Monday, July 22, 1996

If Overgaard transfers from UCLA, team will scramble to find a replacement in goalBy Mark J. Dittmer

Summer Bruin Senior Staff

As a UCLA Bruin, soccer goalie Gretchen Overgaard earned All-American honors as a freshman and helped the Bruins reach the playoffs for the first time ever as a sophomore. Unfortunately, that will probably be all that she accomplishes in a UCLA uniform.

At the end of her sophomore season, Overgaard asked for and received a release to transfer from UCLA. She withdrew Spring Quarter 1996 and stayed at her home in Danville, Calif., near Berkeley.

Legally it is still possible for Overgaard to return to the Bruins this fall. But will that happen?

"Probably not," Overgaard answered from her home in Danville. "As of right now, I have not committed to any school. My future is pretty much up in the air, which is why I don't really like to talk about it."

In accord with that statement, Overgaard refrained from saying anything more about her probable transfer, leaving the rest of her team to speculate as to why she might leave.

"She just discovered that she wasn't as happy as she thought she should be," Bruin defender Cheryl Williams said. Williams was one of Overgaard's closest friends on the team. "I don't know if it necessarily had to do with the program ­ it was just a lot of personal things."

Assistant coach Paul Ratcliffe added, "I think she had high expectations of what college would be like. I think that people hype up college too much. She thought it would be the best years of her life; but college usually also makes up the hardest years of your life."

* * *

So the 1996 Bruins might have a spot to fill at goalie, and they have taken steps to fill it. While Overgaard will probably be gone, new recruits Lindsay Culp and Maria Jeffers are two of four candidates to start at that position this year.

Also competing for the goalkeeper spot are senior Shanelle Eng and sophomore Amy Moreno, who both backed up Overgaard last season. Nobody has an edge in getting the starting spot right now, as all four share an almost complete lack of game experience.

The rest of the Bruins' 1996 recruiting class also look to make an impact on the defensive end. Of the Bruins' six remaining recruits, five are either defenders or midfielders.

As for the goalie position, speculation will end if Overgaard decides to return, which is still a possibility. But that doesn't look likely.

"She seemed to really want to get away from Los Angeles," Ratcliffe said.

In all likelihood,Gretchen Overgaard will get her wish.

Daily Bruin File Photo

Goalie Gretchen Overgaard