MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State soccer and head coach Brian Bahl announced 13 student-athletes have penned a National Letter of Intent to join the Mavericks next season.
 
All signings are contingent upon admission to Minnesota State and compliance with NCAA rules, including certification by the NCAA Eligibility Center.
 
"Today is a great day for Maverick Soccer," said head coach Brian Bahl. "We had the opportunity to add some incredible people, families, leaders and amazing soccer players to the Maverick family with this class. It's been a lot of fun getting to know this group as we've gone through the recruiting process. They are motivated and talented and we can't wait for them to take the field with us next fall. 
 
"The future of Maverick soccer is as exciting as it's ever been," continued Bahl. "We already return an extremely talented roster in the fall of 2024 after having one of the youngest teams we've ever had this fall, and this signing class will help fill in gaps left by graduation and will bolster us in every category on the field.  This class will allow us to have sustained success for years to come and these next few years for Maverick Soccer might just be the best we've ever seen. It's going to be a lot of fun.
 
"I love our team, our culture, the great people we have here and I'm so excited for what's to come. This new class is going to fit wonderfully with our values and our vision and they will play a huge role in all the great things that are ahead for Maverick Soccer."
 
MEET THE RECRUITS
 
A defender from Andover, Minn., Addison Baumhauer was a three-year varsity letterwinner with the Andover High School soccer team. She was a fit-15 winner and helped her team advance to the semifinals of the state tournament. 
 
Baumhauer was named to the honor roll three times and is the daughter of Gretchen and Greg Baumhauer. Her dad Greg played football at the University of Minnesota (1988-91). She is undecided on a major. 
 
A defender from Iowa City, Iowa Maclayne Menzel was a four-year varsity letterwinner with the City High School soccer team. As a freshman she claimed all-conference second team and freshman of the year honors, before earning all-conference first team honors during her sophomore and junior campaigns. 
 
Menzel is a member of the National Honor Society and is the daughter of Craig and Megan Menzel. Her mother Megan played golf at the University of New Mexico. She is undecided on a major.  
 
A forward from Lake Elmo, Minn., Amara Smith earned offensive player of the year honors four times with the Metro United Homeschool High School team. She was the leading scorer for the team during all four of her seasons and set single season and career records for the team. As a captain during her junior season, Smith guided the squad to the national homeschool tournament championship. 
 
During her senior season, she played for Tartan High School where she led the team in goals. She would go on to claim all-conference honors and was named the team's MVP and best offensive player. Smith also received an academic excellence award.  
 
Amara is the daughter of Mark and Karleen Smith. Her dad Mark played hockey at the University of Wisconsin (1994-98) and her mom Karleen ran cross country and track at UW-La Crosse (1994-95). She intends to major in psychology. 
 
A center back from Mahtomedi, Minn., Savanna Stockness received a pair of all-conference honors as a member of the Mahtomedi Senior High soccer team. As a sophomore, she helped her team win the Class 2A state championship.  
 
Stockness also garnered two All-State honors during her junior and senior seasons and was named a Ms. Soccer finalist. Savanna intends to major in marketing or management. 
 
Taryn Johnson comes to the Mavericks from Sequim High School, where she is a 5-foot-4-inch forward/midfielder and three-sport athlete. In soccer, Johnson was a first-team all-league player (x2) and named all-peninsula most valuable player as a junior. Johnson was also all-peninsula first team as a sophomore, then named co-captain as an upperclassman.
 
She broke the Sequim school record for career goals in her third season and led the squad in goals three straight years. Other records include most career goals (78), career points (181), goals scored in a season (26), and goals scored in a game (six). Also an outstanding athlete in track and field and basketball, Johnson won the WIAA Outstanding Scholastic Award and the Olympic League Scholar-Athlete Award. She is involved in student council leadership and choir.
 
Johnson is the daughter of Kristen and Travis. She intends to major in Exercise Science at Minnesota State.
 
Marin Johnson is a 5-foot-5-inch forward from Delano, Minnesota. She was a three-sport athlete at Delano High School. As a freshman, Johnson earned rookie of the year in soccer. The following year, Johnson was named all-conference in soccer and attacker of the year after leading the squad in scoring. Johnson was also Minnesota Class AA first team all-state as a senior as well as all-conference, attacker of the year, and Star Tribune Prep Athlete of the Week. She led the team in scoring in her final season.
 
Johnson is the daughter of Kelli and Jeff. She intends to major in Exercise Science at Minnesota State.
 
Aftyn Murray comes to the Mavericks as an attacking midfielder/forward from Tea, South Dakota. Murray is 5-feet-4-inches and attended Tea Area High School. Her high school accolades include nominations for Gatorade Player of the Year (2022, 2023), second team all-state (2020), first team all-state (2021, 2022, 2023), and two-year team captain. Murray helped her team to three State Championships and led the squad in goals (18) and assists (14) in 2023. A five-year letter winner, Murray was a starter for four seasons and was voted offensive player of the game in the 2023 State Championship game. Murray is a member of National Honor Society as well as Future Business Leaders of America.
 
