Katie Ticehurst (Mater Dei HS) is the first player to make a verbal commitment; she received a substantial soccer scholarship and will attend USC next fall. Other Blues who have committed to USC are fullback Shelly Pharris (Villa Park HS), and midfielder Andrea Warner (Dana Hills HS).
Blues U18 and U20 U.S. National Team member Heather Aldama (Redlands HS) has committed to attend Santa Clara University (1996 NCAA Semifinalist), speedster Sommer Hammoud (Los Alamitos HS) will stay close to home and attend UCLA, centerback Maresa Zanetti (Santa Margarita HS) will travel to Northern California to play for the Cal Berkeley Bears, fullback Christine Gluck (Adult Women's Blues) got a great offer and next fall will become a Nebraska Cornhusker, goalkeeper Kirsten Roy (Aliso Niguel HS) will mind the nets for Marine Cano's UC Irvine Anteaters, forward Jill Pearson (El Modena HS) will go to Fresno State University, Carrie Blodgett (Dana Hills HS) recently signed on at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Christina Nguyen (University HS) will travel to Texas to attend Baylor, Renee Peterson (Capistrano Valley HS) will go to Cal State Fullerton, and speedster Elicia Petre (Dana Hills HS) signed to play for San Diego State.
Matching soccer excellence with academic success, The Southern California Blues Soccer Club's 1996 high school graduating class is 100% committed to four-year colleges and universities. Most will be continuing their soccer careers although the academic demands of the institutions they will attend require their full attention. All of the girls who competed in high school were honored as All-CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) or All-League players while the others played in highly competitive adult women's leagues. The 17 Blues graduates completed their 1996 youth soccer endeavors in May and June through USYSA (United States Youth Soccer Association) state cup competition as 14 of the girls defended their Under 18 California South State Championship and Far West Regional final appearance last season. Larry Draluck, the Blues Club Director of Coaching expressed his feelings, "I am as proud of their academic commitments and their development as people who will live up to their full potential as positive human beings as I am of their outstanding soccer achievements. I have great feeling and appreciation for these girls."