NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt soccer head coach Darren Ambrose announced the addition of three transfers, Mia Gonzalez, Jessica Hinton and Julianne Leskauskas (less-KOWS-kiss) ahead of the 2024 campaign.
“We are thrilled to welcome these three young women to our program,” said Ambrose. “They bring a mature and experienced approach to not just the game but the locker room, too.”
Gonzalez, a forward from Westpoint, Conn., joins the program after earning her undergraduate degree from Cornell. The graduate student appeared in 31 games for the Big Red (25 starts) and posted three goals. Gonzalez has logged over 1,900 minutes of action and recorded her first game-winner to lift Big Red over Syracuse for the program’s first-ever win against the Orange.
“Mia’s work rate and tenacity down the flank will be a huge addition to the team this fall,” said Ambrose. “She has great speed, loves to run at defenders and is an exciting player to watch.”
Before Cornell, Gonzalez helped Staples High School to two state championship games and two Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference Championships. She was named 2019 All-New England Selection and All-State twice (2018, 2019) and is a three-time First Team All-FCIAC selection (2017, 2018, 2019). She competed with Connecticut FC at the club level and played in three national ECNL playoffs and Champions League teams.
Hinton, a defender from Middletown, Conn., joins the black and gold after her stint at Brown University. The graduate student appeared in 45 games for the Bears, with 42 starts and earned over 3,600 minutes of action. She helped Brown to the top defense in the Ivy League in 2023, as the team allowed only four goals in conference play and nine throughout the entire season (tenth in the nation). Hinton was named to the 2023 All-Ivy League First Team, is a two-time All-New England Women’s Intercollegiate Soccer Association Second Team (2022, 2023), and is a two-time CSC Academic All-District Team (2022, 2023).
“Jessica is a tough, combative defensive presence who brings a wealth of experience to our backline,” Ambrose stated. “She is a versatile player who will impact the team immediately.”
Before Brown, Hinton competed on the club level for Oakwood Soccer Club, earned Prep School Defender of the Year honors from New England Soccer Journal and was named to the All-New England Preparatory School Athletic Council All-Star Team twice while…