EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Soccer announced its early signings for the 2026 class, welcoming nine student-athletes to the program for the 2026 season.
 
"We're extremely excited to welcome our talented incoming 2026 class to the USI Soccer family," USI Women's Soccer Head Coach Eric Schoenstein said. "This year's signing class is an exceptional group of young women who will continue to strengthen and elevate the positive environment within USI Soccer."
 
Leila Nachi (Lincoln, Nebraska) is a 5'10" forward out of Lincoln East High School. Nachi scored 10 goals with nine assists in 2024-25 as a junior. Nachi earned Omaha World-Herald Honorable Mention honors twice and was an All-State Honorable Mention. Nachi competed for the Gretna Elite Academy '08 ECNL club team.
 
Morgan Wannemuehler (Evansville, Indiana) is a 5'5" wing player from Evansville Mater Dei High School. Wannemuehler has scored 25-plus goals each of the last two seasons and has a total of 63 goals with 12 assists in her high school career. Wannemuehler is a three-time All-City First-Team selection, three-time All-SIAC honoree, and three-time District 4 First-Team member. Wannemuehler has been named all-district each of the last two seasons, including first-team distinctions in 2025. Plus, Wannemuehler is a three-time all-state selection, earning third-team honors in 2023, second-team laurels in 2024, and first-team honors in 2025. In 2025, Wannemuehler was the Courier and Press Preseason Player of the Year, the SIAC co-Player of the Year, and All-Metro Co-Player of the Year. Wannemuehler has been a member of Mater Dei's four consecutive sectional championship teams, winning twice at the 1A level and twice at Class 2A. In 2022 and 2023, Mater Dei was the 1A Regional Champion.
 
"Morgan and Leila are dynamic, physically dangerous forwards who can score in bunches and consistently create chances for themselves and their teammates, all while maintaining an unmatched work rate," Schoenstein stated.
 
Amelia McPheeters (Kirkwood, Missouri) is a 5'5" defender from Kirkwood High School. McPheeters is a two-time team defensive MVP. As a junior, McPheeters was named to the all-district team and first-team all-conference. McPheeters played club soccer for ECNL St. Louis Scott Gallagher.
 
Lilah Katz (Fulshear, Texas) is a 5'9" defender from Jordan High School. Katz is a two-time first-team all-district and first-team all-region honoree. In 2025, Katz was named to the First-Team All-Houston Team and district player of the year. Katz is Jordan High School's all-time starts and games played leader. In 2024, her team was district champions and regional semifinalists. Katz competed at the club level with HTX 06/07 GA, which won the 2025 GA Champions Cup.
 
"Lilah and Amelia are excellent one-on-one defenders who will bring exceptional speed and physicality to our backline," Schoenstein commented.
 
Shea Krakowski (Libertyville, Illinois) is a 5'2" midfielder out of Libertyville High School. Through three seasons of high school soccer, Krakowski has scored 61 goals with 25 assists and has started every match. Krakowski is Libertyville's all-time leading scorer. Krakowski has been named all-state, all-sectional, and was named to the 2023 Final Four First XI State Team. In 2023, Krakowski helped lead the team to a third-place state finish. At the club level for her ECNL squad, Krakowski has been a two-time all-conference selection and earned a Top Drawer Soccer national player ranking. Krakowski helped lead her ECNL team to a state championship and a national finalist in 2021, a top-eight national finalist in 2022, a 2023-24 national appearance, and two ECNL Midwest Conference Championships.
 
Liza Anderson (Holladay, Utah) is a 5'8" forward out of Olympus High School. Anderson scored eight goals last season, helping lead her team as state championship runners-up. In 2024, Anderson was second-team all-region, as her squad went on to a state championship. Anderson's club team won the GA Champions Cup and State Cup.
 
Brylee Patterson (North Las Vegas, Nevada) is a 5'0" midfielder/forward from Legacy High School. During her high school career, Patterson has scored 80-plus goals with over 15 assists. Patterson was the 4A Desert League Offensive Player of the Year and named to the First-Team All-Southern Nevada Girls Soccer Team in 2022. At the club level, Patterson was a member of a four-time Nevada State Championship squad and a two-time USYS National Qualifier in 2022 and 2023. The team was a USYS National semifinalist in 2023.
 
"Shea, Liza, and Brylee are creative midfielders who can score, create, and control the tempo of the game through possession and relentless effort," Schoenstein added.
 
Elle Leece (Omaha, Nebraska) is a 5'5" wing player out of Millard West High School. Leece is a two-time all-state honorable mention. In 2025, Leece was Second-Team All-Metro, Class A All-State, and Second-Team Super State. Leece has started and played in every match, totaling nine goals and 10 assists from a left back position. Her high school squad is a three-time district champion. At the club level, Leece was recognized in the 2024 and 2025 Girls Academy Midwest Talent ID Player Pool. Leece was a member of the 2022 state cup championship team and a qualifier for the 2025 Girls Academy Playoffs.
 
Sienna Respicio (Chula Vista, California) is a 5'3" wing forward from Otay Ranch High School. Respicio has scored 14 goals with seven assists through her junior season. Respicio has led her high school squad in goals scored each of the last two years. In 2023-24, Respicio also led the team in assists and takeaways. Last season, in 2024-25, Respicio was named San Diego CIF All-Metro Mesa League First Team after being named to the second team the year before. Respicio competed at the club level for Legends FC SD ECNL this past year and previously for Rebels SC ECNL.
 
"Sienna and Elle are electric, quick, and inventive forwards capable of scoring many goals while generating a wealth of opportunities for those around them," Schoenstein said.
 
USI Women's Soccer is coming off its best season in the Division I era, recording a 9-7-5 overall record. The Screaming Eagles were a semifinalist in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, claiming their first wins in the conference tournament.