After being named Head Coach for the inaugural women’s team, Andy Pritchard went straight to work and began recruiting top level talent to join The Mighty Oak for 2019. Suzuho Yamasaki is not only the first international signing for the club on the women’s side, but she’s a player that excites the staff in terms of her potential impact this summer.
“It’s very exciting to coach a player of Suzuho’s caliber. She’s a player that can not only control the tempo of a game but also finds opportunities to assist her teammates and score goals,” added Pritchard.
The Japanese international is coming off a massive freshman year with the Martin Methodist College in Tennessee. Yamasaki helped the Redhaws to an impressive 19-1-2 record, reaching the NAIA Round of 16. The former Japanese National Team U17 player stacked accolades to acknowledge her role in helping the Redhawks to an unbelievably successful season. She was named to the All-Freshman Team, First Team All-Conference, Third Team All-American (NAIA) and let her team to the conference championship. The midfielder scored 3 goals and tallied 12 assists while her team finished the season ranked top ten nationally.
Yamasaki’s resume is impressive and Pritchard expects the midfielder to compete at a high level and help shape a winning culture from day one. She can play as a holding or attacking mid which only further confirms her ability to control the middle of the pitch along with the tempo of the match.
Welcome to The Mighty Oak, Suzuho!
About AFC Ann Arbor
Founded in 2014, Association Football Club Ann Arbor launched it’s men’s semi-pro team in 2015 and has competed in the NPSL since 2016. Led by Head Coach & Sporting Director, Eric Rudland, the team has found great success winning back to back Great Lakes Championships (‘17 & ‘18) and earning US Open Cup bids three straight years (2017-2019). In October 2018, the club announced the launch of the women’s side, who will be skippered by Andy “Pritch” Pritchard in their inaugural season of the United Women’s Soccer national league. Owned and operated by a group of local soccer fans and entrepreneurs, AFC Ann Arbor has become a fixture in the greater Ann Arbor community.