Ottumwa -- The Indian Hills women's soccer roster will have at least three players from Australia this fall with the signing of Ellie Priest from Narre Warren East, Victoria, Australia. Priest, a midfielder/forward, has played for Berwick City, SEDA and Southern Representative Side and will join current Warrior freshman Brianna Clark and recruit Mel Shepherd at IHCC.

"Straight away, coach (Stephanie) Gale made me feel welcome and got me into contact with some of the teammates I will be playing with," Priest said of her decision to sign a letter of intent with Indian Hills. "That made me feel a part of the team already. Indian Hills just seems like the college for me as they play a level of soccer that interested me from the start," Priest said. She added it has been a longtime dream to play soccer in the USA.

When asked what excites her the most about Indian Hills, Priest explained, "I think it's the lifelong friends I will make and the new experiences and memories I will be able to take home and cherish forever. I am really looking forward to beginning this next step in my life with the girls at Indian Hills."

"Ellie joins us with a wealth of experience, has a great athletic build and holds tremendous speed," said Gale, "and her first touch can take her out of pressure and into attacking positions. She will play a valuable role in our attacking third." Gale added that the newest IHCC recruit is extremely disciplined, a hard worker and will "track back and defend when needed." The Indian Hills coach stated that once Priest adapts to the style of game in the U.S. she has no doubt that she will grow into a key player for the Warriors over the next two years.

"Ellie has a great idea of knowing when to take people one-on-one and when to connect her passes," Gale said. "She holds good awareness of spacing around her and others, and I see her as being a key link in connecting passes and putting balls into dangerous areas for goal-scoring opportunities."

Along with Clark and Shepherd, the other Aussies on the IHCC roster, the three players come from different areas of Australia and Gale said all three bring different styles and skills to the team.

Priest made it into the Melbourne Victory Talented player program (SEDA) the past three years and also helped win a state championship for the Southern Girls Representative side.