Colorado College head coach Geoff Bennett introduced the first four members of the women's soccer program's 2019 recruiting class who signed national letters of intent to continue their academic and athletic careers with the Tigers.
 
Forward/midfielder Brinlee Collings (Pleasant View, Utah), forward Adelaide Gaffney (Prairieville, La.), goalkeeper Abby Opperman (Albuquerque, N.M.) and midfielder Hailee Rasmussen (Salem, Ore.) will officially join the roster when the team begins pre-season training in August.
 
The remaining members of CC's 2019 recruiting class will be introduced in mid-December.
 
Collings trained with the Utah Olympic Development Program in 2013 and played for the Utah Avalanche of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) since 2014. She helped her Avalanche teams qualify for nationals each of the last three seasons.
 
An all-round athlete, Collings competed in basketball, soccer and track & field at Weber High School, where she earned four varsity letters in soccer as a forward and midfielder. She earned a starting position as a freshman when the Warriors finished second in the state tournament and was named a team captain during her senior season.
 
"Brinlee is the type of player that we love to have out wide running at players," Bennett said. "She is fierce, quick, athletic and has a desire to keep running at people for 90 minutes. Brinlee will bring that competitive nature into preseason camp and compete for a spot immediately."
 
Gaffney was a member of the 2017 Region 3 Olympic Development Team (2000/2001) based in Boca Raton, Fla., and was part of the group which was selected to compete in Germany. She helped lead the Mandeville Soccer Club to three consecutive Louisiana state championships as well as the club's first-ever Region 3 championship in 2017-18. Her Mandeville team also won back-to-back Gulf States Premier League (NPL) championships.
 
Gaffney recorded 24 goals and 17 assists in 15 games during her junior season while leading St. Amant High School to its first appearance in the semifinals of the state tournament since 2004. Gaffney earned first-team all-state honors twice and was named her district's Offensive MVP three years in a row.
 
"Adi brings a great skill set to our team," Bennett said. "She is fantastic back to goal and has a unique sense for scoring goals. Adi will be looked upon to help us in the final third and increase our goal production."
 
Opperman trained with the New Mexico Olympic Development Program from 2015 through 2017, as well as at the ODP Region IV Camp in 2015. She currently plays club with the Utah Avalanche of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).
 
Opperman helped Rio Rapids SC win U.S. Club Soccer's U19 Super Group national championship in 2018, as well as four consecutive New Mexico club championships (2015-18).
 
"Abby is a fearless goalkeeper who isn't afraid of big moments and big games," Bennett said. "Abby has great hands and reads the game very well. We believe we will have one of the best goalkeeping groups in the Mountain West and know that Abby will come into camp ready to battle."
 
Rasmussen trained with the Oregon Olympic Development Program before joining Thorns Academy, where she played for Colorado College Hall of Famer Janine Szpara in 2015. Rasmussen also was selected to participate in several U.S. Soccer training camps.
 
In two seasons at West Salem High School, Rasmussen helped the Titans win the 2016 State 6A Championship as well as the Three Rivers League crown as a sophomore. After that, she elected to focus on her club and ODP efforts.
 
"Hailee is a very versatile player who has excellent feet, vision and soccer intelligence," Bennett said. "We believe we can utilize Hailee in numerous positions which will make our team better. Hailee is a competitor that has played at a very high level against some of the country's best players."
 
The select group of newcomers will strengthen a roster that is set to return as many as eight starters and 15 veterans from the 2018 squad that posted a 9-7-2 record and earned a berth for the Mountain West Championship.
 
Colorado College officially kicks off the 2019 season on Friday, Aug. 23, at home against Texas A&M Corpus-Christi.