Carson High School senior Josilyn Daggs signs her letter of intent to play soccer at the University of Idaho on Wednesday with her family, Tiana Daggs, Tara and Mike Lannom and brothers 7-year-old Troy and 6-year-old Luke.
Josilyn Daggs, flanked by her family, signed a national letter of intent to play soccer at the University of Idaho Wednesday afternoon in the Carson High library.
Daggs is one of nine players in the Vandals’ recruiting class announced by new coach Derek Pittman, who was previously at Gonzaga. The Vandals, who were 4-16 last year, recruited two other incoming freshmen to play on their front line.
“I’d been to Idaho for ODP (Olympic Development Program), but never thought I’d go there for college,” Daggs said. “When I came up for my visit, I fell in love with the campus. The visit was great. The girls were all very nice. I didn’t want to go too far from home, I didn’t want to be in a big city. Plus 10 miles up the road is Washington State, and I know some (Carson) people there. I’m very excited about going there.
“My stepfather (Mike Lannom) went to Boise. He was excited for me to go and visit Idaho, and he was happy for me when they offered a scholarship. We talked about Boise, but they didn’t recruit me.”
And, new Idaho coach Derek Pittman is happy to have her in the fold.
“Josi is going to really add a different dimension to our front line this season,” Pittman said. “We absolutely love her explosiveness and dynamic movement in the final third. She will give Big Sky opponents fits as they try to contain her feisty and physical style of play, On top of those qualities, she can also score goals which will be beneficial for our team as we look to revitalize our attack this season.”
Daggs, who led the Senators in goals (19) and assists (12) this year, said she hasn’t met Pittman. She is hopeful that he will watch her during spring tournaments.
“He’s never seen me play,” Daggs said. “Ashley (O’Brien, assistant coach) said she told coach Pittman about my style of play and my injury. I told him about my injury when I talked to him.”
Daggs, on a non-contact play in the spring after she scored 26 goals as a sophomore, tore her right anterior cruciate ligament which kept her out of both track and soccer as a junior. She had a stellar senior year for the Senators, leading them to a runner-up finish in the state finals.
“I wondered (at that time) whether I would be the same player; whether I would be as fast,” Daggs said. “I feel like I’ve gotten stronger, and I feel I’m as fast or faster than I was before the injury. I feel like I’m playing better. My sister (Tiana) went through it (knee injury) twice.”
Randy Roser, who coached Daggs for two years on varsity and then in club ball, wasn’t surprised that Daggs bounced back so well.
“I always knew she’d come back (from the injury),” said Roser. “She’s a competitor. This is great. Players moving on to Division I schools is always good.”
“She was determined and worked very hard on her fitness last spring and in the summer,” said current CHS coach Greg Lehman. “She said all along she felt that she was 100 percent.”
Daggs played both up front and midfield for Carson this year, and she’s hopeful of staying up top.
“That’s where I’m most comfortable,” she said.
“She did a really good job up front for us, and she did well on the wing,” Lehman said. “She did well in center mid when we put here there.”
Daggs is currently training with a Tahoe team, but said she will be a guest player this spring for the Heat, a club team in Las Vegas, next weekend at a tournament. She played with the Heat in a tournament last year in Phoenix.
And, Daggs said she plans to compete in track in and around soccer tournaments.
“I want to stay in shape,” she said. “I don’t think I’m going to do the hurdles because of my knee, so it will be sprints and relays.”