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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Nov. 13, 2024</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor Soccer Adds Three to Signing Class
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Bears ink two from Texas, one from Canada
</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">For more information contact: </span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Katy Gilmore,
254-252-2182, </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:katy_gilmore@baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">katy_gilmore@baylor.edu</span></a></span><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none"> </span></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">WACO, Texas –</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"> Baylor soccer added three players to the 2025 recruiting class, announced Wednesday by head coach Michelle Lenard.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">The class features two Texas signees, one from Fall River, Nova Scotia.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">“We are very excited about the addition of these three student-athletes,” Lenard said. “Each brings experience playing for championships, and a deep desire to help Baylor Soccer do the same.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Olivia Hess is a true playmaker who pulls the strings in the midfield and will improve our attack and goalscoring capacity. Emerson Garcia is a lockdown defender with incredible leadership
skills and the ability to build the attack from the backline. Sierra Gallant is a tall, athletic goalkeeper who is an excellent shot-stopper and very good with her feet. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Most importantly, all three student-athletes represent the high character required to be a part of Baylor Soccer. They are amazing human beings, and they will fit right in with our team
culture on day one.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Emerson Garcia<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Defender | Denton, Texas | Denton Guyer High School | Solar SC<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Emerson Garcia signs with Baylor out of Denton, Texas, and Denton Guyer High School. She played club soccer for Solar SC under head coach Adrian Solca.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Garcia, as a three-year captain, helped lead her high school team to bi-districts in the high school playoffs and a 23-15-1 record. She was named the district 5-6A Defensive MVP in 2023
and was a first-team member of the TASCO All-Region team the same year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">She also helped her club team, Solar SC, to two ECNL National Championships in 2021 and 2023. Garcia was also a four-year ECNL Texas Conference Champion and a two-time ECNL All-Conference
first-team member. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Off the field, Garcia graduated a year in the top 2% of her graduating class. She made Academic All-District and THSCH Academic All-State while participating in FCA and I am Second on campus.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Sierra Gallant<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Goalkeeper | Fall River, Nova Scotia | Lockview High School | Suburban FC<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Sierra Gallant, who attended Lockview High School in Fall River, Nova Scotia, signs with Baylor. She played club soccer for Suburban FC under head coach Oliver Hewish.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Gallant helped her team to the League 1 BC Championship for the Vancouver Whitecaps Women’s Elite in 2022, before placing fourth with Team Nova Scotia at the Toyota National Soccer Championship
in 2023. After placing third with Team Nova Scotia at the 2022 Canada Summer Games, Gallant played for the Canadian Youth National Team where they placed second at the U15 Concacaf in 2022.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Off the field, the 6’1” goalkeeper will be studying biochemistry at Baylor.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Olivia Hess<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Midfielder | Prosper, Texas | Prosper High School | Sting Black 07/06 ECNL<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Olivia Hess signs with Baylor out of Prosper, Texas, and Prosper High School. She played club soccer for Sting Black 07-06 ECNL under head coach Adam Flynn.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Hess helped lead her high school team to a State Championship during the 2023-24 school year and was named the state championship MVP. During that same season, Hess tallied 13 goals and
18 assists in her high school 26-2-2 season while making the TASCO All-State Midfielder first team, THSCA Super Elite Team and MVP, Texas District 5, Region 1 6A Midfield Player of the Year, all while serving at team captain and MVP.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">As one of two freshmen on the varsity squad during the 2021-22 season, Hess made second-team all-district before making the first team in her sophomore campaign. She helped her high school
team to a 62-6-9 overall record over three years. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Off the field, Hess made Academic All-District and volunteered for Grace Bridge and Prosper Summer Soccer Kids Camps.
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">2024 Baylor Soccer Signees<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Emerson Garcia<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Defender | Denton, Texas | Denton Guyer High School | Solar SC<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Sierra Gallant<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Goalkeeper | Fall River, Nova Scotia | Lockview High School | Suburban FC<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Olivia Hess<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Midfielder | Prosper, Texas | Prosper High School | Sting Black 07/06 ECNL<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">- www.BaylorBears.com -</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">__________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#154734;mso-ligatures:none">Katy Gilmore</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> | Associate Director
of Athletic Communications</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">O: 254-710-2743 | C: 254-252-2182</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://baylorbears.com/" title="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="160" height="44" style="width:1.6666in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DB35CF.A90D11B0" alt="cidimage002.png@01D79F3C.9D2300D0"></span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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