OPSA Player Honors
The academy has developed dedicated players and has provided them with the opportunity to develop their skills through professional year-round training. Our coaching staff works with each player to develop their skills so they can reach their individual goals. Here are just a few of the players who have come through our program.
Alexis Prior-Brown
#23 - Univ. of Maryland - forward
OPSA: 2001-2012
NSCAA 2012 All-American…NSCAA All-Region selection…scored 19 goals and added four assists to help Mercy win its second straight IAAM Class A title…two-time first team all-state ... two-time first team All-Metro by the Baltimore Sun…three-time IAAM Class A All-Star…two-time team MVP for Coach Doug Pryor…totaled 53 goals and 27 assists during her prep career…two-time team captain…played for the ASA Chesapeake Charge in the WPSL from 2010-11…helped lead the Charge to the 2012 regional championships and the US Open Cup…two-time team captain for Baltimore Bays Chelsea.
Lexie Niedoba
#7 - University of Louisville - Defense
OPSA: 2001-2012
2011 Second Team All-State; 2011 IAAM "A" Conference All-Star; 2011 Baltimore Sun Second Team All-Metro; 2011 NSCAA Scholar All-American; 2010 Second Team All-State; 2010 IAAM "A" Conference All-Star; 2010 Baltimore Sun Second Team All-Metro; 2010 Team MVP; Four-year starter; Team Captain in 2010 and 2011.
Alexa Quaranta
#5 - UMBC - forward
OPSA: 2001-2012
Named the America East Women’s Soccer Fans’ Choice Player of the Year after receiving 2,076 of 6,338 total votes… A member of the America East All-Conference First Team… Started all 21 games, seeing time at back and forward… First on the team and third in the conference in goals (eight), with three scores representing game-winning goals… Tied for third in the league in points (17)… Earned a spot on the America East Championships All-Tournament Team after registering the game-winning goal in the America East Semifinals versus No. 4 Hartford…
Preslie Quaranta
#25 - UMBC - forward
OPSA: 2001-2012
Four-year letterwinner and three-year varsity starter… Played freshman campaign at Mercy High School, earning Freshman All-Baltimore City First Team honors and an All-Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland First Team selection… Transferred to Perry Hall High School, leading the team in goals (eight) and assists (15)… Led the Gators in scoring with 20 goals and eight assists, earning her All-State and Baltimore Sun All-Metro honors… Two-time All-Baltimore County selection (2009-10)…
David Keen
#18 - La Salle University - midfield
OPSA: 2008-2013
2014: Played in 13 games as a sophomore, making five starts…Tallied an assist in the win over St. Bonaventure (10/31)… Named to Atlantic 10 Commissioners Honor Roll both semesters.
2013: Appeared in 13 games as a freshman, starting twice…Had shot on goal in 2-1 OT win over Dayton in the Atlantic 10 Tournament (11/14).
High School: Four-year member of the varsity soccer team at Broadneck…two-time team captain…played five years for the Freestate Red Devils… member of semi-finalists for the Maryland State Cup in 2011… member of US Club Soccer U16 regional championship team in 2011
Bonaventure Akinlosotu
#21 - St. Bonaventure's University - Defense
OPSA: 2008-2013
As a Redshirt Freshman (2014) Appeared in 14 games, while starting six as a redshirt freshman… the Bowie, Md. native saw time at both forward and outside back… tallied his first points as Bonnie, a goal, against St. Joseph’s (Nov. 2)… recorded a season-high two shots against Delaware (Sep. 7) and St. Joseph’s.
High School/Club: Four-time defensive player of the year at Bowie High School… captured the Maryland state championship his junior season … also lettered in basketball and football.
Kody Higginbotham
OPSA: 2008-2013
Wake Forest University
Played his high school soccer at Gonzaga College High School under the direction of Scott Waller… Earned Second Team and Honorable Mention All-Conference honors during his time at Gonzaga… Played his club soccer for the Freestate Red Devils for head coach Albert Oni… Helped Freestate win a U.S. Club Soccer Regional Championship.
