There have been many changes for the Red for this upcoming 2012 season. In addition to new head coach Patrick Farmer, there will be ten new freshmen ­– Joanna Barrett, Jenna Cantor, Maddie Dunn, Caroline Growney, Michelle Manning, Breanna Mockler, Caroline Quentin, Amanda Symons, Charlotte Tate and Morgan Zaidel – that will suit up for Cornell. The Class of 2016 will feature a multitude of positions ­– including a pair of goalkeepers – to help fill the holes of last year’s lineup and hopefully improve on its 2-13-1 record.

Joanna Barrett is the first of ten who comes to the Red from nearby Lansing, N.Y. as an addition to the defense. She was named all-state second team defender and was twice named as an all-conference team defender.

“Joanna is a local player who is an athletic defender and brings a strong playing background into her freshman year,” said head coach Patrick Farmer. “Joanna will compete for a spot as flank defender at Cornell.”

Jenna Cantor is a midfielder from Winston Churchill high school where she was named a National Soccer Coaches Association of American Scholar All-American and a Maryland All-State First Team Selection last season. Cantor is a four-time Maryland Olympic Development Program player and competed with the Bethesda Freedom club team to win the US Club National Club X Regional Championship.

Maddie Dunn is a dual-position player for the defense and the offense and comes to the Red from Sherborn, Mass. Dunn was named as the Boston Globe’s Player of the Year in 2011 and earned a spot on the All-Scholastic Team for both the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. She also lettered for all four years in high school and helped lead her team to a Division III state championship.

“Maddie is a multi-positional player who will most probably compete as a target forward in 2012.  In 2011, she was the high scorer in her class in the state after moving from central defense to central striker following an injury to a teammate," said Coach Farmer.    

Caroline Growney is the fourth addition and will be an asset as a forward from Albuquerque, N.M. Growney helped Albuquerque Academy to win state championships all four years that she played there.

Michelle Manning is brought into the defense from Littleton, Colo. where she served as a versatile member of her high school team. Manning was named rookie of the year as a freshman at ThunderRidge high school and earned an all-league honorable mention as a sophomore. She grabbed first-team all-league honors as a defender during her junior season and earned all-league second-team honors as a senior but from the offensive line.

“Michelle is an athletic flank defender from Colorado who has spent the major part of the summer on campus taking classes,” said Coach Farmer. “She brings speed, agility, and defending impact to the back line and will be able to compete right away for playing time.”

 Breanna Mockler is the fifth to be put on the roster and is from Davis, Calif. coming to the Red as a defender or midfielder. Mockler competed with the Olympic Development Program last season winning a Regional IV Championship.

Caroline Quentin is the first of the pair of goalies to join Cornell from Arlington high school in Poughquag, N.Y. Quentin was a four-year varsity athlete who helped her team to the state finals during both her junior and senior years. She was also an Olympic Development Program Select National Pool Player for four seasons.

“Caroline is a strong goalkeeper. She is solid physically and technically in the goal and has good distribution. Caroline has very good communication with her back line that should help her transition to the college game, and she has a strong presence in the penalty area,” said Coach Farmer. ‘She will be one of the three goalkeepers who will compete for the starting role vacated by the two graduating seniors after the 2011 season.”

Amanda Symons is the second of the goalkeepers to join the Red. At 6’0” she is a forced to be reckoned with from Grand Blanc, Mich. after playing for her high school and the Elite Club National League.

Charlotte Tate comes to Cornell from Westlake, Ohio as a defender. Tate was named to the All-Ohio First Team and All-Region IV First Team after her senior season as captain for Westlake high school. She helped Westlake win three district championships and is a three-time selection to the All-Southwest Conference and All-District Greater Cleveland Teams.

“Charlotte is a fast, athletic defender from Ohio who will compete at the flank defender role in our preseason. She was a first team All-Ohio state defender last year in her senior high school season and was the 'shut down' defender for her team, assigned to the opponent's top frontrunner," said Coach Farmer.

Morgan Zaidel is the tenth freshman to round out the Class of 2016, as a defenseman from Basking Ridge, N.J. Zaidel led Gill St. Bernard’s in scoring during both her freshman and sophomore seasons and played club soccer with Matchfit Chelsea FC.

The Red starts its season over Labor Day weekend at the D.C. Invitational. Both games of the contest will be played in the afternoon, with Georgetown — ranked ninth in the nation last year — on Sept. 1 and GW two days later.

The team will play its first game at its home facility against Sacred Heart on Sept. 14 . This game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two competitors. The Pioneers had a 10-win season last year and advanced to the Northeast Conference semifinals so the matchup should be an interesting one for Cornell. Of the Red’s sixteen games of the season, seven will be played on its home turf at Charles F. Berman Field.

Ivy League play begins with an away match against Columbia on Friday Sept. 21 to continue a very interesting upcoming season for the Red.