Murrays parents are Chris and Heather. She intends to major in Nursing at Minnesota State.
 
A forward from Andover, Minn., Brenna Hudson was a four-year letterwinner and a three-year starter with the Andover High School soccer team. She received all-conference honorable mention as a sophomore after recording 11 goals and two assists. As a junior she would claim all-conference and All-State First Team honors as she tallied 14 goals and 11 assists in 17 matches. 
 
As a senior, Hudson garnered all-conference honors as she posted five goals and six assists and helped her team to a section championship. She is a member of the National Honor Society and received an MSHSL academic excellence award. Brenna is the daughter of Scott and Sarah Hudson and she intends to major in Exercise Science. 
 
A center back from Lakeville, Minn., Alexandra Singer is a three-year letterwinner and starter with the Lakeville North High School soccer team. As a sophomore she helped her team to a conference championship and an appearance at the state tournament. As a junior she scored six goals, en route to claiming all-conference honors. 
 
As a senior she would claim all-conference and All-State honors as she helped her team reach the state tournament. Alexandra is the daughter of Jason and Sally Albers-Singer. She received two academic excellence awards from the MSHSL and intends to major in dentistry.  
 
Meghan Sullivan joins the Mavericks from Plymouth, Minnesota, where she attended and captained the Wayzata High School Trojans playing center midfield. Sullivan helped her team to a pair of section championships and was an all-state honoree (2023). As a freshman and sophomore, she was an all-star game selection Wayzata finished first in the conference standings.
 
Sullivan is the daughter of Michael and Natalie and intends to study Applied Health Sciences at Minnesota State.
 
Reese Hilsenbeck (Eldridge, Iowa) is a 5-foot-4-inch midfielder/forward who has played soccer for the North Scott Lancers for past three seasons. As a junior, Hilsenbeck recorded 15 goals and led the team with 12 assists. She was also named first team all-conference, first team all-district, and all-state tournament team. The prior fall, she scored nine goals with eight assists for second team all-conference, first team all-district, and second team all-state. As a freshman, Hilsenbeck posted eight goals and 12 assists leading to her selection as honorable mention all-conference, first team all-district, and second team all-state.
 
Hilsenbeck is the daughter of Robert and Lisa and plans to study Biology/Pharmacology at Minnesota State. She was a member of the MAC All-Academic team and won the GHSAU Academic Achievement award.
 
Alicia Hoffman (Andover, Minnesota) joins the Mavericks after four seasons of soccer at Andover High School. She played forward, defender, and midfielder as a prep athlete and helped her team with 23 points as a senior team captain as Andover finished third at state. Hoffman was named captain as a junior and recorded 28 points that season. She was an all-conference selection as a sophomore with 30 points, including 12 goals and posted 20 points for a varsity letter as a freshman.
 
Hoffman intends to major in Communications at Minnesota State. Her father Joe also attended MSU.
 
Elan Litt is a 5-foot-4-inch defender Valley City High School Tiger from West Des Moines, Iowa. Also a basketball player, Litt helped her team to a pair of conference titles and the Iowa State Championship as a freshman. Litt has been named academic all-conference twice as the Tigers were state runners-up last season. As a junior, Litt was chosen as a member of the 3A State All-Tournament Team.
 
Litt is the daughter of Bradley and Nadean and is undecided on an area of study at Minnesota State.
 

Name	Position	Hometown/High School	Club Team
Addison Baumhauer	D	Andover, Minn./Andover High School	BoReal FC
Maclayne Menzel	D	Iowa City, Iowa/City High School	Sporting Iowa ECNL
Amara Smith	F	Lake Elmo, Minn./Metro United Homeschool High School	St. Croix SC
Savanna Stockness	D	Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi High School	Manitou SC
Taryn Johnson	M/F	Sequim, Wash./Sequim High School	Washington Premier ECNL-RL
Marin Johnson	F	Delano, Minn./Delano High School	TC Rush
Aftyn Murray	M/F	Tea, S.D./Tea Area High School	Dakota Alliance SC
Brenna Hudson	F	Andover, Minn./Andover High School	BoReal FC
Alexandra Singer	D	Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North High School	Tonka Fusion Elite
Meghan Sullivan	M	Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata High School	Tonka Fusion Elite
Reese Hilsenbeck	M/F	Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott High School	Rockford Raptors FC
Alicia Hoffman	F	Andover, Minn./Andover High School	BoReal FC
Elan Litt	D	West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley City High School	Sporting Iowa ECNL