The Nipissing Lakers women's soccer team has had a terrific run the last few years and are looking to continue trending up.

With a large group of graduating players, the Lakers, led by head coach David Bitonti have been busy this off-season, adding a strong recruiting class.

The Lakers are excited and proud to announce the addition of nine new recruits, as the program has signed Alyssa Bui, Ava Richardson, Avery Baker, Bella Almeida, Bella Nolte, Hannah Neville, Kailey Hill, Reese Klages and Isabelle Libera for the 2024 OUA season.
 

Alyssa Bui
Position: Forward
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Program: Business Admin./Education
Team: Futuro Soccer Academy
Bui – Strengths: "I believe some of my key strengths as a player are my speed and strength. My speed grants me explosive bursts meanwhile, my strength provides stability and power, allowing me to shield the ball effectively and dominate physical battles on the field."
Bui – Why Nipissing: "I chose Nipissing University and Lakers soccer because from the moment I stepped onto campus, I felt incredibly welcomed by the coaches and my teammates. The environment was so warm and inclusive, making me feel like I belonged right away."
Bitonti: "Alyssa is a powerful player who will run at defenders and finds ways to create dangerous opportunities in the attacking third. A competitor with a good work rate, we believe she will fit nicely in our strong front line. We are thrilled to add a dynamic player like Alyssa to our roster as she will be an increasingly exciting player to watch."
 
Ava Richardson
Position: Centre Back
Hometown: Peterborough, ON
Program: Criminal Justice
Team: Durham FC
Richardson – Strengths: "I am a tall and strong Centre back who excels in tackling, intercepting passes and reading the play. I love to read the play and anticipate what the offence is doing and shut them down. At the same time, I am not afraid to jump into the play offensively."
Richardson – Why Nipissing: "When I visited the Nipissing campus and talked to current students, I knew Nipissing was for me. It is small, it is welcoming. It is perfect for me. The coaching staff made my final decision easy."
Bitonti: "Ava predominantly plays as a central defender but could be used anywhere in the backline. She has stood out as a strong defender that is confident in her 1v1 ability and is positionally responsible. Her development over the past two seasons has been impressive. We are excited to see the impact Ava makes and how quickly she is able to do so."

Avery Baker
Position: Outside Back
Hometown: Burlington, ON
Program: BPHE
Team: North Mississauga FC
Baker – Strengths: "I'm a hard worker and passionate - good awareness on and off the ball. I have good sportsmanship. I'm technically sound and makes good crosses, as well as coachable and listens well. I'm also a tenacious defender who is a great team player."
Baker – Why Nipissing: "As for the soccer part and becoming a Laker, that was the easy part. The coaching staff and team environment of the Lakers was everything I was looking for in a team! I loved how positive everyone was and committed they were to being better, both as a team and individually."
Bitonti: "We are so glad that Avery decided to join us at NU. Avery is all up-side who will come in and give us support on an established solid backline. She has pace and is technically solid. We expect Avery to bring a feisty competitive edge to our lineup and a calm, grounding perspective to our team room."
 
Bella Almeida
Position: Centre Back
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
Program: BPHE
Team: AK Academy
Almeida – Strengths: "I'm a quick learner, apply feedback, good at switching the field and I'm a good communicator."
Almeida – Why Nipissing: "I heard a lot of good things about the school and had a very positive first conversation with Coach David and Nick, so I took a "leap of faith" and committed before even visiting. I then completely fell in love with the environment at Nipissing University."
Bitonti: "Bella is a composed and technical defender. As she continues to make strides in her game, we see her being an impactful defender throughout her career. Bella will get opportunities in a couple different positions and we look forward to getting started so we can find the position where she will make the best impact."
 
Bella Nolte
Position: Winger
Hometown: Dorchester, ON
Program: Criminal Justice
Team: London Alliance FC
Nolte – Strengths: "I am a two-footed player, able to play both sides of the field and equally score with both feet. I'm aggressive defensively and have good timing and vision for attacking runs."
Nolte – Why Nipissing: "I chose Nipissing University and the Lakers women's soccer for their competitive level of play, as well as providing a welcoming team atmosphere. I liked the feel of campus, small class sizes, access to the natural trails surrounding the school, and the local community."
Bitonti: "Bella is a strong wide player who has the ability to go 1v1 and get behind defenders on the attack. She has evolved her game to become an aggressive dribbler and can deliver services into the box with both feet. Bella's presence aligns with our commitment to building a technical and dynamic team that reflects our game model."
 
