DETROIT (11/22/2019) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse program and second-year head coach
Megan Callahan '13 have announced the signing of eight student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play for the Titans. All eight signed during the fall signing period in mid-November.
The eight that will join Detroit Mercy prior to the 2020-21 school year are
Ella Brandt (Mundelein, Ill. / Mundelein HS),
Emma Donahue (Hartland, Mich. / Hartland HS),
Cat Kopchia (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton HS),
Kristine Kropp (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville HS),
Sarah Meek (Indianapolis, Ind. / Bishop Chatard HS),
Kaileigh Nuessgen (Beavercreek, Ohio / Beavercreek HS),
Abby Schillinger (Avon Lake, Ohio / Avon Lake HS) and
Cecelia Vergara (Sunset Beach, N.C. / West Brunswick HS).
All eight are field players and the signing class represents five different states from throughout the Midwest and East coast in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio. It's the second signing class in head coach Megan Callahan's tenure.
"We are really excited for this class!" Callahan said. "They bring a lot of talent from all over and having them all together in Detroit is going to be fun and the future is bright for them and this program."
More about the signees:
Ella Brandt // Midfield
Hometown: Mundelein, Ill.
High School: Mundelein
Career Accolades: Lettered in three different sports -- four years in lacrosse, three years in volleyball and one year in tennis for the Mustangs ... A co-captain and All-Conference honoree in 2019, who also was named the Defensive Player of the Year as a junior ... Earned All-Academic honors and received 2019 North Suburban Conference Sportsmanship Award ... Also a co-captain in volleyball and All-Academic and All-Conference in tennis ... Played club lacrosse for Team One (two years) and Warriors (one year) and IGLA (two years), winning King of Queens and named MVP of tournament in Ohio ... Her brother, Reilly, plays lacrosse for Alabama ... Played club lacrosse with fellow incoming Titan Kristine Kropp.
Callahan on Brandt: "Ella is a force to be reckoned with on the field. She is tricky and sneaky, especially on the offensive end."
Emma Donahue // Attacker
Hometown: Hartland, Mich.
High School: Hartland
Career Accolades: Lettered in lacrosse and field hockey across four seasons in each for the Eagles ... Helped team to sixth, seventh and eighth regional championships in first three years of lacrosse ... Named Second Team All-State and First Team All-Conference as a junior ... Led team in assists and was All-Conference Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2018 ... Two-time State Bank Athlete of the Week ... Has more than 130 career points with more than 80 goals and 50 assists ... Competed in club lacrosse with Cyclones Lacrosse (seven years) ... Played high school lacrosse with current Titan
Emily Beazley ... Her grandfather attended the University.
Callahan on Donahue: "Emma's is a great attacker, whose height and skills are going to help our offense end."
Cat Kopchia // Attacker
Hometown: Brighton, Mich.
High School: Brighton
Career Accolades: A three-year varsity letter-winner entering her senior season in 2020, while also lettering in field hockey twice and power lifting twice for the Bulldogs ... Two-time All-State, including First Team as a sophomore ... Also two-time All-State from the Michigan Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association ... Three-time Scholar-Athlete and three-time All-Conference entering final season ... Helped team to state runner-up finish in past two seasons at Division 1 ... She was a nominee for the Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year Award by the
Detroit Free Press as a junior ... As a junior, earned Shining Star Award and Most Valuable Attack Award (MVA) ... In past two seasons, tallied 88 goals, 54 assists, 47 draw controls and 156 shots on goal ... Led team in goals in field hockey ... Competed in club lacrosse with BJ Bandits (three years) ... Played in National Lacrosse Games with Team Michigan in freshman and sophomore seasons and with Team Maryland as a junior ... Her father, Larry Kopchia, played football at Wayne State and sister, Maria, played soccer at Cleary ... High school teammate of current Titan
Allie Falk.
Callahan on Kopchia: "Cat is a strong attacker that is not afraid of driving to the cage and we are looking forward to having her on our offensive end."
Kristine Kropp // Midfield
Hometown: Libertyville, Ill.
