CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State women's soccer team has added eight student-athletes who will join the program in the fall of 2018, head coach Dallas Boyer announced.

Joining the women's soccer program beginning in the fall of 2018 will be Aubrey Bechter (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), Megan Bine (Union, Ky.), Danie Delfino (Hinckley, Ohio), Meredith Hansen (Westlake, Ohio), Annie Jackson (Fairview Park, Ohio), Claire Novak (North Royalton, Ohio), Helena Novatsidis (Ontario, Canada), and Ja'Maya Ward (North Ridgeville, Ohio).

"We are thrilled to be able to add this class of really special student-athletes to what we are building," Boyer said. "This group of nine checks off all the boxes of what you hope to add in a recruiting class. One of the best parts about this group is that we continue to add some of the best players from the area to our program. With six players that call Cleveland home and two others that play for one of the best clubs in Ohio, it really is a group that is excited about having this collegiate experience in a location that allows their family and friends to share it with them.

"Last year's team took a big step and almost comes back fully intact with only two seniors graduating. The depth we've created in adding the two spring transfers and this group of nine freshmen gives us a roster with a lot of potential to have a fun ride in 2018 if we continue to do things the right way and put in the work. We are thrilled at the opportunity to finally get to call them Vikings and work with them, and I know that they are equally excited to get to Cleveland and join us. This class has the opportunity to really leave a mark on the program."

Following are complete bios on each of the nine newcomers.

Aubrey Bechter
5-4, Fr., Midfield
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (Walsh Jesuit)

COACH BOYER'S COMMENTS
"Aubrey is is consistently an important part of winning teams and winning cultures. Whether it's with her high school team that won three state championships and only lost two games in four years, or her club teams that regularly advanced to regional and national championships, Aubrey knows what it means to contribute to winning soccer teams. She's a tough competitor that has the unique ability to be dynamic in her team's attack while also doing more than her fair share of defending. We look for her to step into some sort of midfield role either centrally or out wide and be able to impact the game on both sides of the ball."

HIGH SCHOOL
Helped team to a 79-2-3 record over her four years, which included three state titles... earned second team all-league honors as a junior and was honorable mention pick as a sophomore... MVP midfield in 2016 and was voted to have best goal of season in the state championship game... played in All Star Senior Game in 2017... member of honor roll.

PERSONAL
Born Feb. 26, 2000, in Jacksonville, N.C... daughter of David and Amber Bechter... physical therapy major.

Megan Bine
5-10, Fr., Midfield/Defender
Union, Ky (Larry A. Ryle)

COACH BOYER'S COMMENTS
"Megan's progress the last year has been outstanding as she made the move up to join a team that went on to win the National Championship this year, giving her the chance to train with and compete against the best players in the country. She already has the athletic traits that should allow her to step in and compete immediately, even at the more physically demanding positions on the field that we expect her to play as a central defender and/or central midfielder. She's loves the game and has the opportunity to really grow into a big role quickly with us if she can continue that progress."

HIGH SCHOOL
Led team to district titles in 2014 and 2017... was Cincinnati Enquirer all-star honorable mention and third team all-region as a sophomore... part of US Youth Soccer squad that won 2017 national title... is an AP Scholar.

PERSONAL
Born April 13, 2000, in Carmichael, Calif... daughter of Doug and Tabitha Bine... has two brothers... business major.

Danie Delfino
5-7, Fr., Midfield
Hinckley, Ohio (Highland)

COACH BOYER'S COMMENTS
"Danie's athleticism gives her a very high ceiling to grow into her potential in our program. Everytime I see her play the amount of work she puts on the field is always impressive. She covers large amounts of space and constantly has an influence on the game. As she grows her technical skill level and adjusts into our style of play, she can really be a handful to deal with in a variety of roles."  

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letterwinner who helped team to 34 wins in her career... led team to runner-up finish in the league her freshman year and sectional title her junior campaign... was a scholar-athlete all four years.

PERSONAL
Born Nov. 28, 1999, in Hinckley, Ohio... daughter of Dan and Mindy Delfino... father played football at Baldwin-Wallace and in the USFL... has three sisters... undecided on major.

Meredith Hansen
5-7, Fr., Midfield
Westlake, Ohio (Westlake)

COACH BOYER'S COMMENTS
"Meredith's skill set and style of play is a great fit at Cleveland State. She's very simple and clean in possession, giving her team opportunities to settle into a rhythm with possession and put the attacking personalities around her into dangerous situations. She's the kind of possession player that we say can "pull the strings" for the players around her and maximize the potential for a group of attacking players. She will have a great opportunity to grow into that role working with and learning from a pair of our upperclassmen - McKenna (Vento) & Ali (Lorenzo) - that are filling that role now at a high level."  

