BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Samford University soccer coach Todd Yelton officially announced the signing of seven players to national letters-of-intent Tuesday as the Bulldogs continued their string of stellar recruiting classes on both a regional and national level.
 
Samford's highly-touted 2013 recruiting class consists of Anna Allen, Taylor Borman, Olivia Cole, Malcanisha Kelley, Molly Pittman, Emily Praktish and Dale Steinagle. All seven of the talented prep stars have signed to play for the Bulldogs next season.
 
“I'm extremely excited about this group of players and I'm looking forward to working with them for the next four years,” said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. “They are not only quality players but a great group of kids. I believe that several of these players have the potential to make an immediate impact on our team next season.”
 
Anna Allen comes to Samford from nearby Vestavia Hills where she was listed as a 4-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer. A 10-year veteran of club soccer, Allen was recently named to Alabama's prestigious Olympic Developmental Program. She also earned all-state honors at Vestavia Hills High School.
 
The 2013 Team Captain at VHHS, Allen is a three-year starter in the midfield and was named to the All-Tournament Team of both the 2012 Gulf Shores Classic and the 2012 Lakeshore Shootout. She was also ranked as the No. 10 midfielder in the South Region.
 
Academically, Allen has prospered at Vestavia Hills and concluded her prep career with a brilliant 3.8 grade-point average. She was also a member of Mu Alpha Theta and a four-year member of the Student Council.
 
Taylor Borman joins the Bulldogs as a native of Georgetown, Ky., where she was a finalist for Miss Soccer in the state of Kentucky. She was also a finalist for Gatorade Player of the Year and was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) all-region team.
 
During her illustrious prep career at Scott County High School, Borman finished the 2012 season with 32 goals. She led SCHS to a No. 3-ranking in Kentucky and also added a state-record 46 assists. Borman's assist total from last season proved to be tied for first place in the nation. She was also named a 4-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer.
 
An offensive powerhouse in high school, Borman scored 107 goals and assisted on an additional 93 scores at Scott County High School. A four-time all-region performer, she was also named her school's offensive most valuable player in all four seasons of her record-breaking career.
 
Borman, who proved to be a three-time All-Kentucky honoree in soccer, also received all-state honors in lacrosse and was the SCHS team captain in the sport.
 
In club play, Borman competed for Javanon 95 and helped lead her squad to five state championships and a pair of runner-up finishes. Individually, she was invited to three years of ODP Region Camp and was named a 4-star player by Top Drawer Soccer. Borman was also named a prestigious top-150 finalist by ESPN.
 
Olivia Cole is a native of Orlando, Fla., where she was a seven-year member of the varsity team at The First Academy. She was also a three-year letterwinner in track and field in high school. Cole played seven seasons of club soccer for FC America and was honored by being named to the 2008 Florida ODP team.
 
Cole also played for the Central Florida Krush 94 Black Premier squad (2010-12) and competed in the Elite Club National League (2012-13).
 
A natural leader, Cole was named the team captain of FC America from 2006-10 and also at The First Academy from 2009-13. She excelled on the soccer field and garnered her high school's most valuable player award in six-consecutive seasons. Cole was also named to the all-district team in both 2009 and 2010.
 
As one of the fastest soccer players in Florida, Cole also ran track and earned state runner-up honors in the 2010 4x400 relay. Her squad also claimed the 2010 regional championship title in the 4x400 relay.
 
Cole succeeded off the field as well in high school and was named to the National Junior Honors Society in 2007-10). An annual member of the Headmasters List, she also received National Honors Society honors in 2011-13.
 
Malcanisha Kelley is an athletic 5-foot-10 forward from Childersburg who was named a 4-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer. As one of the best players in Alabama, she was also tabbed as the No. 11-ranked forward in the South Region.
 
At Childersburg High School, Kelley was a member of the prestigious 4A All-Tournament team in basketball and was the only female from the school to medal at the Alabama State Championships in track and field. In only her first year on the track team, she placed second in the state in the 400-meter dash.

Kelley, a tremendous athlete, also excelled in basketball and in 2012 she garnered Second-Team AWSA All-State honors in class 4A and was named to the Talladega Country All-Tournament team.
 
Molly Pittman, who actually enrolled at Samford in the spring, is a native of Carmel, Ind., where she was named a top-15 player in the Great Lakes Regional by Top Drawer Soccer. She was also invited to compete at the prestigious United States Club Soccer id2 National Camp in 2011, 2010 and 2008.
 
During her time at Carmel High School, Pittman garnered Indiana All-State honors and was named both first-team all-state and first-team all-district. Pittman also helped her high school squad reach the pinnacle of prep soccer in 2011, as CHS was ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation by ESPN. Individually, she was ranked No. 134 in the nation by the IMG Academy and as the No. 29 defender in the country.
 
An ODP Regional A Pool player and three-time member of the Indiana ODP State team, Pittman was named the 2010 Carmel High School Athlete of the Year and played for the North team in the annual all-star competition. Off the court, Pittman was recognized as a member of the Indiana All-State Academic team.
 
Emily Praktish comes to Samford from Greenville, S.C., where she starred at Mauldin High School and with her club team, CESA 95. During her time at MHS, Praktish led her squad to South Carolina State championship titles in 2008-11. They also qualified for the Region III Playoffs in both 2009 and 2010.
 
Praktish was honored to be a member of the South Carolina State ODP Team in 2007-09 and also competed in the quarterfinals of the Region III Tournament in 2009 and 2010.
 
Dale Steinagle comes to Samford from Murfreesboro, Tenn., where she was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of District 7-AAA in 2012. Also last season, Steinagle was named THSSA All-State, a THSSCA All-Star and First-Team All-Area by the Daily News Journal.
 
Additionally, Steinagle was named a 2012 All-Tennessee performer by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association and garnered Female Athlete of the Week honors on Nov. 7, by the Daily News Journal.
 
Steinagle was a team captain and four-year varsity member at Siegel High School, and earned the school's North Star Award as a senior. As one of the top goalkeepers in the Southeast, she registered 13 shutouts in 2012 and didn't allow a single goal against district opponents in regular-season play.
 
In 2011, Steinagle was named First-Team District 7-AAA and earned All-Area First-Team accolades from the Daily News Journal. While competing for her club team, MSC Strikers Premier 95, Steinagle helped lead her squad to a state championship title in 2011 and a runner-up finish in 2012.
 
“With the addition of these seven talented players, I believe we have added size, speed and a tremendously competitive group to our roster,” Yelton said. “I am certain that this group of players will immediately make us a better team in 2013.”
 
2013 Samford Soccer Recruiting Class
 
Player, Ht., Pos., Hometown, High School, Club Team
Anna Allen, 5-7, MF, Vestavia Hills, Ala., Vestavia Hills HS, Birmingham United SA 95 ECNL
Taylor Borman, 5-5, MF, Georgetown, Ky., Scott County HS, Javanon 95
Olivia Cole, 5-10, D, Orlando, Fla., The First Academy, Orlando City Youth 95 ECNL
Malcanisha Kelley, 5-10, F, Childersburg, Ala., Childersburg HS, Birmingham United SA 95 ECNL
Molly Pittman, 5-10, D, Carmel, Ind., Carmel HS, Carmel United 95 ECNL
Emily Praktish, 5-8, F, Greenville, S.C., Mauldin HS, CESA 95 ECNL
Dale Steinagle, 5-8, GK, Murfreesboro, Tenn., Seigel HS, Tennessee Soccer Club