{"id":442184,"date":"2026-01-30T03:39:26","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T03:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/442184\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T03:39:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T03:39:26","slug":"meet-the-2026-billiken-womens-soccer-recruiting-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/442184\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the 2026 Billiken Women’s Soccer Recruiting Class"},"content":{"rendered":"


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ST. LOUIS \u2013 Saint Louis University head women’s soccer coach Katie Shields<\/a> has announced the addition of the Billikens’ 2026 recruiting class, a group comprising seven student-athletes who will join the program next fall.
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\n“We are excited to officially welcome our 2026 recruiting class into the Billiken family,” Shields said. “These seven women are outstanding student-athletes who will thrive in the classroom, on the field and in the community at Saint Louis University. This recruiting class will be instrumental in helping our program win A-10 championships, advance in the NCAA Tournament and compete on the national stage.”
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\nThe new Billikens are:
\nHana Allen \u2022 D \u2022 Glen Ellyn, Ill. (Glenbard West H.S. | Eclipse ECNL)
\nKeira Bartholet \u2022 F \u2022 St. Louis, Mo. (Nerinx Hall H.S. | St. Louis Scott Gallagher)
\nGianna Harris \u2022 F \u2022 New Orleans, La. (Louise S. McGehee School | BVB GA 06\/07)
\nLucy Marsh \u2022 D \u2022 St. Louis, Mo. (Webster Groves H.S. | St. Louis Scott Gallagher 08 ECNL Navy)
\nEmma Naftanel \u2022 F\/M \u2022 Colorado Springs, Colo. (Rampart H.S. | Colorado Rapids)
\nLeah Simpson \u2022 F \u2022 Carrollton, Texas (Hebron H.S. | Sting Royal 08 Tatu)
\nLauren Zangara \u2022 D \u2022 St. Louis, Mo. (Nerinx Hall H.S. | St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL)<\/p>\n

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\n\"HanaHana Allen \u2022 D \u2022 Glen Ellyn, Ill. (Glenbard West H.S. | Eclipse ECNL)

\nAll-State, All-Conference, Glenbard West’s Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot recipient as a junior, helping lead the Hilltoppers to a regional championship \u2026 All-State and All-Conference as a sophomore \u2026 All-Sectional, All-Conference, Glenbard West’s Rookie of the Year and Golden Boot recipient in her freshman year \u2026 her club team was the 2025 Midwest East Conference champion, Champions Cup bracket winner and a qualifier for the 2026 Champions Cup finals \u2026 has achieved a 4.26 grade point average on a 4.0 scale while taking honors and AP classes.

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\nShields on Allen:\u00a0“Hana is a physically dominant defender who will bring toughness and grit to our back\u00a0line. She is a defensive warrior and a weapon on set pieces, and she possesses the technical ability to establish rhythm in possession. Her competitiveness and leadership qualities will make her a valuable addition to our program’s culture.”

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\n\"KeiraKeira Bartholet \u2022 F \u2022 St. Louis, Mo. (Nerinx Hall H.S. | St. Louis Scott Gallagher)

\nAll-Conference second team as a sophomore and junior \u2026 helped Nerinx Hall to the 2024 state championship, a state runner-up finish in 2023 and district titles both years \u2026 in club soccer, was a 2024-25 ECNL second-team All-Conference selection \u2026 her team reached the 2025 national round of 16 and won the 2022 conference crown \u2026 has made the first honor roll every semester \u2026 National Honor Society member.

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\nShields on Bartholet:\u00a0“Keira is a dynamic athlete who can stretch an opponent’s defense and create opportunities for herself and others. Every time we watch Keira play, her growth is evident, and her ability to get in behind defenses fits perfectly with our attacking mentality. We have a long history of impactful Nerinx Hall Markers and SLSG alumni in our program, and I can’t wait to see the legacy Keira will leave on SLU Women’s Soccer.”

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\n\"GiannaGianna Harris \u2022 F \u2022 New Orleans, La. (Louise S. McGehee School | BVB GA 06\/07)

\nFour-year All-State and All-Metro player at McGehee, helping lead the team to the state tournament every year \u2026 selected to train at Manchester City Youth Academy in England this year \u2026 a 2025 GA National Team selection who played in the GA National Selection game \u2026 BVB International North America National Team member in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and trained at the BVB youth academy in Dortmund, Germany, all three years \u2026 Best XI honorable mention at the 2024 USYS Nationals \u2026 ID as a Sting ECNL Discovery Player in 2021 and 2022 \u2026 ID as a Houston Dash Development Academy Discovery Player in 2020 \u2026 2018 and 2019 Chicago Fire Emerging Talent ID Camp selection \u2026 received academic commendation in her sophomore and junior years.

