Auburn, ME - Central Maine Mustangs Head Coach, Rob Rodriguez, is pleased to announce the commitment of Sacopee Valley defender Isabella Rand. She is an honor roll student who also earned Student of the Year at Lake Region Vocational Technical Center. Rand will study in the Early Childhood Education Program at CM.
Coach Rodriguez commented, "We have known Bella for quite a while. She is a long-time Velocity Premier Soccer club player and I used to coach her older sister. I live three miles from Sacopee Valley High School so it is a team I am very familiar with, I know the coaches extremely well, and that program has a long history of producing college-ready players. Like a few of our other incoming freshmen, Bella is a highly motivated player who has played in the shadow of teammates who tend to get more attention. However, she is a skilled, experienced player who has been coached well in high school and club and this Mustang team will be a great fit for her so I believe it will be her time to shine."
Sacopee Valley Varsity Head Coach, Brian Hink, raved about Bella, "I have coached her since her sophomore year and during that time I have watched her grow into a very dependable player. She is a hard worker in practice and has gained my trust to be one of the defenders I could move throughout our defensive format. Bella understands the game of soccer, works hard at her craft, and can anticipate the ball and field of play very well. She is a physical player, maybe too physical at times, but it made opponents fear contact with her. I have watched her grow into a fantastic and reliable player as well as a mature and respectable young woman and I have absolutely no doubt she could play at the collegiate level and will be an asset to the CM program."
Sacopee Assistant Coach, Keven Black, added, "Bella is a solid wing defender who hardly gets beat and if she does she is fast enough to recover and get back into position. As a senior she was a leader on and off the field for a young Hawks team in 2019."
On her commitment, Rand said, "I chose CM because of the quality and reputation of early childhood education program. I expect the physicality and skill level will be more intense at the college level and I am looking forward to getting to know the other players. I will bring a high energy level and a positive attitude to the team."
