CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 3, 2024) – Carolina Ascent Football Club announced today the midfielders Head Coach Erika Duncan selected for the 2024 USL W League squad. The USL W League is a leader in pre-professional soccer in North America, developing the next generation of women’s talent. The Carolina Ascent USL W League season kicks off on May 18 and will run through the end of June. View the Carolina Ascent USL W League Schedule.
“We are extremely excited about this group of midfielders,” Duncan shared. “They bring a high level of experience and talent to our team. When selecting these players, we focused on bringing Charlotte’s top quality players home for the summer, along with adding some new faces, to help create a collective, talented core.”
MANUELA BAPTISTA
Baptista, originally from Santa Maria Da Feira, Portugal, is a member of the Wingate University women’s soccer team. In her first season with the Bulldogs, Baptista played and started 18 matches, adding two assists. She transferred to Wingate from Monroe College where she played in 11 games, scoring two goals and recording one assist in the 2022 season. Baptista played for the Charlotte Independence USL W League team in 2023 and featured in all 12 matches of the season.
EMILY YAPLE
Yaple just wrapped up her senior season for the University of Florida. She scored her first goal as a Gator in a draw against the University of Kentucky in the fall. Yaple spent the 2020-2022 seasons at the University of Pittsburgh. The midfielder helped Pitt advance to the 2022 NCAA Round of 16 in the program’s first NCAA appearance. She scored 10 goals for the Panthers and ranked third on the team in 2021 with five. Her 2021 highlights include an ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 Play bicycle kick goal against Boston College and a golden goal against No. 16 Oklahoma State.
Leaving her mark, Yaple set the Fort LeBoeuf High School single-season goals record with 50 in 16 matches during the 2019 season. Yaple played the first three seasons of high school soccer at Villa Maria Academy where she earned All-District First Team honors twice. She was a three-year member of the Olympic Development Program Region One Team and also played for Beadling SC, helping the team reach the Pennsylvania West State Cup Final four times. Yaple competed at the U.S. Soccer Market Training Center in 2014 and 2015.
EMILY MORRIS
Across her three seasons at Wake Forest University, rising senior Emily Morris has appeared in 45 matches. Morris contributed to the Demon Deacons’ new program record for fewest goals allowed (15) during the 2023 season. She also helped the team go unbeaten at home for the first time since 2007. As a sophomore, Morris scored her first collegiate goal in the opening game against Milwaukee. She then scored three more goals that season, all of which were game-winners. Her 1,379 minutes played in 2022 led all Wake Forest midfielders.
Entering college, Morris was rated a three-star recruit on TopDrawerSoccer and ranked No. 16 in the IMG Academy South Atlantic Division rankings. She played club soccer for the Charlotte Soccer Academy.
CASSIDY BELL
After three seasons at Marshall University, Bell will play her senior season at the University of Nevada. Bell logged 4,307 minutes in 51 appearances with 49 starts for the Herd. She scored four goals, two of which were game-winners, and added three assists. As a freshman, Bell was one of six Marshall players to start all 16 matches of the season.
A native of Trophy Club, Texas, Bell was a four-year member of the Byron Nelson University women’s soccer program. Her high school accolades include Midfield MVP, Offensive MVP, Overall MVP, All-State Second Team, Player of the Year, and State All-Star. Bell served as team captain during her junior and senior seasons.
KATHRYNN GONZÁLEZ
González made her international debut for the Dominican Republic in July 2021 in a friendly against Nicaragua. She made two appearances in 2022 CONCACAF Qualifying matches against Bermuda and Jamaica, scoring the team’s only goal against Jamaica. In 2023, González scored three goals in four matches during the league stage of CONCACAF W Gold Cup Qualifying, leading the Dominican Republic to the qualification final. González scored the game-winning goal against Guyana in February 2024 to secure her country a spot in the first-ever CONCACAF W Gold Cup. She featured in all three group stage matches against the United States, Mexico, and Argentina.
A three-year member of the Marshall University women’s soccer team, González made 41 starts in 43 appearances, scoring 12 goals and adding five assists. During her senior season, González was the Sun Belt Conference’s leader in shots (68) and shots per game (3.58) while also finishing eighth in the league with 17 points and ninth with seven goals. As a junior, González was one of six Marshall players to start all 16 of the team’s matches, seeing 1,352 minutes on the pitch. She finished tied for the team lead and tied for seventh in Conference USA with five goals. Before transferring to Marshall, González was a member of the East Carolina University women’s soccer team. As a freshman, she helped ECU to its first AAC Tournament Quarterfinal appearance since 2015 by burying a penalty kick against SMU.