Hannah Neville
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Paradise, NL
Program: Criminal Justice
Team: Feildians Athletic Association
Neville – Strengths: "I am a two-footed player who works hard both on and off the ball in support of my teammates. I also have a high level of creativity with the ball in tight spaces and I have a knack for scoring goals. I have also coached soccer for years and this helps me understand the game better."
Neville – Why Nipissing: "I wanted to compete with one of the top teams in the OUA which is, in my opinion, the most competitive conference in the country. Also, after meeting with the coaching staff & players, and touring NU's training facilities, I knew that NU was the right choice for me. It was obvious to me that there is a close-knit supportive team environment at NU & the coaches and players were very welcoming to me."
Bitonti: "Hannah is a competent ball handler in midfield. She has a high soccer IQ who sees the game exceptionally well. We see Hannah fitting in as a 7, 11, and 10 where she will be encouraged to use her playmaking and goal scoring abilities. Hannah brings a mature approach to the game that will afford her to transition well into the varsity level."
 
Kailey Hill
Position: Centre Midfielder
Hometown: London, ON
Program: BPHE
Team: Alliance FC
Hill – Strengths: "My strengths are teamwork, communication, mental toughness, work ethic and determination, as well as technical skills."
Hill – Why Nipissing: "The girls were a very welcoming and nice, close-knit group. The team has great coaching, they care a lot about the players. The school has a program I really wanted to explore and the perfect size for me." 
Bitonti: "Kailey is someone we have been watching for a while now and have always liked the way she plays. She is a midfielder who is not only technical and a very good passer, but also has the tenacity to take defenders on in 1v1 situations. Kailey is strong, so she has a good defensive presence through tackles in the midfield."
 
Reese Klages
Position: Centre/Full back
Hometown: Ilderton, ON
Program: Nursing
Team: Alliance FC
Klages – Strengths: "I excel at one-on-one defending, am calm under pressure and have great pace/quickness on the ball while maintaining control. I think I can help bring a positive and hard-working atmosphere to the team off the field. On the field I can contribute my knowledge of the game and fast paced game play to help defend and win some games."
Klages – Why Nipissing: "I choose to further my studies at Nipissing University because they have an amazing nursing program with so many great resources. I also really enjoyed the aspect of smaller class sizes as I like the idea of getting to engage and get to know my professor better. I choose to become a Laker because it is a hardworking, fast-paced team and I feel my soccer would fit in well. As well as the coaches and team members made me feel welcomed from the start and generated a great team atmosphere."
Bitonti: "Reese will be looked upon to develop as an outside back for us. She is tenacious and her pace will afford her to track down opponents as well as to separate herself in the attack. Reese has a high ceiling with a good understanding of the game and a commitment to development that will serve her well in all areas of her growth as a Laker."
 
Isabelle Libera
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Niagara Falls, ON
Program: Criminal Justice
Team: Niagara 1812
Libera – Strengths: "A few of my strengths include my technical abilities, my ability to find players making runs and my willingness to work hard to be a better player and teammate. I also excel with my footwork skills, am accurate with my passing, and am not afraid to be aggressive. I very much enjoy the possession game and have an ability to break lines at the right times. I feel I can contribute to the team by working hard to improve my skills in order to support the team in moving towards a common goal.  I also plan to contribute through positive encouragement and by challenging others to be their very best."
Libera – Why Nipissing: "I made the decision to commit to become a Laker because the players that make up the Women's Soccer Team are extremely welcoming and instantly made me feel part of the group. These athletes are hard-working and motivated to win. Coach David and Coach Nick value me as a player and individual and clearly push the team to be their absolute best. Personally, this is the type of team environment I want to be a part of."
Bitonti: "Izzy has a calm on-field presence about her. She's been a player who intrigued me and having learned more about her, I'm very impressed. Izzy has worked through some adversity and I'm confident she is ready to reach her true potential. She is very comfortable on the ball with the dribble, but also can thread passes to create chances for her teammates."