MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University women’s soccer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown announced today that midfielder Isabella (Issy) Coombes has enrolled early and will join the Mountaineers in January 2017.

 

A native of Hamilton, New Zealand, Coombes will have four years of eligibility.

 

“We are so excited to have Issy join the WVU family,” Izzo-Brown said. “Issy has gained a tremendous amount of international playing experience throughout the last few years and has worldly knowledge of the sport. She is a great addition to this program because of her passion and hard work, and we look forward to her arrival in Morgantown.”

 

A two-year member of the New Zealand Women’s U-20 National Team, Coombes recently helped the team finish with a 1-2 mark at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Papau New Guinea. Included in her three appearances was a goal in the 76th minute in a 3-1 loss to the United States. She previously helped the team advance to the quarterfinals of the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and competed in tours of Brazil (2014) and France and Norway (2014).

 

Named to the New Zealand U-17 National Team in 2013, Coombes also competed at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica and partook in the program’s United States Tour (2014).

 

A member of the Forrest Hill Premier Women’s Team in 2016, Coombes was a three-year member of the Claudeland’s Premier Women’s Team (2012-15) and was named Claudeland’s Young Player of the Year in 2013.

 

Coombes previously attended Massey University in Albany, New Zealand. A three-time player of the year at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, she also was a two-time team captain and a member of the sports council.

 

The daughter of Shelley and Ed Coombes, she will enroll in undergraduate studies.