Carrie Jones, five-time letter winner and two-year captain for the Los Lunas High School girls soccer team, signed a letter of intent to play with the upstart Adams State Grizzlies soccer program earlier this month.
“I think Carrie will be vital to their program at Adams State,” Lady Tiger head soccer coach Pat Powers said. “She should do very well because of her adaptability. She played striker, midfield, some goalie and played outside defense her senior year.”
Jones was a leader on and off the field for the Tigers, leading by example and showing her work ethic, which Powers described as “tremendous.”
Jones found the program herself, when she saw a questionnaire on the Internet and filled it out. Jones sent Grizzlies head coach Dale Roden a letter of interest, and coach Powers wrote a letter of recommendation.
“She found us in the recruiting, and the more we learned about her, the more intrigued we were,” Roden said. “Starting a new program like we are, we really wanted someone who wants to take ownership of the program.”
Jones likes the fact that she is coming into a new program and is looking forward to getting lots of playing time.
Because Roden has not had a chance to see his team together yet, he was reluctant to say what position Jones would play.
“She could help us in a couple of positions,” Roden said. “Some people may find themselves in different positions.”
It is especially difficult with a player as versatile as Jones. She has played every position on the field at LLHS and as a club player. Currently Roden has her listed as a midfielder/defender.
“I played mainly mid when I was younger, but, in high school, I got to like playing defense,” Jones said.
Jones was selected to the All-District 3-5A first team as a defender her senior season. She was also a member of the varsity basketball team the past two years.
Roden hasn’t really made any permanent choices as far as positions, but he is very excited about the upcoming season.
“I like creating the excitement that comes with coaching a new team,” he said.
Roden isn’t the only one excited about Jones getting a chance to play college soccer. Her teammates at Los Lunas are also very excited for her, according to Powers.
“It’s good for the program to have a girl go on to play at the next level,” Powers said. “And we’re hoping she’ll be able to come back and show her former teammates what she learns in the college ranks.”
Adams State is a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school, one step under NCAA division II, and the Grizzlies play in the Rocky Mountain Conference, which will keep Jones relatively close to home. Most of the Grizzlies road games are in Colorado and New Mexico.
The Lady Grizzlies will open their district season in Las Vegas, New Mexico, against New Mexico Highlands, about two-and-a-half hours from Los Lunas.
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April 19, 2024
