BMO Academy Report: 11 Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX players headed to NCAA programs

VANCOUVER, BC – The Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX program, in partnership with BC Soccer, will be sending 11 players to play for major NCAA school programs.

The Class of 2019 girls, coming through the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System, have earned more than $2.7 million in four-year scholarships. Since 2015, ‘Caps program graduates have received nearly $19 million in scholarships.

"We are very proud of these girls and their accomplishments," said Rhian Wilkinson, Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX head coach. "Whitecaps FC are one of the most committed clubs in North America to women's youth development, and these players are great examples of what hard work can achieve. They will continue to be ambassadors for the club at some phenomenal schools."

Four of the eight girls will be competing just south of the border in the Pacific-12 Conference, where they will be immediately thrown into storied rivalries.

Goalkeeper Alyson Hay (Vancouver, BC) has committed to the Washington State Cougars, while midfielder Allison Remington (Calgary, AB) will be joining their in-state rivals at the University of Washington Huskies.

In Oregon, two midfielders will be battling it out in the Civil War between the Oregon State Beavers and University of Oregon Ducks. Midfielder Abigail Schwartz (Port Moody, BC) is set to join the Beavers, while midfielder Caitlin Shaw (North Vancouver, BC) will be donning the green and yellow for the Ducks.

While in the American Athletic Conference, midfielder Mya Jones (Calgary, AB) will join up with former ‘Caps player Tanya Boychuk at the University of Memphis Tigers, while defender Ariel Young (Ottawa, ON) will be joining the University of Central Florida Knights.

Forward Teni Akindoju (Halifax, NS) will be joining up with former ‘Caps teammates Julia Grosso and Emma Regan at the University of Texas Longhorns in the Big-12 Conference, and goalkeeper Emily McCue (Victoria, BC) has committed to Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

As part of the Class of 2019, three more players will be starting their first college seasons this year after coming through the REX program: Emma Hooton (North Vancouver, BC), Julia Kostecki (Coquitlam, BC), and Danielle Mosher (Vancouver, BC). Hooton joins Mya Jones at the University of Memphis Tigers, while Kostecki will be playing for the Rice University Owls, and Mosher heads to the University of New Mexico Lobos.

For more information on the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System, visit whitecapsfc.com/academy.