Hurtado (upper left), Ulate (upper right), Castillo (bottom left), and Loertscher (bottom right) all sign for Plainswomen soccer
Hurtado (upper left), Ulate (upper right), Castillo (bottom left), and Loertscher (bottom right) all sign for Plainswomen soccer

Plainswomen Soccer Adds Four More

May 15, 2019, Sterling, Colo. — The Plainswomen soccer team recently signed four student-athletes to play in the fall of 2019.  Amber Hurtado, Catalina Ulate, Jacqueline Castillo, and Kassidy Loertscher all signed their Letter of Intents to play for Northeastern. 

Amber Hurtado is a forward from Thornton, Colo. who attended Horizon High School. Prior to attending Horizon, she lettered her freshman and sophomore years at Legacy High School before finishing her career at Horizon. As captain, she led her club team, Broomfield Blast Prestige 00, to win the State Cup in 2018. Her club is currently ranked second in Colorado and 27th in the nation. Additionally, she was part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) for two years. Hurtado stated, "I'd like to thank everyone who got me here and a special thanks to my brother who has always been my biggest fan and greatest role model. My mom who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. My dad who kept me stronger than I thought I was." Head coach Ken McAlpine said, "Amber has a unique skill set as a forward that will benefit our team from the beginning. She has a nose for goal and has good, natural timing on runs in front of the defender. She is one of those attackers that is a threat to get on any ball played into the penalty area. We wanted to address our attack with this recruiting class, and we are excited to welcome Amber into this talented attacking group arriving in the fall." 

Catalina Ulate is a goalkeeper from Odessa, Texas who attended Odessa High School. As a Broncho, she helped lead her high school to three straight 6A State Playoff appearances in Texas, advancing to the second round in each year (2017-2019). Additionally, she has been recognized as an All-District player. Ulate stated, "I'm excited to attend Northeastern and I'd like to thank my family for pushing me to do my best in everything. Also, I'd like to thank my high school coach for always keeping me motivated to do my best." McAlpine said, "We are excited to welcome Catalina into the Plainswomen family. She is a technically strong keeper with great agility. She is light on her feet and is very quick to the ground. We are looking forward to having her form a strong goalkeeping unit that can push, challenge, and support each other. Her bright, positive personality will also be a great addition to our campus and community." 

Jacqueline Castillo is also a goalkeeper who comes from Dacono, Colo. and attended Frederick High School. As a prep, she lettered the last three seasons as a Warrior. In her junior year, she was named team most valuable player, most improved, and was also selected to the Tri-Valley All-Conference Team Honorable Mention. Additionally, she helped lead her team in winning the 2017 Broomfield Shootout. Not only was she a standout in soccer, but she was also a member of the varsity basketball team at Frederick. McAlpine is excited about the grit she brings to the team. "Jacki has the toughness, mentality, and work ethic we are looking for at Northeastern. She trains very hard, is eager to learn, and has a ton of potential. She is very comfortable with the ball at her feet and excels at keeping possession for her team. We are happy to be welcoming Jacki into the program." 

Kassidy Loertscher is a defender from Stansbury Park, Utah who will transfer from Utah State Eastern (USE). As a prep for the Stallions, she led her team to its first regional title to qualify for the state playoffs. She played her club soccer at the Premier Level for the Utah Soccer Alliance. In the classroom, Loertscher excelled earning high honor roll and was the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. Loertscher stated, "I am excited to be transferring to Northeastern where I will pursue both my love of playing soccer and a degree in Physical Therapy." Head coach McAlpine said, "We initially recruited Kassidy out of high school, and we are very happy that she has decided to attend Northeastern. She has the good technical ability on the ball and possesses the physicality needed to compete in our Region. With her experience, we are excited to add her to our sophomore group where she will play an active role in leading the team." 

The Plainswomen team will report the first of August to begin their preseason training.