Rising soccer stars sign scholarship deals

February 16, 2018 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

Chalk up three more Aurora FC graduates to reach the elite levels of collegiate sports.
Michaela Iacono, Laura Marelli, and Jessica Marino are trading in the black and yellow for the kits of some of the top ranking collegiate soccer programs in both Canada and the United States, officially signing their letters of intent at the Aurora FC clubhouse last Wednesday.
Iacono, who developed her game with the Aurora Stingers in the Ontario Youth Soccer League, put pen to paper to attend Eastern Kentucky University, after giving a verbal commitment months ago.
The Cardinal Carter student won the Club Player of the Year Award in 2015, and was the 2016 OYSL league-leading goal scorer, helping Aurora FC to an Eastern division championship in both 2016 and 2017.
Marrelli, also a member of the division champion Stingers, joins the Guelph Gryphons of Guelph University as a defender. She earned the Player of the Year Award in 2016.
“Laura has shown a consistent growth in her game over the past two seasons,” said Guelph head coach Shayne Campbell. “Her leadership qualities are apparent to everyone here at Guelph and her ability to play out of the back and defend will make her an important part of our defense in the years ahead.”
Marino is also joining the Ontario U-Sports, signing with the McMaster Marauders of McMaster University in Hamilton.
The third member of the Stingers squad to announce her commitment, Marino spent time with the semi-pro Aurora FC League 1 team in 2017, appearing in two games with the senior club.
The trio join a long, and growing, list of Aurora FC graduates to sign with Canadian or American college clubs this season, including:

Alana McLean – Guelph University
Alexandra Perfetti –
Laurentian University
Andrea Garcia –
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Brittany Gardiner –
Western University
Cassidy Korhonen –
Nippissing University
Chloe Chefero –
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Deanna Bernardi – Nipissing University
Jayashree Pathak –
Purdue University Northwest
Jotam Chouhan – Dayton University
Julia Ruffolo –
James Madison University
Madison Johnston – Western University
Melissa Carvalho –
James Madison University
Michelle Zilberman –
Hampton University
SaritWinstok – York University
Yoana Peralta – York University