Nick McCrea
OPSA: 2007-2013
Salisbury University
Lee Martin
OPSA: 2008-2013
Longwood University
Four-year team member at Archbishop Spalding… selected to the All-Anne Arundel County Team and the All-Conference Team in 2011 … three-time member of the Maryland State ODP Team… three-time member of the Regional ODP Team… member of the 2011 National Futsal Championship squad and the 2011 U.S. Club Soccer Regional Championship team
Samantha DeRoose
OPSA: 2003-2009
West Virginia Wesleyan
Baltimore Sun 1st Team All-Metro 2009… Senior, central defender helped lead Mercy to IAAM A Conference title game, played first three years at center midfield before moving to defense to fill void in back line, combined poise, skills and vocal leadership to help Magic to six shutouts, scored Mercy's first goal of season in 3-1 win over Severn
Kelsey Donahue
OPSA: 2003-2011
Loyola College
Earned seven letters - four in soccer and three in track and field - at Mercy High School in Baltimore… Earned Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) All-Star honors in 2007 and was an All-Baltimore City honoree by The Baltimore Sun in 2006 and 2008… Served as the Magic's captain as a junior and senior… Honor roll student… Played club for SAC Premier United… Named to the Baltimore Soccer Challenge All-Tournament Team in 2007 as a member of the PSC Predators… Played for the Maryland Olympic Development Program team in 2005 and 2007.
Sarah Lindler
OPSA: 2005-2009
Wilmington College
Baltimore City Player of the Year 2008… The junior left fullback, in her third season as a starter, epitomized the Magic's defense: smart, aggressive and consistent. Lindler showed fine anticipation to win balls in the back and poise under pressure to help get the ball forward. The Magic played zone coverage, and Lindler was responsible for the opposing front line's strong side. She was always up to the challenge and also made timely overlap runs to make her presence felt when the team attacked.
Allyson Carey
OPSA: 2000-2007
Vanderbilt University
Four-year starter for Coach Kristyn Porchella's Patriots… Three-time All-American and twice named Academic All-American… Chosen to the Tewaaraton High School Team in 2007 and 2008… 2008 Baltimore Sun Female Athlete of the Year as well as Lacrosse Player of the Year… Named Harford County Player of the Year in 2008… Selected Player of the Match for Team USA's U-19 Semifinal game vs. England in 2007… Thrice honored as All-Met, All-County, IAAM All-Star.
Christian Barriero
OPSA: 2001-2006
University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business
2006-07: Calvert Hall College HS – Leading Scorer & Points Leader; selected MACS All State 1st Team; NCSAA All South 1st Team; All Metro 2nd team; All Baltimore County team; 2007-08: Leading Scorer & Points Leader; selected MACS All State 1st Team; MIAA All Conference 1st team; All Metro 2nd Team; All Baltimore County team; All Baltimore Examiner team.
Cynthia Gamboa
OPSA: 1997-2011
George Washington University
High School: Served as captain of her team senior year… Conference All-Star and second-team All-County both junior and senior seasons… Assisted on the winning goal in the school's first ever soccer championship freshman year… Awarded Sheridan Foundation Scholarship… Member of the Parkville Soccer Club (1998-present) and the Soccer Association of Columbia (2004-06) club teams.
Jesse Knight
OPSA: 1998-2011
University of Richmond
Earned four varsity letters… served as team captain her senior year… was the leading goal scorer in 2003, 2004, and 2005)… named the Baltimore Sun Metro Player of the Year in 2005… named the Baltimore County Player of the Year in 2005… selected as a NSCAA Regional All-American in 2005… named to the Maryland All-State first team in 2005… honored to the First Team All-Metro in 2005 and Second Team All-Metro in 2003…
Kyle McHugh
OPSA: 2001-2006
Princeton University
Team captain along with Matt Kontos… has started all 51 games during his career… a candidate for all-league and regional honors.
Before Princeton: A two-time captain and an all-conference, all-county, and all-state selection in his junior and senior years at The McDonogh School… also was all-metro and all-state in his senior season… finished his high school career with impressive totals of 48 goals and 55 assists… Bethesda Alliance club team was the state and Region I champion in 2003 and finished the year with a No. 2 national ranking… also captained his ODP team and was a member of the Region I Team for three years.
Kristen Carr
OPSA: 1999-2006
University of North Carolina
High School:Three-sport star at Mercy High School… Played four years of varsity soccer and lacrosse and three years of varsity basketball… Also played one year of junior varsity basketball… Named first-team All-Baltimore City… Two-time all-conference choice… Very skilled soccer player who earned all-conference honors four times as a defender, including three first-team selections… The Baltimore City soccer player of the year and a first-team all-state choice as a senior.
Brittany Hadaway
OPSA: 2000-2005
Towson University
2007 Season: Starter in 17 of 18 games at midfield… came off the bench in season finale at George Mason… scored two goals with one assist… tallied goal in win over Longwood… added goal in 3-1 win over Mount St. Mary’s… recorded an assist in Tigers’ season-opening win at UMBC… took 21 shots.
High School: Four-year starter… named first team high school All-American by the NSCAA… named first team All-State as a senior… earned first team All-Metro honors as a junior and senior… honored as Baltimore City Player of the Year in 2004…