ELON ATHLETICS

Kennedy Jones, an Elon freshman and Providence Day graduate, signed to play with Charlotte Independence USL W League team.

The Charlotte Independence USL W League team is building its roster.

Midfielder Kennedy Jones is the latest player to sign for the inaugural 2022 season. Jones, who is a freshman at Elon played professionally in Sweden in 2020, where she won the Gothia Puma Cup Trophy. She is a former player with the Charlotte Independence Soccer Club, where she helped her squad to the NCYSA state and U.S. National League Championship titles in 2018.

“I actually got a chance to play alongside Kennedy on last year’s Independence team, so to say that we are pleased to have her back is an understatement,” Independence coach Robyn Horner said. “Kennedy has a long and impressive history with our youth club, she is a talented player and will be a great addition to our team. She is a strong ball-winner, and a great distributor of the ball. She will help us a great deal in the midfield.”

Jones, a graduate of Providence Day, played all 16 games as an Elon freshman, with 20 shots and a goal. She played four seasons at Providence Day and was a two-time captain with a Gatorade Player of the Year nomination and Academic All-American as a senior in 2021. She earned all-conference (2018-2021), all-state (2019, 2021) and all-region (2018, 2019, 2021) honors.

Independence’s first signee, midfielder Kelly Flanders, joined on March 1. She played with Charlotte Independence Soccer Club as a youth player and was a two-time captain of the WPSL squad, where she competed from 2016-2021.

“It is an honor to represent the Charlotte Independence and my youth club in the W-League this summer,” Flanders said. “I am thrilled to be a part of the growing opportunities for elite women soccer players. I hope that we will leave a mark on our city, the game, each other, and the many women athletes to come.”

Flanders was a four-year starter at Appalachian State from 2014-2017, where she started all 19 games at the back line as a freshman and was second on the team in minutes played with 1,702. Flanders started in all 20 games as a defender as a sophomore and was third on the team in minutes logged (1,775) – one of nine Mountaineers to log more than 1,000 minutes that season.

“We are thrilled to have Kelly sign with us again. She is a veteran within our club and will bring a wealth of experience and leadership to our team as we head into our first season with the W League,” Horner said. “Having grown up in the club and having played with us for the past few summers in our semi-pro leagues, she understands the values of the club and the level of play that is required to be competitive.”

The Independence also signed:
• Defender Mia Thillet, who played with the Puerto Rico National Team in 2017 and 2019 and won the 2017 U.S. Youth Soccer Championship with the ‘98 Charlotte Independence South club team.

“I am so excited for the chance to continue playing soccer after my collegiate career has ended,” said Thillet, who was born in Puerto Rico and graduated North Carolina State in 2021. “I am looking forward to getting to know all the talented and hardworking women who are on the roster this season. I cannot wait to see what this team accomplishes this summer.”

At N.C. State, Thillet appeared in 31 games and tallied three assists in 1,072 minutes played. Tillet played at Providence High, where in 2017 she earned 4A all-state and conference player of the year. A three-time all-conference pick, Thillet led the Panthers to the 2016 state title and second in 2015.

• Forward Michaela Deas, an Appalachian State commit, plays for the ’04 Independence Girls ECNL club. She spent seven years with the Lake Norman Soccer Club who won back-to-back state championships in 2018 and 2019.

“Michaela has demonstrated her ability to score goals at every level she has played,” said Greg Ashton, the team’s general manager. “She is capable of creating opportunities for herself with her runs off the ball and also provides high quality finishing when presented with opportunities for her teammates.”

• Forward Mary Alexander, a freshman at College of Charleston, is a former player with the Independence girls’ ECNL program.

“She’s a dynamic attacking player that can play anywhere in the midfield or upfront,” Ashton said. “She has the ability to break down defenders in 1v1 situations.”

Alexander, a Davidson Day graduate, started 13 of 16 appearances last fall with Charleston and tallied two assists. At Davidson Day, she broke the school scoring record with 134 career goals over six seasons on the varsity squad and was named all-state five times.

• Midfielder Zoe Susi, an Arkansas commit who also plays for the ECNL girls’ team, was named 2021 ECNL U-17 Mid-Atlantic first team all-conference.

At Wilkes Central High in Wilkesboro, Susi’s scored 125 goals and tallied 65 assists. She’s a two-time all-region pick, two-time all-state and two-time conference player of the year.

The Independence kick off their inaugural USL W League season on May 15 at 3 p.m. against Greenville Triumph SC at American Legion Memorial Stadium.

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