Racers Announce 2019 Signing Class

Murray State head soccer coach Matt Lodge announced the 2019 signing class that included nine student-athletes who will join the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Champion Racers next year.

Among the nine are Grace Bodker, Tori Bonno, Carlee Crafton, Parker Greer, Maddie Griggs, Gillian Nithang, Lauren Payne, Lilly Strader, and Jenna Villacres.

Grace Bodker – (Sunbury, Oh. / Big Walnut High School)
A four-year starter for the Big Walnut Golden Eagles' midfield, Bodker also participated on the Classics Eagles Red FC club team with recent Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Abby Jones and fellow 2019 signee Jenna Villacres. The trio won the State Cup Championship in 2018. She was also named to the ODP State Team from 2014-2016 while garnering 2018 Top Drawer Soccer All-American Watch List honors.

Tori Bonno – (Mason, Ohio / William Mason High School)
Looking to add depth to the Murray State midfield, Tori Bonno joins the Racers after a breakout senior season as a captain for the WMHS Comets. In the Greater Miami Conference, Bonno finished 11th in the GMC offensive leaders category with five goals, nine assists for 19 total points for 2018. After leading the Comets to a 16-2-2 record, she was named not only First Team All-GMC but also First Team All-Southwest Ohio.

Carlee Crafton – (Henderson, Ky. / Henderson County High School)
Following family tradition, Crafton joins her grandfather, Bud Crafton, her two uncles, Chip, and Scott Crafton, in becoming a Murray State Racer. As a member of the Indiana Fire Junior South club team, she led the squad to two championships in 2016, the Midwest Regional League Championship and the Indiana State Cup Champion, and another in 2017 with the MRL Premier Championship. The Henderson, Kentucky, native will join forces yet again with Colonel teammate and fellow 2019 MSU signee Maddie Griggs and HCHS alum and current Racer Katie Bickers for the 2019 season.

Parker Greer – (Murray, Ky. / Murray High School)
A local product of Murray High, Greer has had an excellent career as a forward for the Tigers after leading MHS to a 66-26-2 record during her four years. A prominent goal scorer and captain for Murray, she broke current Racer Lydia Grogan's career goal record at Murray High this season after logging 125 career goals. She also finished her senior season with a team-leading 38 goals. Greer looks to continue the trend of MHS Tigers turned MSU Racers, as she looks to join former Murray High Alumnae Lydia Grogan and Ann Taylor next season.

Maddie Griggs – (Henderson, Ky. / Henderson County High School)
Griggs' signing adds depth to the MSU offensive attack, as she finished her high school career breaking not only Henderson County's career goals record but also the KHSSA state record for career goals with 217 goals. The Henderson, Kentucky, native earned three-straight Player of the Year honors from 2015-2017. She looks to join forces yet again with Colonel teammate and fellow 2019 MSU signee Carlee Crafton and HCHS alum and current Racer Katie Bickers for the 2019 season.

Gillian Nithang— (Ankeny, Iowa / Ankeny Centennial High School)
Nithang joins the back-to-back OVC Tournament Champion Murray State soccer team as a proven championship competitor. The midfielder helped lead the Iowa Rush Soccer club team to four consecutive State Cup Championships from 2014-2018. Also, as a senior in 2018 at Ankeny Centennial, Nithang helped lead the Jaguars to the 3A State Championship.

Lauren Payne – (Louisville, Ky. / Sacred Heart Academy)
Payne joins the Racers after recently helping lead the Valkyries to win the 2018 State Championship hardware. The hard-working midfielder also got the opportunity to travel to Liverpool, England with the ODP International Team in 2018.

Lilly Strader – (Hopkinsville, Ky. / University Heights Academy)
A three-year Toyota/Kentucky New Era Athlete of the Year, Strader looks to add depth to the Racers' high-powered offensive attack. Not only does Strader hold University Heights Academy records for goals scored in a season (53) and a career (164), she also finished top six in the KHSSA for goals scored with 53 goals in her sophomore campaign with the Blazers. She reached the KHSSA top 15 in goals scored yet again in her junior season after logging 42 goals on the year. The Hopkinsville native holds the record for most goals in a career for the Eighth District as well.

Jenna Villacres – (Westerville, Oh. / Westerville South High School)
The lone goalkeeper signed in the 2019 class, Villacres along with Cera Prather look to add depth in goal for Murray State, as the Racers are tasked with replacing four-year starter Alex Steigerwald. The Westerville, Ohio, native also participated on the Classics Eagles Red FC club team with recent OVC Freshman of the Year Abby Jones and fellow 2019 signee Grace Bodker, where the trio won the 2018 State Cup Championship. A three-year captain in goal for the Westerville South Wildcats, she earned First Team Ohio Capital Conference honors in 2017.

Murray State University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Katie Bickers

Lydia Grogan

Abby Jones

Cera Prather

Alex Steigerwald

Ann Taylor

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