Marshall University women’s soccer announced its 2016 recruiting class Wednesday when it added 12 players to the roster.

“It’s an exciting and big class,” Marshall head coach Kevin Long. “With big shoes to fill from this past year, we will be looking for immediate impact from our returners and incoming class.”

Among the departures from the team via graduation is goalkeeper Lizzie Kish, defenders Jenna Dubs, Taylor Fleming and Lia Foster and midfielders Brittany Entz, Kelly Culicerto and Erin Simmons.

Seven of the eight players were starters last season, and Kish, Dubs, Culicerto and Simmons were named to all conference teams during their Marshall tenures.

Helping to fill the void left by Kish, who holds the all-time school record for shutouts (21) and ranks second in saves (204), will be Megan Bonnell who signed with the Herd after being a four-sport athlete at Apollo-Ridge High School in Pennsylvania.

Bonnell played basketball, competed in track and field and served as the football team’s placekicker in addition to her soccer career. In her senior year, Bonnell was named the 2016 Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame Outstanding Senior Female Athlete and earned All-WPIAL first team honors.

The losses of Dubs, Fleming and Foster on the backline will be reimbursed with the additions of Farah Abu-Tayeh, Metz Gonzalez and Ally Kimbler.

As for the graduations of midfielders Culicerto, Entz and Simmons, Long brought on signees Marah Abu-Tayeh, Ashley Dobbins, Gabby Powers, Karen Rogge, Chloe Smith, Rebekah Cook, Jordan Sackaros and Alyssa Totzke.

Long said he is high on this year’s class and said the new faces have the skillset and intangibles to further build on the success of the departed graduates.

“We brought in players with speed, assertiveness with and without the ball and a fierce competitiveness,” Long said. “We covered all areas of the field, and each player brings something different to our program. Building off the great year we just had (15-4-3 record), we look to this class to help us push even farther on our climb to postseason play.”