BOONE, N.C. – App State Soccer head coach
Aimee Haywood announced the addition of six newcomers to the program, ahead of the 2025 season, as part of National Signing Day on Wednesday.
The Mountaineers are coming off a 2024 campaign which saw the team post back-to-back seasons of seven-plus wins for the first time since 2015-2016, while stringing together consecutive winning seasons in Sun Belt play for the first time since 2014-15. Graduate student
Izzi Wood was selected to the All-Sun Belt first team, while freshman
Ellie Garrison earned All-Sun Belt second team honors.
"I'm very excited about the student athletes we are signing today," Haywood said. "This is an outstanding group of young women who will contribute immediately to the culture and competitiveness of our program."
Morgan Chapman – Defender | Raleigh, N.C. | North Carolina Courage
Morgan Chapman joins the Mountaineers as a defender from Raleigh, N.C. Chapman has enjoyed an accomplished club career with the North Carolina Courage, helping the team reach the ECNL National playoffs each of the last three seasons, including a No. 19 national ranking and round of 16 finish in 2024. Chapman also played two seasons on the Wakefield High School soccer team. In the classroom, she is a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club as well as an honor roll member and all-conference academic selection. Chapman plans to major in exercise science with the goal of pursuing a career in the medical field once her soccer career has concluded. She chose App State because of the outstanding support and resources that will help her be successful on and off the field. She also wanted to be part of a successful program that emphasizes drive, accountability, and competitiveness while sharing the same motivation, determination, and work ethic that she values — and the team and coaches at App State embody all of that.
Lucy Harrington – Defender | Mechanicsville, Va. | Richmond United
Lucy Harrington joins the Mountaineers as a defender from Mechanicsville, Va. As a member of Richmond United, Harrington has enjoyed a decorated career at the club level. She was named a second-team ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference selection and helped her club to the ECNL playoffs at the U15 level and the ECNL Champions League at the U17 level. While playing at Hanover High School, Harrington twice earned all-state honors and was selected to the Central Virginia All-Star game. She has also received all-metro and all-region honors. In the classroom, Harrington is a member of the National Honor Society and the BETA club, as well as being named to the honor roll and winning the character award for World Language studies and plans to major in business. She chose App State because she fell in love with Boone, the campus, the coaches and the overall team atmosphere. Harrington loves to travel and has been to six countries outside the United States. She is also an avid pickleball player. Her brother, Nick, is also a collegiate athlete and is a member of the Randolph-Macon lacrosse team.
Brooklyn Jones – Defender | Queen Creek, Ariz. | Utah Royals
Brooklyn Jones joins the Mountaineers as a defender from Queen Creek, Ariz. A two-time captain of the Casteel High School soccer team, Jones was named a first-team all-region defender. She also plays club soccer for the Utah Royals. Jones chose App State because she immediately felt at home, despite the physical distance from where she grew up. She found the community very welcoming and, combined with the beautiful campus, she finally understood the saying "when you know, you know." In the classroom, Jones is an honor roll student and is currently taking her fifth year of Spanish. Before becoming a soccer standout, she competed in gymnastics for five years.
Avery Pegram – Midfielder | Blythewood, S.C. | South Carolina United
Avery Pegram joins the Mountaineers as a midfielder from Blythewood, S.C., where she was an accomplished player at both the club and high school levels. Playing for South Carolina United, Pegram was a first-team all-conference ECNL selection. She was also named all-state at Blythewood High School, in addition to being a three-time all-region selection. She was named a captain on both squads. Pegram chose App State because she loved the team dynamic as well as really loving the campus. She has grown up around App State her whole life, with her parents David and Stacia both graduating from the university, and couldn't imagine herself anywhere else. She also excels in the classroom and was a Beta Club and Honor Roll member. Pegram intends to major in business with the hope of starting her own company upon graduation. In her free time, Pegram enjoys volunteering, traveling and photography.
Morgan Stallings – Midfielder | Summerfield, N.C. | North Carolina Fusion
Morgan Stallings joins the Mountaineers as a midfielder from Summerfield, N.C. The two-time Metro 4A Player of the Year at Northwest Guilford High School, Stallings has earned two all-state selections, two all-region selections, and three all-conference selections through her first three high school seasons. She also plays club soccer for the North Carolina Fusion, leading the squad to the round of 16 at the ECNL national playoffs and winning a USYS championship. In the classroom, Stallings is a member of the National Honor Society, A/B Honor Roll and Student Council, and she plans to major in data science with a focus in sports analytics. She chose App State for the team culture and family environment and the feeling that Boone would be the perfect place to grow as both a player and a person. In addition to playing soccer, Stallings has been a competitive swimmer since the age of 5.
Natalie Bowman – Midfielder | Trinity, N.C. | Charlotte Soccer Academy
Natalie Bowman joins the Mountaineers as a midfielder from Trinity, N.C. A 2A state champion at Wheatmore High School in 2022, Bowman was twice named the team MVP, in addition to earning conference defensive player of the year honors. Bowman also plays club soccer for the Charlotte Soccer Academy, where she was named first-team ECNL, helping her team to the national playoffs three years in a row. Additionally, Bowman was a member of the Thomasville Heat, which won the 3v3 National Championship at Disney's Wide World of Sports in 2014. Bowman intends to major in sports medicine with the goal of working in orthopedics following her soccer career. She chose App State because she loves the campus scenery and believes that App State will lead her to success both academically and athletically. In addition to soccer, Bowman enjoys playing golf and snowboarding.
