentlessly run at pace. Liz brings composure to high level attacking.”

Johnson is an All-City defender from Covenant Christian in Indianapolis, serving as a three-year captain. She had six goals and three assists as a senior. She was named to the NCSAA Northeast Super Region Team in 2014.
Johnson played club soccer for USAI.

Cruz hails from Fullerton, Calif., where she played for Calvary Chapel. She also captains the nationally-recognized Slammers FC. Calvary Chapel won the league title during Cruz’s career and she was named Second Team All-League twice.

Villalobos attends high school at Sante Fe and is a resident of Long Beach, Calif. She was Second Team All-League as a sophomore and junior and was honorable mention as a freshman. Villalobos was the top goalscorer for nationally-recognized Slammers FC.

Schimmel is from Simi Valley, Calif., and attends Grace Brethren. Schimmel was named to the All-CIF Second Team as a junior. She earned All-League honors as a sophomore and junior, including First Team honors in 2015. She has been the Offensive Team MVP for her first three seasons at Grace Brethren and won the CIF southern championship during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

Applequist is a goalkeeper from Long Beach, Calif. She is a two-time All-League goalie while playing for Valley Christian High School. Applequist averaged 8.8 saves per game as a senior, racking up 132 saves in 15 games.

Villaça comes from Braganca Paulista, Brazil. She played for storied Legionario FC and is a transfer from Talladega College. She spent two years at Montverde Academy in Florida before playing last season at Talladega College. At Montverde, her squad was ranked No. 1 by the NSCAA in 2014.