FOLLOW OHIO SOCCER: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio women's soccer team have signed eight student-athletes, head coaches Aaron Rodgers and Cortney Wiesler announced today (Nov.9). Anna Burchett, Ellie Greenwell, Jaimason Brooker, Maria Copfer, Melia Peer, Rylee Mensel, Sydney Crowe, and Tavyn Baffa will all join the Bobcats for the 2023 season. 

Anna Burchett comes to Athens from Prestonburg Kentucky where she played soccer at Prestonsburg Highschool for 4 years. In her high school career she totaled 275 goals and 99 assists, proving to be a powerhouse on offense. Anna Burchett also played for the Eastern Elite club team where she was captain from the years 2016 to 2022. During her years at Eastern Elite the team won the Kentucky State Championships twice. Individually, Burchett won Region Player of Year in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, was named First Team All State in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and was awarded Kentucky Youth Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2022.

Burchett is the daughter of Paul and Erin Burchett, and has 3 siblings; Beth (20), Avery (8) and Lyle (8). 

Ellie Greenwell attended Notre Dame Academy playing 4 years for the varsity soccer team, winning the state championship in 2021 after being undefeated all season. Greenwell also played for two club teams; Kings Hammer Academy and Pre Cincinnati Development Academy. Individually, she was nominated All Tournament Team Lex Cath tournament 2021, St Elizabeth's Game of the Month MVP 2022, Best Eleven Zionsville Tournament 2022, Districts MVP 2022, Regional All Tournament Team 2022, 1st Team All Region 2022, and 1st Team All State 2022. Greenwell also set an all season assist record of 25 in 2022 which contributed to her all career assist record of 43 assists over her 4 years. 

Ellie is the daughter of Betsy and Gerry Greenwell, and is the youngest of 4 siblings; brothers, Christain Greenwell (27), Ben Greenwell (20), and sisters, Meghan Greenwell (22), Libby Greenwell (24). 

Jaimason Brooker comes to Athens from Powell, Ohio where she played at Olentangy Liberty High School and club teams; Ohio Premier and ECNL. Brookers season highs were recorded as 24 goals, including nine multi-goal games, and 17 assists. Brooker has also recieved numerous awards; NSCAA All-State 2020, NSCAA All-America 2021, ODP State Team 2017, First Team OCC 2020, First Team All-District 2020, Second Team All-State 2020, United Soccer Coaches Fall Girls High School All-Central Region Team, Distract Player of the Year 2021, and First Team All-State 2021. On the team side, Brooker was on the ECNL National Playoffs team in 2019, and was named a District Champ in 2021. 

Jaimason is the daughter of Jaime and Darrell Brooker and has 3 siblings; Jaggar, Jreyden, and Jazlyn. 

Maria Copfer played varsity soccer for Avon Lake High School from 2019-2023 and played for club team FC Evolution. Copfer was named team captain for her FC Evolution team for both their 2021 and 2022 seasons. Currently, her sister Victoria Copfer is on the women's Kent State soccer team who she will face off against during the upcooming season in MAC conference play. Copfer is coming to Ohio University with plans to major in exercise science in hopes to become an occupational therapist post graduation in 2027.

Maria's parents are Jennifer and Dennis Copfer, and her only sibling is Victoria Copfer (20). 

Melia Peer is a member of the Class of 2023 at Mt. Lebanon High School in Pittsburgh. Peer played at the varsity level for all 4 years and her broken down year to year stats are recorded as; 2019: 7 goals, 3 assists, 2020: 10 goals, 1 assist,  2021: 15 goals, 3 assists, 2022: 22 goals, 13 assists. In total her career statistics equal 128 total career points, Top Ten (#8) in all-time program scoring history. Peer also played for two club teams, Soccer, Beadling SC (2012-2017) and Century United (2017- 2023). With her statistics and accomplishments, Melia was recongized as, Rookie of the Year 2019, All-Section 2020, BIG 56 First Team 2020, All-Section 2021, BIG 56 First Team 2021, All-WPIAL 2021, Team MVP 2021, Observer Reporter Girls Soccer MVP Honoree 2021, All-Section 2022, All-WPIAL 2022, and Moe Rosensteel Most Outstanding Player Watch List 2022. 

Both Melia's parents were college athletes; her father, Christopher played football at Bucknell University and her mother, Elizabeth Peer played Soccer at Capital University. Melia also has a brother Cortland (19) and two sisters Tessa (15) and Savannah (11). 

Rylee Mensel comes to Ohio after 4 years at Westerville Central High School where she played varsity soccer, cross country, and track. Rylee also played for the Ohio Premier Soccer Club where she helped her team get recognized as the ODP Region II Team in 2017 and 2018, later advancing to the ODP National Team Camp in 2018 and 2019. Her high school awards are: Scholar athlete, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, 2nd team all-conference 2020, 1st team all-conference and 2nd team all-district team MVP 2021, and 1st team all-conference 2022. 

Rylee is the daughter of Jodie (Stranges) Mensel and Nate Mensel who were both collegiate athletes; Jodie played on the Ohio State University Women's Varsity Soccer Team and her dad Nate Mensel played for Heidelberg University on the Men's Varsity Soccer Team. Rylee also has two younger sisters; Mackenzie Mensel and Reese Mensel. 

Sydney Crowe joins the Bobcats from Clinton-Massie High School in Wilmington, Ohio. Sydney recorded her senior statistics where she played 19 games with 34 goals and 17 assists. Her success on the soccer field during her 2022 senior year contributed to her being awarded Player of the Year and being named to All-First Team. She also set a record for most goals scored in American Division of SBAAC for the 2022 season. As a team they competed in the league championships for the first time in school history and they were in the final Four for Nationals (GA, 2021). Crowe also played club soccer for the Cincinnati United Premier Gold (3 years) and Cincinnati United Premier Girls Academy (3 years). 

Sydney is the daughter of, Shane and Kari Crowe, and has one brother, Sinjin (27). 

Tavyn Baffa will join the team from Keller, Texas. Tavyn played all 4 years in high school and was named captain of the team for 2 of those years. Individually, she was  named to 1st Team All District in 2022 and 2nd Team All District in 2021. On a team basis, Tavyn and Fever United were National Champions for USCS in 2018 and 2019, and with Keller Girls Soccer they were Regional Qualifiers in 2021 and 2022. Tavyn plans to be pre-med at Ohio University and will be graduating in 2027. 

Tavyn's brother and parents were athletes; Todd Baffa (brother) plays  baseball at Seward County (2021-2023), Corinna Baffa (mom) played soccer at Erskine (1993-1995) and UNT (1995-1998), Joe Baffa (dad) played soccer at Hardin Simmons (1987-1990) and UNT (1990-1991) and played in the USISL for Fort Worth Kickers (1991), Dallas Kickers (1991), Mid City Flyers (1992), and Duncanville Stampede (1993). Along with Todd, Tavyn has an older sister Tatum, who currently studies at the University of Oklahoma. 

#Bleedgreen