Michigan State solidifies one of the nation’s highest-ranked recruiting classes

Michigan State women’s soccer head soccer coach Jeff Hosler has announced the addition of eight incoming freshmen who will enroll in the fall of 2026.

The class, which features players from five US states and one Canadian province, includes Saydie Hebert (Gilbert, Ariz.), Elise Karas (Columbus, Ohio), Lacey Kindel (Coquitlam, British Columbia), Jocelyn ‘LJ’ Pearcy, (Roseville, Calif.), Samantha Powell (Burnaby, British Columbia), Mekenzie Rogers (Elgin, Ill.), Olivia Rubinich (Phoenixville, Pa.) and Josie Willis (San Diego, Calif.).

The six American players earned a recruiting class ranking of No. 8 by Top Drawer Soccer (the outlet does not include Canadian players in its rankings) Kindel and Powell were both originally committed to the Spartans for the fall of 2027 but have reclassified and will join the program this summer, while Karas will enroll for the spring 2026 semester to begin her college career.

The recruiting class ranking of No. 8 is the highest ranking in program history.  Overall, MSU has 11 athletes (three transfers and eight freshmen) joining the program for the 2026 season.   The Spartans return 18 veterans from the 2025 team, including nine starters from a squad which went 15-4-6, finished second in the Big Ten, and advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.

Saydie Herbert
Fr.,  F, 5-3
Gilbert, Ariz. /Perry
Club: Utah Royals FC

A three-star rated prospect by Top Drawer Soccer, and the No. 41 forward … Plays for the Royals FC for coach Tiffani Robert … Earned a spot in the ECNL National Selection Game in April 2025 and was a Southwest Second Team All-Conference Selection (U18/19) US Soccer U15 Youth National Team Camp in 2023 …  ECNL Girls Southwest First Team honors in 2023 and was invited to the San Deigo Wave ID camp … Won the 07 ECNL Playoffs Showcase in both 2022 and 2023 … Participated in the 2023 ECNL Conference Cup … Has played three seasons of varsity soccer at Perry High School, twice earning First Team All-Conference and All-Premier Region recognition, and was an Honorable Mention All-Region pick as a freshman … All-Arizona pick in the last two seasons … The Republics All-Arizona Team kudos as both a sophomore and a junior …  Sports 360 AZ All-Academic Team Honorable Mention in both 2024 and 2025, and earned a First Team nod in 2023.

Personal: Daughter of Nicole and Mike Herbert … Has a brother, Kaleb, who played baseball at Toledo and a sister, Siera, who plays soccer at Sam Houston … Both parents were collegiate athletes – Nicole played volleyball at Ricks College and Eastern Montana, while Mike played baseball at Snow … Grandfather, Frank Herbert, was a BYU Baseball letterman, while Uncle, Ty Detmer, played football for the Cougars and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990 … Plans on a career as a veterinary nurse.

Elise Karas
Fr.,  MF, 5-4
Columbus, Ohio /Upper Arlington
Club: Ohio Premier

A three-star rated prospect by Top Drawer Soccer, and the No. 65 midfielder … Played for coaches Willie Gage and Chris King at Ohio Premier …  Three-time ECNL Girls Ohio Valley  All-Conference Selection in (first team in both 2023 and 2024, second team in 2025) … Earned a spot on Team New England for the 2025 ECNL Girls Conference Cup … Three-year letterwinner at Upper Arlington high school, helping the squad to a district championship and runner-up performance at regionals in 2025 … As a junior (2025), was the Central Ohio Women’s Soccer Player of the Year, OCC First Team All-Conference and Player of the Year, a First Team All-State pick and earned First Team All-Region and All-America honors.

Personal:  Daughter of Kiera and Chris Karas … Both parents were collegiate athletes:  Father, Chris, ran track and cross country at Yale, while mother, Kiera was a soccer letterwinner at Boston College … Has two siblings who are also collegiate runners:  Brother, Owen, will graduate from Yale this spring, and Erin runs at Dartmouth.

Lacey Kindel
Fr., F, 5-5
Coquitlam, British Columbia / Burnaby Central
Club: Vancouver Rise FC

Completed for the Canadian Women’s National Team in both the U15 CONCACAF championship in 2024 (third place) and at the FIFA U17 Qualifiers and World Cup in Morocco in October of 2025, where Canada advanced into the quarterfinals … Started four of five games for Canada at the World Cup, averaging 65 minutes per contest and going a full 90 in a win over Zambia … Had a goal and two assists in the four World Cup starts … Played for the Vancouver Whitecaps before moving to the Vancouver Rise … 2024 Player of the Year with the Coquitlam Metro Ford Soccer Club, where she helped capture three provincial championships and finished third in the national championship.

Personal: Daughter of Sara Maglio and Steve Kindel … Has one brother, Ben … Enjoys baking, hanging out with friends, and watching hockey.

Joscelyn ‘LJ’ Pearcy
Fr.,  M,  5-4
Roseville, Calif./Woodcreek
Club: San Juan SC

A three-star rated prospect by Top Drawer Soccer, No. 17 among midfielders in the summer 2025 ranking … Ranked No. 61 in the IMG top 200 … Plays for San Juan Soccer Club for Ron Shackelford and Katie Tate-Blough …  ECNL Girls NorCal First Team All-Conference Selection in both 2023 and 2025, earning second team kudos in 2024 U15 Player of the Year and All-American in 2022-23 … Team was ECNL NorCal Conference Champions in 2022-23, and advanced to the national finals in both 2020-21 (third place) and 2021-22 (fifth place) … Earned a Gothia Cup title in Sweden with the NorCal U16 state PDP team in 2024, and then played on the U17 team that did a friendly England tour …  Has three varsity seasons with Woodcreek High School, serving as a captain as a junior … three-time First Team all-conference … Helped Woodcreek to a CVC Championship as a freshman.

