A pair of Soldotna soccer products were recently signed to the Division II Montana State University women’s team in Billings.
MSU head coach Wojtek Krakowiak finished off the team roster in time for the academic year by adding four players, including 2014 SoHi graduates Katelynn Kerkvliet and Kylee Wolfe. Both Soldotna players are joining the Yellowjackets after competing for different schools.
Kerkvliet, a 6-foot-2 junior goalkeeper majoring in Healthcare Administration and Management, previously competed for the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, but not in soccer. There, she was a forward for the Marauder’s women’s basketball squad, where she got playing time in six games as a freshman, averaging 3.5 points with a .381 shooting percentage.
A four-year letter winner at SoHi, Kerkvliet was also an All-State goalie with the Stars.
In a statement made by Krakowiak from MSU, Krakowiak expressed his excitement that Kerkvliet made the decision join the Yellowjackets.
“She is an athletic and dynamic goalkeeper, and we are positive she will be a great addition to our already strong recruiting class,” he said.
Kylee Wolfe, a sophomore defender studying Criminal Justice, transferred from Highline Community College in Des Moines, Washington. Wolfe helped Highline to the Northwest Athletic Conference West Division title with six points and was named to the league all-star team as a defender.
Coach Krakowiak praised Wolfe’s past history with successful teams and expressed optimism for her future.
“Kylee is a dynamic defender who has the ability to push forward and be dangerous attacking in the final third,” Krakowiak said. “She is a physical player who can win tackles and keep possession of the ball.”
At Soldotna, both Kerkvliet and Wolfe were part of a highly successful contingent that went 62-2-3 over the four years that they competed, a run that also saw the Stars finish third at state three times. Until the Kenai Central boys squad made it to the state final this spring, third place was the best finish a peninsula team had earned at the state soccer tournament.