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letterwinner who helped team to a pair of conference titles and another runner-up finish... led team to three district runner-up finishes... earned first team all-conference honors as a junior and senior and was a second team honoree as a sophomore... three-time All-Greater Cleveland selection... finished career with 28 goals and 18 assists... member of National Honor Society.

PERSONAL
Born Dec. 3, 1999, in Cincinnati, Ohio... daughter of Eric and Carolyn Hansen... has three sisters, including Morgan who runs cross country and track at Notre Dame (OH)... health sciences major.

Annie Jackson
5-7, Fr., Goalkeeper
Fairview Park, Ohio (Hawken)

COACH BOYER'S COMMENTS
"We are really excited about adding a goalkeeper like Annie to this class who can come in and compete for the starting job right away. She's very polished in her skill set and technique after years of working with one of the best goalkeeping trainers in the area. Annie does so many things well, but her most unique attribute is her excellent skill level with the ball at her feet. As we continue to get better at maintaining possession and building out from the back, Annie will allow us to do so at a higher level when she's on the field with her ability to control  and pass the ball as well as anyone on the field."   

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letterwinner who helped the team to 51 wins over four years... led team to a pair of conference titles, and three appearances in the district title match... team was a regional semifinalist her freshman year... served as team captain her senior year... four-team all-conference selection, including a first team pick her senior year... was a first team All-Greater Cleveland honoree as a senior and honorable mention as a junior... started 71 of 73 career games... posted 27 shutouts for her career... went 8-2-2 in the postseason, allowing just five postseason goals in four years.

PERSONAL
Born Oct. 5, 1999, in Fairview Park, Ohio... daughter of Brian and Trish Jackson... has two brothers... pre-physical therapy major.

Claire Novak
5-4, Fr., Defender
North Royalton, Ohio (North Royalton)

COACH BOYER'S COMMENTS
"Claire's versatility is a big asset for her as she can do everything well. She can be used out wide as an attacking player, she's technical enough to play in traffic as a central midfielder and she has done well lately in transitioning into an outside defender that can get up and down the line. As we move from season to season, or even from game to game with different formations, her ability to do several things well provides us with a lot of options.  She has a very high "soccer IQ" and has the ability to adapt to the speed of play and different styles."    

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letterwinner... earned first team all-conference and All-Greater Cleveland honors as a junior... helped team to conference title her junior year... team won sectional titles in each of her first three seasons and was district champs her freshman year... member of honor roll.

PERSONAL
Born Aug. 30, 1999, in North Royalton, Ohio... daughter of Wes and Evie Novak... hasa one brother and one sister... civil engineering major.

Helena Novatsidis
5-11, Fr., Midfield
Ontario, Canada (Villanova College)

COACH BOYER'S COMMENTS
"We've had the opportunity to see Helena at our camps over the last few years and each time we came away more impressed with her. She is pretty unique in that she has the physical attributes at first glance that you naturally look for in a player at this level. She is 5'11'' and has fluid movement from years as a multi-sport athlete.  Where Helena is unique is unlike most other players at that size, she's really comfortable on the ball with a high level of technical skill that lets her combine both size and athleticism with a style of soccer we play. Whether it's as a central midfielder or a central defender, her ability to compete physically and then help us maintain possession gives her a great chance to grow into a significant role within our program."     

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letterwinner and starter... led team to league championship and a spot in the cup finals as a senior... team was league finalist in each of her four years and advanced to Province Final Four in 2016.

PERSONAL
Born May 19, 2000, in Richmond Hill, Ontario... daughter of Danny and Liz Novatsidis... has one sister... health sciences major.

Ja'Maya Ward
5-5, Fr., Forward
North Ridgeville, Ohio (Elyria)

COACH BOYER'S COMMENTS
"We know we are adding one of the best athletes in the conference right away with the addition of Ja'Maya. Over the years, she has shown elite sprinters speed, even when she has been on fields with some of the best players in the country. The encouraging thing is that she's adding to that a much better awareness of how to more effectively use that speed. She really has evolved from 'a fast kid that plays soccer' into 'a soccer player that can play really fast'. As a result, her growth as a player makes it exciting to think about adding her as yet another option to an already dangerous attacking group and become a leading figure that's relied on to score goals."    

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letterwinner who was named first team all-league as a junior and senior... also tabbed first team all-county her final two seasons... team Offensive MVP in each of her final three seasons... named to 2017 Lorain County All Star Game... posted 37 goals and 24 assists for her career... member of National Honor Society.

PERSONAL
Born June 20, 2000, in Louisville, Ky... daughter of Jermaine Ward and Makia Dickerson... has three brothers... occupational therapist major.