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\nShields on Harris:\u00a0“Gianna is a creative and exciting attacking player who consistently makes a major impact on games. Every time we watch her play, she finds ways to score and influence the game in big moments. Her passion to compete at the highest level fits perfectly with our championship culture, and her soccer IQ will add another dynamic dimension to our attacking group this fall.”

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\n\"LucyLucy Marsh \u2022 D \u2022 St. Louis, Mo. (Webster Groves H.S. | St. Louis Scott Gallagher 08 ECNL Navy)

\nFirst-team All-Conference in 2024 and 2025, second team in 2023 \u2026 Webster Groves’ 2025 Most Valuable Player and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year \u2026 helped lead the team to a conference title \u2026 in club soccer, played on teams that won a conference championship in 2022, turned in conference runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2024, and reached the 2021 national quarterfinals \u2026 National Honor Society member, recipient of the Statesmen Service Award, Scholar-Athlete and leader of Best Buddies and Interact Club.

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\nShields on Marsh:\u00a0“Lucy is exactly what we look for in a Billiken center back \u2013 tough tackling, dominant in the air and composed on the ball. She brings tremendous leadership and an ability to connect with others that will add to our championship culture. As a St. Louis native, Lucy continues our proud tradition of elite Saint Louis center backs, and we’re thrilled to welcome her to SLU Women’s Soccer.”

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\n\"EmmaEmma Naftanel \u2022 F\/M \u2022 Colorado Springs, Colo. (Rampart H.S. | Colorado Rapids)

\nAll-State first team, All-Conference first team and Rampart’s Most Valuable Player as a junior, helping lead the team to the state semifinals for the first time in program history \u2026 All-Conference first team and team MVP in her sophomore season \u2026 All-Conference honorable mention as a freshman \u2026 had 12 goals and eight assists as a junior, nine goals and eight assists as a sophomore, and one goal and six assists as a freshman \u2026 her Colorado Rapids club team won the 2025 ECNL Showcase Cup B championship and was a 2024 ECNL Showcase Cup A finalist \u2026 2025 ECNL second-team All-Conference \u2026 U.S. Talent ID Center invitee in 2022 and 2023 \u2026 2023 ECNL All-Conference first team \u2026 was one of 16 U.S. players on a 2023 Soccer.com\/Club Partner XI select travel team to New Zealand \u2026 2025 first-team Academic All-State \u2026 has made Rampart’s Dean’s List and honor roll.

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\nShields on Naftanel:\u00a0“Emma is a dynamic wide-attacking player who can be a playmaker on the flank and a physically suffocating defender. She has a relentless work rate and athleticism that overwhelms opponents for 90 minutes. From my very first phone call with Emma, it was clear she’s someone who will thrive in Billiken Blue and be a tremendous addition to our unique culture.”

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\n\"LeahLeah Simpson \u2022 F \u2022 Carrollton, Texas (Hebron H.S. | Sting Royal 08 Tatu)

\nMade the University Interscholastic League All-District first team in 2024 and 2025 \u2026 Texas Association of Soccer Coaches All-Region second-team choice for 2024-25 \u2026 tallied 13 goals and 12 assists as a junior, and nine goals and seven assists as a sophomore \u2026 in club soccer, was a 2024-25 ECNL All-American and Texas Conference Player of the Year, helping lead her team to the U17 final \u2026 two-time ECNL first-team All-Conference honoree \u2026 2025 ECNL Conference Cup Best XI selection \u2026 played in the 2024 ECNL National Selection Game \u2026 2024 6A Academic All-District.

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\nShields on Simpson:\u00a0“Leah joins our program after a highly decorated youth career. She is the type of attacking player and person who thrives in our environment \u2013 relentless, tough and fearless. She plays with intensity and an elite mentality, creating goals for her teammates and scoring goals herself in all different ways. Leah will be an outstanding addition to our competitive culture on and off the field.”

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\n\"Zangara\"Lauren Zangara\u00a0\u2022 D \u2022 St. Louis, Mo. (Nerinx Hall H.S. | St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL)

\nFour-year varsity starter \u2026 team captain \u2026 has earned All-Conference honors every year \u2026 Class 4 All-Region and Nerinx Hall’s Defensive Most Valuable Player as a junior \u2026 helped lead the Markers to state and district championships in her sophomore season, and a state runner-up finish and district title in her freshman campaign \u2026 competed in the ECNL playoffs with her St. Louis Scott Gallagher club \u2026 Nerinx Hall first honor roll and House of Studies Honor Program \u2026 National Honor Society member.

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\nShields on Zangara:\u00a0“Lauren is our most recent addition to the class, and we’ve been extremely impressed with her continued growth as a player and competitor over the past year. She’s a strong, athletic outside back who will be ready to compete while helping elevate our program’s culture. Lauren is a tremendous student-athlete who will represent the very best of SLU Athletics in the classroom, on the field and in the community. We’re thrilled to welcome another standout from Nerinx Hall and SLSG to our program.”

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