Feb. 6, 2002

WACO, Texas - Baylor soccer coach Nick Cowell announced the signing of four players Wednesday to National Letters of Intent for the 2002 season.

"We only graduated two seniors," Cowell said. "We also had two players [Emily Koch and Stephanie Dempsey] leave because of injury. So, we didn't have a lot of scholarship money to work with. However, we feel like with these players we have added to the depth of the squad. We definitely added some firepower."

Amber Cole joins the Bears from Churchill High School in San Antonio, Texas. Cole is an attacking midfielder/forward who played club soccer with the San Antonio Classics SC, the same team as current Baylor freshman Mel Pannell. According to Cowell, Cole is a "very strong, athletic player who likes to score goals. She is good in the air and has excellent technique on the ground. Her work rate is excellent."

Defender Kandyce Farr played her high school soccer at Katy High School in Katy, Texas. Farr, like defender Melissa Humke, played club soccer for the Houston Challenge SC. Farr brings a burst of speed to the Baylor lineup. "Kandyce is an athletic defender who likes to contribute offensively, too," Cowell said. "She is fearless both in the tackle and in the air, and she, too, has an excellent work rate."

Like Farr, Samantha Savage, a midfielder/forward from Grapevine High School in Grapevine, Texas, also adds athleticism and speed to the team. "She is a very fast, athletic player who likes to run at defenders with the ball," Cowell said. "Samantha is an excellent one-on-one player who will score and make goals. She is a very tough player who enjoys the physical aspect of the game and works hard on both sides of the ball." Savage played club ball for the Solar SC.

Bethany Vick comes to Baylor from Southwest Christian School in Fort Worth, Texas. Vick played club soccer with the Texas Image SC, becoming the latest in a long line of Bears to have played with that team, former Baylor stars Courtney Saunders, Nikki Hales and Jerri Konlande all played for the Image. Vick is an outside midfielder or forward with excellent fundamentals. "Bethany is a very technical player, with excellent ball skills and tremendous fitness. She possesses an excellent shot and can serve balls well from the outside. I am impressed by her excellent work rate and desire to do well," Cowell said.

Two of the four signees -- Cole and Vick -- are graduates of the Baylor Soccer Camp.

Cowell also announced the addition of three midseason transfers who joined the Bears in January.

Katie Chicoine, a wide midfielder, transferred to Baylor from Mary Hardin-Baylor, where last season she was named to the American Southwest Conference, All-West Division First Team and ASC all-tournament team as a freshman. Chicoine finished second on the team with 11 goals, four assists and 26 points. She also ranked among the conference leaders in each of those categories. A native of Round Rock, Texas, played club soccer for the same team as current Baylor freshman April Robertson, the American Eagles.

Center midfielder Kristen Starzynski came to Baylor from Pepperdine. Originally from Georgetown, Texas, Starzynski also played club soccer with Robertson and Chicoine for the American Eagles. She did not play at Pepperdine due to an ankle injury.

The third transfer was Kate Hensman, a junior forward from Radford University, where she earned all-Big South Tournament honors as a freshman and was named second team all-conference and academic all-Big South as a sophomore. Hensman finished second on the team in goals (four) and points (11) and tied for the lead in assists (three) despite playing in just 11 games. Hensman attended high school at Pymble Ladies College in her hometown of Sydney, Australia, she will be only the second international player to play soccer for Baylor (Leah Prestwood, a native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada played for the Bears in 1996-1997).