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Terrell's Gennifer Hurst commits to UNT
By Kent Miller
Terrell senior Gennifer Hurst has been first at a lot of things during her high school soccer career.
First four-year varsity starter. First freshman to make the all-district first team. First player to be named SportsDay area Player of the Week. First player to be named district MVP.
On Feb. 4, she'll achieve another first when she becomes the first Lady Tiger in the program's history to sign with an NCAA Division I college after orally committing to play next year for the University of North Texas.
Terrell's all-time leading scorer with 96 goals, Hurst has been the heart and soul of a team that hopes to break through this season and join the upper tier of one of the top district's in the state.
"She is by far the best player who has come through this program in its short history," coach John Lantrip said. "She is the backbone. She is not very outspoken but she gets her point across on the field."
Hurst was named the all-district first team for the third time last spring as 12-4A's co-Most Valuable Player and has often found herself double- and sometimes triple-teamed during three seasons for the Lady Tigers. But, according to Lantrip, Hurst has meant more to his program than just what she provides statistically.
"Every single player looks up to her as being the team leader," Lantrip said. "She is usually out there (on the practice field) helping other girls become better players. Its' not all about her playing, it's about her attitude toward the game. She is such an outstanding young lady."
Lantrip said expects Hurst to continue her success at the college level where UNT is coming off its best season in the program's history. The Mean Green ended the 2004 season with a school-record 16 wins and its first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament after capturing their first-ever Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship. UNT fell to the Texas Longhorns, 3-0, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and finished with a 16-6-1 record.
"I could see her taking UNT to the next level," Lantrip said. "I could see them winning a couple of rounds (in the NCAA playoffs) with Gennifer. She is a difference maker and is only getting better by playing higher competition. She will get a lot of playing time next year and I could see her being an all-conference player by
her sophomore year."
Hurst, who also played for the Lady Tiger volleyball team and runs track, drew lots of interest from colleges, including West Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Commerce, Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Arkansas-Little Rock and Texas Womans University.
"I think that shows how talented she is and how many programs wanted her," Lantrip said.
Near the top of her class academically, Hurst will become the second Lady Tiger to play soccer at the four-year college level. Andrea Price, a 2001 Terrell graduate, played at Cedar Valley College for two years before moving on to play for Texas A&M-Commerce where she served as team captain her senior season for the highly regarded NCAA Division II Lady Lions.
First four-year varsity starter. First freshman to make the all-district first team. First player to be named SportsDay area Player of the Week. First player to be named district MVP.
On Feb. 4, she'll achieve another first when she becomes the first Lady Tiger in the program's history to sign with an NCAA Division I college after orally committing to play next year for the University of North Texas.
Terrell's all-time leading scorer with 96 goals, Hurst has been the heart and soul of a team that hopes to break through this season and join the upper tier of one of the top district's in the state.
"She is by far the best player who has come through this program in its short history," coach John Lantrip said. "She is the backbone. She is not very outspoken but she gets her point across on the field."
Hurst was named the all-district first team for the third time last spring as 12-4A's co-Most Valuable Player and has often found herself double- and sometimes triple-teamed during three seasons for the Lady Tigers. But, according to Lantrip, Hurst has meant more to his program than just what she provides statistically.
"Every single player looks up to her as being the team leader," Lantrip said. "She is usually out there (on the practice field) helping other girls become better players. Its' not all about her playing, it's about her attitude toward the game. She is such an outstanding young lady."
Lantrip said expects Hurst to continue her success at the college level where UNT is coming off its best season in the program's history. The Mean Green ended the 2004 season with a school-record 16 wins and its first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament after capturing their first-ever Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship. UNT fell to the Texas Longhorns, 3-0, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and finished with a 16-6-1 record.
"I could see her taking UNT to the next level," Lantrip said. "I could see them winning a couple of rounds (in the NCAA playoffs) with Gennifer. She is a difference maker and is only getting better by playing higher competition. She will get a lot of playing time next year and I could see her being an all-conference player by
her sophomore year."
Hurst, who also played for the Lady Tiger volleyball team and runs track, drew lots of interest from colleges, including West Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Commerce, Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Arkansas-Little Rock and Texas Womans University.
"I think that shows how talented she is and how many programs wanted her," Lantrip said.
Near the top of her class academically, Hurst will become the second Lady Tiger to play soccer at the four-year college level. Andrea Price, a 2001 Terrell graduate, played at Cedar Valley College for two years before moving on to play for Texas A&M-Commerce where she served as team captain her senior season for the highly regarded NCAA Division II Lady Lions.
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| Terrell squad again finds itself in power district |
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