Greenville, SC (February 2, 2022) – The Greenville Triumph USL W League team announced the signing of three local high school players pending league and federation approval. Chidubem Dike, Bailey Manfredi, and Ellie Gower all had standout performances at the inaugural open tryouts in January. All three players are members of Carolina Elite Soccer Academy and have signed to NCAA Division I institutions in the states of North and South Carolina.
Dike will be attending Wake Forest University in fall of 2022, joining a program that went 16-6 overall in 2021. The Demon Deacons are ranked fourth in the ACC and 20th in the country and top-20 by TopDrawerSoccer.com for their 2022 recruiting class. The Greenville Native ranked Top 50 in the nation for the class of 2022 in 2018-19 and rated as a four star recruit. Dike is ranked No. 4 in the South Atlantic Region, No. 32 as a forward and No. 96 overall by IMG Academy and TopDrawerSoccer.com for the 2022 class. Dike will complete her club soccer career with CESA ECNL. She was named to the First Team All-Conference for the 2020-21 season and invited to play in the ECNL National Selection Game where she scored the opening goal. The striker boasted 55 goals during the 2021 season for Greenville Technical Charter High School and was named Player of the Year in the region.
“Dubem is athletically gifted and has great awareness in and around the goal area. She can be dangerous 1v1 and will grow through this environment to better equipped arriving at WFU,” said Head Coach Julie Carlson. “Our goal is to help her have more tools in her attacking mentality to be a more polished striker.”
The second Upstate player is Bailey Manfredi, who signed with UNC Charlotte for their 2022 recruiting class. In 2019/2020 she ranked 10th on TopDrawerSoccer.com ECNL Top Scorers and 19th in Goals Per Game Leaders for U16. Manfredi is a midfielder/forward for CESA ECNL and St. Joseph’s Catholic School. While playing with CESA, she helped lead the team to the Quarter Finals in the 2019 ECNL Playoffs by scoring three goals, and one game winner in San Diego. The future 49er will be completing her final season at St. Joseph’s this spring. During her three seasons the team held a 32-16 record and won the 2021 SCHSL Class AA State Title. In 2021, Manfredi was named All Region, Region Player of the Year, All State, Player of the Game in the 2021 2A state championship and selected first team All Upstate by Greenville News.
“Bailey has great tenaciousness. She set the stage early by being vocal and hard working. She is versatile and athletic,” said Head Coach Julie Carlson. “She can bring a lot of energy and will learn a lot about tempo and decision making by playing in a more experienced atmosphere to prepare her for her collegiate career.”
Another signee that made a mark at January’s open tryouts was Ellie Gower. She is a midfielder attending Wofford College in the fall as part of their 2022 recruiting class. The Simpsonville Native plays at Southside Christian School where she helped them to the 2019 SCHSL Class AA State Championship, recording 12 goals and four assist during the season and being named Viking Cup All-Tournament Team. Gower also helped the Sabres’ to their second attempt at a State Title in 2021 and was named to the SCSCA All State Team. Gower joins teammates Dike and Manfredi from CESA ECNL for the inaugural season.
“Ellie is tidy and technically smooth player. She has good vision and playmaking ideas in the midfield to final third,” said Head Coach Julie Carlson. “She has the ability with our team to take her game to another level and learn from very experienced players on the team.”
Dike, Manfredi and Gower are the first group of players to be announced from inaugural tryouts on January 8-9. These future collegiate players with be joining current and former Auburn, Clemson and Furman athletes for the upcoming season. Matches for the first ever Greenville Triumph W League season are scheduled to begin in May and season tickets can be purchased now.