Originally from Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania, González played soccer at Pocono Mountain West High School where she became the school’s women’s soccer all-time leading scorer.
LAUGHLIN RYAN
Ryan took the pitch for the University of Virginia in the 2023 season after overcoming injuries which kept her sidelined in her first few years with the Cavaliers. She appeared in 13 matches, starting two, and notched an assist against Nevada.
The Charlotte, North Carolina, native entered the University of Virginia as the No. 116 player in the IMG Academy Rankings by Top Drawer Soccer. She competed with the U19 U.S. Youth National Team in Spain in 2020. Ryan played for the Charlotte Soccer Academy where she participated in the 2016 ECNL Nationals and received an ECNL Player Development Program (PDP) invite in 2017. She also lettered with Myers Park High School in 2016 and 2017.
BRIANNA MORRIS
Morris played four seasons at UNC Charlotte. As a senior, Morris played in all 12 matches as the Niners reached the Conference USA Championship match. During the 2019 season, she earned a spot in the starting lineup in all 19 games, helping earn the team’s 13-6 record. Morris’ first career goal was a game-winner against UAB, and her six assists ranked third on the squad. Morris totaled 4,556 minutes in 100 games for the Niners.
Before playing at UNC Charlotte, Morris was a four-year varsity starter for Millbrook High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, and served as team captain her junior and senior year. She was named to the All-Region and All-Conference squads in her final three years along with 4A All-State honors by the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association as a senior. On the club stage, Morris was invited to a U.S. Club Soccer Player Development Program (PDP) camp in 2016 and a U.S. Club Soccer ID2 Camp twice. She was a 2012 State Cup finalist and qualified for the ECNL National League in 2013, 2014, and 2016.
SARAH TROCOLLI
A four-year Gator, Trocolli played in every single match of the 2015-18 seasons. She totaled 5,058 minutes, logging 13 goals and 12 assists. Trocolli served as co-captain during her final season in Gainesville, and earned a spot in the starting lineup all 19 games as a senior. Across her four seasons, Trocolli recorded six goals and two assists in postseason competitions. Four of her collegiate goals were game-winners.
Originally from Troy, Michigan, Trocolli was named a 2014 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Regional High School All-American. She earned Michigan High School Dream Team selections and Michigan Division I All-State first team honors in 2013 and 2014. With an assist in Troy High School’s championship match, Trocolli earned a spot on the Division I Championship Team after helping her team to the state title. Playing with the Michigan Gators ‘96 Orange club team, Trocolli won the U.S. Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) Michigan State Cup in 2012 and 2013. She competed in the USYSA Midwest Regional League and in 2013, also competed in USYSA National League. From 2008-12, Trocolli was a member of the Michigan Olympic Development Program (ODP) and was part of the 2012 ODP Region II Championship team.
AVA TRETHEWEY
Trethewey is a rising sophomore midfielder at Marshall University. During her freshman year season, Trethewey played 589 minutes in 13 games, starting five. She started the final four matches of the season in Sun Belt Conference play and logged a full 90 minutes in the Herd’s win against Coastal Carolina.
Trethewey played soccer at George Washington High School in Charleston, West Virginia, where she won the 2021 West Virginia High School Soccer State Championship. She was named Kanawha Valley Player of the Year and West Virginia Midfielder of the Year in 2021 and 2022. Tretheway played with the West Virginia Futbol Club and East Region Olympic Development Team.
ELIZABETH RICH
Rich is a rising junior midfielder from Huntersville, North Carolina, who plays for NC State. As a freshman, Rich played in two games, making her first collegiate start against Harvard before suffering a season-ending injury. She did not see any game action as a sophomore. Prior to joining the Wolfpack, Rich played club soccer at Charlotte Soccer Academy.
About Carolina Ascent FC USL W League:
The Carolina Ascent FC USL W League team is one of eight teams competing in the USL W League’s South Atlantic Conference in 2024. The team is the pre-professional affiliate for the Carolina Ascent USL Super League squad, the Carolinas’ newest division one women’s professional soccer team. Head Coach, Erika Duncan, leads the squad in 2024 and will join the Carolina Ascent Super League technical staff as an Assistant Coach this August. The Carolina Ascent W League program is focused on developing local soccer talent and providing new, competitive environments for young women across the Carolinas who dream of playing professional soccer. The team’s technical and operational management are led by Affiliate, Charlotte Independence Soccer Club.
About the USL W League:
The USL W League is a leader in pre-professional soccer in North America, developing the next generation of women’s talent both on and off the field. The USL W League strives to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development. The League and its member clubs are committed to investing in women’s soccer – through not only financial resources but also with time, energy, and attention – and are united in our mission to grow the women’s game.
