Lincoln’s Soares signs with AIC
Lincoln soccer player excited to join sister in D-II ranks
LINCOLN — The last round of pictures with family, coaches, and friends had been taken. That meant Riley Soares could finally cover up the American International College T-shirt she wore to mark Friday’s special occasion at Lincoln High School.
Soares plays soccer at Bridgeport University, a fact she made crystal clear as she zipped up a jacket with the Purple Knights’ logo in plain sight. Come
Photos bu Brendan McGair next fall, her younger sister Morgan will join her in the college ranks, hence why everyone gathered inside the high school’s library in the first place.
With plenty of well-wishers looking on, Morgan made her intentions to join the Division II Yellow Jackets official by signing her National Letter of Intent.
“Riley usually only wears Bridgeport gear so that was definitely funny,” said Morgan Soares about her
older sister showing support by wearing the colors of the school the younger Soares sibling will be attending upon graduating from Lincoln in a few months.
Bridgeport competes in the East Coast Conference while AIC is based in the Northeast-10. The two schools traditionally meet once a year as non-conference rivals, hence it’ll be interesting to see how parents Paul and Stacie Soares handle a game with their daughters on opposite sides.
Having watched her big sister go through her own recruiting experience the previous year, Morgan felt comfortable hitting up Riley (a 2019 Lincoln graduate) with pertinent questions. The pointers and tips that came from a well-intended source proved to be a major asset when the time came to make a final call, per Morgan.
“Riley is the reason why I decided to go with AIC,” said Morgan.
Morgan Soares becomes the third Lincoln High girls soccer product over a three-year span to move on to the NCAA’s D-II level. Not only is she joining the same exclusive club that her older sister belongs to, but Morgan can also look forward to competing against fellow Lion alum Camryn Thompson, who has been a top-flight contributor during each of her first two seasons at Stonehill College.
AIC and Stonehill are members of the NE-10. Soares says she can’t wait to match up with Thompson with conference bragging rights on the line.
“Cam and I are really close so that should be a lot of fun,” said Soares. “Our friends can come watch us play. That should be pretty cool.”
It was during Soares’ junior year at Lincoln when she took an unofficial visit to AIC. This past January, she returned to the Springfield, Mass. campus for an official visit. Late last month, she supplied the AIC coaching staff with a verbal commitment.
“I got to spend time with future teammates. They made me feel very welcome,” said Soares when asked about her official visit.
A captain this past season for Lions, Soares switched from defense to midfield but plans to move back to her more customary position upon joining the Yellow Jackets.
“I have an opportunity to have a starting spot as a defender at AIC,” she said. “Plus, the coaches are more my speed where they’re still intense but very welcoming.”