Ottumwa -- Megan McElmeel, an all-conference soccer athlete from Waterloo, has signed a letter of intent to attend Indian Hills in the fall. McElmeel plays soccer for Columbus Catholic High School and Cedar Valley Select.

An honor roll student at Columbus, McElmeel is a forward who played on the Sailors' state tournament soccer teams the past two seasons and the volleyball squad that played in the state tourney last fall. She was named to the All-State Tournament team as a junior soccer player.

The IHCC signee said, "It was hard for me in the beginning trying to find a college that would benefit me for both academics and athletics. I looked at several places, but in the end Indian Hills was the school that stood out to me the most because everyone was so welcoming. Coach Stephanie (Gale) has created such a great program in the past year and I'm excited to experience next year with this team."

"Indian Hills is the next chapter in my life in which I get to experience new opportunities with people who I know will push me to succeed."

Coach Gale said McElmeel comes with a wealth of experience in the club and high school ranks and is a great athlete who will bring a positive attitude toward academics and soccer to the Indian Hills campus. "Megan has a supportive family who will fit very well into the IHCC family. As a soccer player she has already made a name for herself and is really a high profile player for us to bring in. It took a while for her to commit because of the number of schools interested in her. We couldn't be more thrilled to get her on our roster."

McElmeel brings speed to the IHCC attack and Gale said she can play either wing or forward, with forward her preferred position. "With our midfield we can look to play the ball in behind the defense as we are bringing a very strong attacking-minded group of girls," the coach said. "Megan's speed and awareness will give us an edge as we have players who can play as target forwards and she can make great runs off the ball to put us in the best attacking positions. She comes from a high school program which is known for being competitive and winning, so she has a fire and edge and an understanding of what it takes to succeed. She is a captain at Columbus and will grow into a leader for us too as her game keeps growing and evolving."

Gale said she is very excited to watch McElmeel's growth in her senior season of high school this spring, leading into her Indian Hills career.