Lauren Rakytiak-Photo courtesy of Strongsville City Schools
CLEVELAND - Strongsville High School seniors Vanessa DiNardo and Lauren Rakytiak have been named 2017 High School All-Americans by the United Soccer Coaches Association. DiNardo and Rakytiak are among an exclusive list of just sixty girls nationwide to earn this honor. They represent the thirteenth and fourteenth All-Americans in Strongsville High School Lady Mustangs history and the first time Strongsville High School has had two All-Americans in the same year. Both girls are products of the Strongsville Soccer Organization youth program.
Vanessa DiNardo-Photo courtesy of Strongsville City Schools.
DiNardo is a four year letter winner with sixty-five career goals. She was recently named the 2017 Ohio Division I Girls Soccer Player of the Year, the 2017 Greater Cleveland Girls Soccer Player of the Year, and the 2017 Greater Cleveland Conference Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She was also named to the 2017 All-Ohio First Team. DiNardo will be continuing her soccer career at the University of Cincinnati.
Rakytiak is a four year letter winner with thirty-two goals in the last two seasons. This is the second year in a row she has earned All-American honors and becomes only the second student-athlete in program history to be recognized twice (Ashley Meier 2010-11). She is also a back to back member of the All-Ohio First Team (2016-17), a member of the 2017 Greater Cleveland First Team and last year was named 2016 Greater Cleveland Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Rakytiak will be joining the Kent State Women’s Soccer team next fall.
DiNardo and Rakytiak will be honored and recognized at the All-American luncheon on January 20, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in conjunction with the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Convention.
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