DEKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University women's soccer head coach Michael O'Neill has finalized the incoming recruiting class for the Huskies ahead of the 2023 season. 

The eight most recent additions include five transfers, Angelina Briggs (Commerce, Mich./St. Francis Brooklyn), Chantelle Parker (Milton, Ontario/Pittsburgh), Zoe Paxton (Zion, Ill./Eastern Illinois), Sophia White (Fort Wayne, Ind./IUPUI) and Sahara Zingano (Grimsby, Ontario/UAlbany), and three freshmen, Tyra King (Naperville, Ill./Metea Valley), Kara Machala (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) and Mikayla Rivera (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North). 

NIU previously announced the signing of three players, Lauren Richards (Elmhurst, Ill.), Sarah Roy (Laval, Quebec, Canada) and Isabel Struble (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), making up the entirety of its 11-player incoming class. 

"The addition of so many high-quality players combined with the significant work the returners put in this spring to move the program forward leaves me feeling extremely optimistic for this upcoming season," said O'Neill. "If we can continue to build from last season's toughness and competitive spirit, I believe we could have our best season yet."

Briggs appeared in 15 matches during her lone season at St. Francis College (Brooklyn), making eight starts. As a senior at Marian High School, Briggs earned Michigan Division 2 All-State team honors in 2021 and was also named to the All-Catholic League Team. 

"Angelina is a left-sided defender that comes to us with valuable D1 experience," said O'Neill. "Angelina was someone we identified late in the spring as someone that could be a great fit for our program. Her energy, toughness and versatility will definitely make an immediate impact."

A forward, King was named the 2023 Naperville Sun Girls Soccer Player of the Year after scoring 23 goals and recording eight assists during her senior senior at Metea Valley High School. She finished her scholastic career with 58 goals and 19 assists. 

"Tyra is a dynamic and strong forward with an eye for goal," said O'Neill. "We are excited to bring Tyra in this season as she is renowned for being one of the top forwards in the Chicagoland area. Her strong work ethic and coachable nature will allow her to make an immediate impact."

As a senior at St. Charles East High School, Machala, a midfielder, scored 10 goals and recorded 14 assists as she helped lead the Fighting Saints to the Class 3A Sectional Finals. A three-year varsity letterwinner, Machala earned Honorable Mention All-Area recognition from the Daily Herald in 2023. 

"Kara will be another fantastic addition to our roster," said O'Neill. "Her technical quality combined with her attacking mindset will allow her to make a big impact at the D1 level. Kara is both-footed and her productivity in the final third is something that stood out for us. We are thrilled to have Kara joining the pack and look forward to her improving our program."

Parker played 19 matches, making four starts in three years at Pittsburgh. In 2020, she started for the Jamaica at the CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship, scoring four goals with three assists while helping Jamaica advanced to the quarterfinals. 

"Chantelle has been with us since January," said O'Neill. "Chantelle is an all-action winger and her experience playing in the ACC will be instrumental when she takes the field in the fall. Chantelle has been recovering from an injury this spring but is slowly making progress in time to compete this fall. We are extremely excited to see Chantelle in a NIU jersey as she has the skillset to be a gamechanger for us moving forward."

In her lone season at Eastern Illinois, Paxton, who plays along the backline, started 15 of a possible 16 matches, playing the second-most minutes of all field players on the Panthers roster. Paxton played at Zion-Benton Township High School and with the GLSA Libertyville 1974 club program. 

"Zoe has also been with us since January, and she has made a huge impact in such a short space of time," said O'Neill. "Zoe is extremely coachable, and her quality combined with her competitive nature has been evident every time we've stepped on the field. The transfer portal is always a case of risk vs reward, but Zoe's efforts have allowed us to feel more secure about the portal and validate our efforts to recruit from that platform."

Rivera plays with Indy Premier SC in the Girls Academy League, spending each of the last three seasons with the club. She has also played with Evolution Soccer Club and attended Plainfield North High School, where she helped the Tigers to a 16-4-4 record in 2022. 

"Mikayla is a very technical and creative player that will be a great addition to our program," said O'Neill. "Her varied skillset combined with her game intelligence allow her to play a multitude of positions and we are excited to see the impact she makes here at NIU."

White played one season at IUPUI, appearing in all 19 games while making 14 starts. A four-year starter at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Ind., White helped lead her team to a perfect 22-0 record and a state championship as a senior. 

"Sophia is an athletic and tough defender, and we are delighted to welcome her to our program," said O'Neill. "Sophia made a big contribution to the IUPUI team as a freshman so that experience will put her in a great position this fall and beyond. Sophia is also someone that matches our values off the field and will impact all facets of our program during her time here."

Zingano has spent four seasons at UAlbany, appearing in 56 games while making 25 starts. Zingano netted four goals and four assists during her time with the Great Danes, including three goals and three assists this past season as she started all 20 matches while serving as a team captain. 

"Sahara is a dynamic forward that is proven at the D1 level," said O'Neill. "Sahara finished her time off at UAlbany with big contributions both on and off the field and we are confident she will do the same here at NIU. Her experience in both playing and leading at this level will be extremely valuable for us this fall."

The Huskies will open the 2023 season with an exhibition game against Milwaukee on Sunday, Aug. 6, the regular season begins at Western Illinois on Thursday, Aug. 17.