High School: Libertyville
Career Accolades: Lettered in lacrosse for three years entering senior season in 2020 ... Also lettered three years in bowling and one year in cross country for the Wildcats ... Earned All-Conference honors in lacrosse as a junior ... Totaled 68 goals, 25 ground balls and 20 assists on varsity ... Competed in club lacosse with Team One (two years) and Warriors (one year), winning King of Queens tournament championship ... Played club lacrosse with fellow incoming Titan Ella Brandt.
Callahan on Kropp: "Kristine's IQ of the game and skills, from the draw circle to both ends of the field is going to be a huge asset on the field."
Sarah Meek // Midfield
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
High School: Bishop Chatard
Career Accolades: Lettered in three sports in high school -- lacrosse in all four seasons and basketball and volleyball as a junior and senior on varsity for the Trojans ... Named First Team All-State, All-Region, All-Conference and All-City as a junior in lacrosse, as well as Team MVP ... Helped team to conference championship as a sophomore and earned All-Region honors ... Helped basketball team to city championships as a freshman and sophomore and sectional title as a junior ... Named MVP of volleyball team as a sophomore and helped team to sectional championship as a junior ... Broke program record in draw controls, led team in assists as a sophomore and junior and was team's leading scorer as a junior in 2019 ... Competed in club lacrosse with Indy United Lacrosse Club ... Her father, Tim, played baseball at Baldwin Wallace.
Callahan on Meek: "Sarah is a work horse who doesn't stop and her style of play, athleticism and drive is going to translate nicely at the collegiate level."
Kaileigh Nuessgen // Midfield
Hometown: Beavercreek, Ohio
High School: Beavercreek
Career Accolades: A three-sport letter-winner, including twice in lacrosse entering 2020 senior year, two times in soccer (playing all four years) and three times in wrestling entering final season ... Two-time All-Region, including Second Team as a junior ... A two-time Team MVP and co-captain as a junior ... Scored a school-record 73 goals as a junior, adding 61 ground balls and 61 draw controls ... Totaled 97 goals in past two seasons on varsity, adding 20 assists, 119 ground balls, 75 draw controls and 24 caused turnovers ... Helped her soccer program to state championship in 2018, breaking Ohio state record for most consecutive wins at 43 ... Named Second Team All-Conference, Third Team All-Area and helped lead soccer team to two district titles ... In wrestling, helped squad to three sectional championships, three league titles, earned First Team All-Conference honors and was first female Division I sectional champion and first female league placer in 2018 ... Competed in club lacrosse for Major Force Lacrosse (two years) ... Her brother, Austin, plays baseball at Trine.
Callahan on Nuessgen: "Kaileigh is very athletic and scrappy on the field and it's going to be fun to have her in our midfield and see her skills help take our style of play to the next level."
Abby Schillinger // Midfield
Hometown: Avon Lake, Ohio
High School: Avon Lake
Career Accolades: A three-sport letter-winner in lacrosse (four years), swimming (four years) and volleyball (one year) for the Shoregals ... Earned Attacker of the Year and Midfielder of the Year honors for Avon Lake in lacrosse ... A First Team All-Conference swimmer and two-year district qualifier ... Played club lacrosse with Ohio Premier (two years) ... Her father, Andy Schillinger, played collegiate football at Miami (Ohio) and was drafted into the NFL by the Phoenix Cardinals ... Her sister, Emily, plays volleyball at Fairfield University ... Played high school lacrosse with current Titan defender
Sarah Lucas.
Callahan on Schillinger: "Abby is an extremely hard worker and all-around lacrosse player that is going to help take our program to the next level."
Cecelia Vergara // Midfield
Hometown: Sunset Beach, N.C.
High School: West Brunswick
Career Accolades: A four-year varsity letter-winner in lacrosse for the Trojans ... A three-time varsity captain and Team MVP as a junior ... First Team All-Area as a junior, leading her conference in points (91) on 55 goals and 36 assists ... All-Area Second Team as a sophomore in 2018 ... A two-time All-Conference honoree entering senior season ... Broke the school record for goals in a game (10) during her junior season and reached 100 career goals midway through her junior year ... Competed in club lacrosse with Carolina Flight (two years).
Callahan on Vergara: "CeCe is a very versatile player whose heart and athleticism will be a huge asset for our program!"