Personal:  Daughter of Jenny and Joe Pearcy … Has two younger siblings, Delilah and Silas … Hobbies include painting and artistic crafts.

Samantha Powell
Fr., GK, 5-11
Burnaby, British Columbia/Burnaby Central
Club: Vancouver Whitecaps

Earned a callup to the Canadian Women’s National U17 squad for the Four Nations Cup … Won a bronze medal with the U15’s at the 2024 CONCACAF Championships … Joined the Whitecaps in September of 2025 …  Previously played club for the Vancouver Rise, where she qualified for the CONCACAF W Cup in both 2024 and 2025, and became the youngest keeper to play in the tournament at 16 …    Grew up in the Manitoba soccer system, playing with AK Soccer Academy, 1v1 Futbol Dreams, FC Northwest, Winnipeg South End United and the Manitoba Soccer Regional Excel Centre … League 1 Provincial and National Champions in 2024 … Won a club soccer provincial championship in 2023 (U17) … At AK Academy, was the 2024 Goalkeeper of the Year and Women’s Player of the Year …  Also played prep volleyball for Burnaby Central School, winning provincial championships in 2022 (U14) and 2024 (U16), advancing to the club national finals in 2022.

Personal: Daughter of Rebecca and Jeff Powell … Has one older sister, Niki … Mother ran track at the University of Manitoba and went on to compete for the Canadian National Team in handball … Father is a two-time World Rowing Champion in the men’s coxed eight (2002-2003), an Olympian at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Rowing Canada … Interested in majoring in human sciences and aspires to a career as a physician.

Mekenzie Rogers
Fr., M,  5-2
Elgin, Ill/Burlington Central
Club: Eclipse Select

A four-star rated prospect by Top Drawer Soccer, and the No. 1 player in the Midwest as of fall 2025 … Ranked No. 69 in the IMG top 200 …  Plays for Eclipse Select and coach Alex Munoz … Two-time ECNL Girls Midwest All-Conference First Team Selection (U17)  …   Named to the US Women’s Youth National Team U17 Roster for Georgia training camp in the summer of 2025, Invited to the NWSL Gotham FC Winter Talent ID Showcase and preseason camp in early 2025, as well as the May training camp …  Selected for the inaugural NWSL Youth Combine at IMG Academy in December 2025 … Member of the ODP State Team … Played just one year of varsity soccer at Burlington Central, earning MVP honors and advancing to the 2A State Final Four … Had 37 goals and nine assists in her lone season leading to All-Conference kudos, Northwest Herald All-Area First Team, and Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association All-Sectional honors … Participated in the Capelli Sport Denmark International Trip the last two summers.

Personal: Daughter of John and Angela Rogers … Has a twin brother, Mason, as well as a younger brother, Major … Father was a football letterman at Illinois … Enjoys cooking, biking, and music … Plans to major in Nutritional Science.

Olivia Rubinich
Fr.,  D, 5-9
Phoenixville, Pa. /Pope John Paul II
Club: Penn Fusion

A three-star rated prospect by Top Drawer Soccer, and the No. 19 defender … Played for coach Craig Scangarella with Penn Fusion …  Gotham FC Development Center Team in 2025 as well … 2024 U16 ECNL national championship in the summer of 2024 , a national finals appearance in 2023, and a Sweet Sixteen qualifier in 2025 … Helped Penn Fusion to three North Atlantic Conference Championships (2023-2025), earning First Team All-Conference Honors in each season … 2023 ECNL All-American and North Atlantic Conference Player of the Year … Selected to represent Penn Fusion in the ECNL North Carolina National Selection Game in May of 2025 … 2024 Conference Cup Invitee … Three-time USYNT ID Clinic participant and a USYNT Regional ID Center invitee in 2025 … Three- year prep varsity starter at Pope John Paul II and is a team captain … Earned All-Conference honors as both a freshman (second team) and a junior (first team) … Three-time Archdiocese of Philadelphia Fall Scholar Athlete Honor Roll selection.

Personal: Daughter of Zachary and Melissa Rubinich … Has two brothers:  one older (Ben) and one younger (Noah) … Father was a soccer letterman at Lycoming College … Enjoys journaling and playing guitar.

Josie Willis
Fr.,  F, 5-8
San Diego, Calif. /San Marcos
Club: San Diego Surf

A three-star rated prospect by Top Drawer Soccer, No. 43 in southern California …  Plays for coaches Juan Porras, Andres Deza, and Craig Barclay with San Diego Surf … Captured Surf Cup championships in 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024  … Earned a spot on the U17 Stars for the 2025 ECNL Playoffs by Top Drawer Soccer, and was also a 2023 Girls Southwest Player to Watch … Helped the Surf to the ECNL semifinals in 2023 (U15) and quarterfinals in 2024 (U16)  … Plays prep soccer at San Marcos, where she will captain the team as a senior … Helped the Knights to CIF San Diego Open Division championship, Palomar League championship and an Ogden Cup championship as a junior, and was named the All-CIF San Diego and Palomar League Player of the Year … Two-time Palomar League First Team selection and San Marcos Golden Boot Award recipient… 2023 San Marcos Newcomer of the Year.

Personal: Daughter of Joseph and Kelly Willis … Has one older sister, Alexandra … Enjoys surfing and beach volleyball … Plans on majoring in business management.