The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Harbin Inks Norwegian National Team Member
7/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
July 27, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Nasra Abdullah, who helped Norway's U-21 National Team to a Nordic Cup finals appearance against the United States on Tuesday, has signed to play college women's soccer at UAB, Blazers head coach Paul Harbin announced. Abdullah joins a recruiting class already tabbed as the 13th best in the South region by SoccerBuzz Magazine.
"Nasra completes one of the best recruiting classes in the history of our program," Harbin said. "In addition to Nasra, several of our incoming players have the potential to make an immediate impact."
Abdullah becomes the third member of UAB's recruiting class with National Team experience. She has been a member of the U-17, U-19 and U-21 teams for Norway, where she emigrated from Kenya in 1985. The 5-1 midfielder helped Norway to wins over Sweden, England and Finland in the Nordic Cup to earn a spot in the title game against Team USA. The American's won Tuesday's championship game, 4-1.
Abdullah has extensive youth experience with Team Strømmen, a club team in her hometown of Fjellhamar, Norway.
"We're very excited to bring in a player of Nasra's experience and capability," Harbin added. "She's a quick, skillful, central midfield play-maker. Her experience at the international level should help her to make an easier transition to the college game."
Nasra joins fellow newcomers Nadine Liverpool, a member of Canada's U-16 National Team and U-19 team player pool, and Anna Martorana, a U-16 team pool player for the U.S. women's soccer team. Harbin's heralded recruits also include Caitlin Marple, Jennifer Davis, Bailey Hartwell, and Abby Winther. Marple is a first team all-state player from Grafton, Va.; Davis was district MVP for St. Scholastica Academy in Covington, La., last year; Hartwell led Spain Park to the Alabama Class 6A title in 2004 and Winther was a standout midfielder for John Carroll Catholic High in Birmingham.
The addition of Abdullah would mean UAB would have vaulted near the top 30 recruiting classes in the nation, according to Soccer Buzz editor Randy Diggs. The rankings were published by the magazine on May 18.
Harbin and the defending Conference USA Tournament champion and NCAA Tournament participant Blazers open the 2005 season on Aug. 26 with a road contest at Jacksonville State.
