Yost will play soccer at USCU

Like most of us north of the Mason Dixon Line, Cassie Yost had never heard of the University of South Carolina Upstate.

But after coming across the school on the internet and taking a visit, it quickly rose to the top of her list of college choices.

"I was on a web site that shows all the schools with D-1 soccer programs and your major," Yost said. "That was a really good school with my major. I ended up falling in love with the school after I looked into it more."

At a letter of intent signing ceremony Thursday Yost announced her intentions to play soccer and further her education on the Spartanburg South Carolina campus that she first visited last March.

"I loved everything about it when I went down there to visit," she said. "After my visit I was like 'This is where I want to go.'"

Yost visited several southern schools, including Elon, Radford, Wofford and High Point. The fact that Upstate has a great health science program played a large role in her decision. When she met the team and coaches she knew she had found a home for the next four years.

"The coaches are super nice," Yost said. "They know what they're doing. They're very friendly. All the girls are friendly. I like the team and the way they work together and their team bonding."

The Spartans play in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Yost knows it's a big leap from high school to Division I and she's ready for the challenge.

"Definitely freshman year I want to earn playing time," she said. "I'm looking go get in really good shape this summer and keep up my skills so I can get on the practice field and push for a spot on the traveling bus right away. And hopefully work my way into a starting spot."

Yost will play her fourth year of varsity soccer in spring. She earned a starting spot during her freshman season and has kept it ever since. She also plays club soccer for the Lehigh Valley United Golden Lions. Showcase tournaments with the club team got her noticed by Division I coaches.

She plays an offensive position for the high school team and mostly remains in a defensive role on her club team. In college Yost plans to play an attacking center midfield spot. That's the position she played at the July camp in Spartanburg where she made her final decision.

"The coach was in contact with me all summer," Yost said. "She invited me down to a little camp in July. I went down for that and I fell in love with the girls. I fell in love with the dorms, the facilities and the training we did. I absolutely loved it. After the session she asked me if I would verbally commit later that week."

Yost leaves behind fond memories at Northwestern. Two stick out the most.

"I really loved winning leagues when I was a sophomore I had the winning goal," Yost said. "That was one of the highlights of my soccer career. I just really enjoyed working with all the girls here and playing with my older sister [Alyssa Yost]. When I was a freshman in high school my sister was a senior and we got to play in leagues and districts, which is like a really good memory and it was one of my favorite times."