SAN JOSE, Calif- Two San Jose State recruits sign National Letters of Intent (NLIs) to join the SJSU women's soccer team as a part of the 2022 signing class. Tatiana Cunningham and Bente Pernot will join the Spartans women's soccer program in the fall for the 2022-23 season.
Bente Pernot
Hometown: Geleen, Netherlands
High School: Sint-Joris College
Why I chose SJSU: "I chose SJSU because of the instant connection I felt with the staff and the team, their aspirations and goals for the women's soccer program, and the Behavioral Science program that is offered."
Accolades:
- Four year starter on the Dutch National Team (U14-U17)
- Played in six friendly international games
- Member of the 1st place Dutch team that won the UEFA Development championship in 2020
Head Coach Tina Estrada says: "Bente is a tremendous goalkeeper that will be a great addition to our team. She is athletic, has great distribution with her feet, and can communicate and lead a defensive line. Her international experience will make an immediate impact and we look forward to having her be a Spartan."
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Tatiana Cunningham
Hometown: San Jose, California
High School: Silver Creek High School
Why I Chose SJSU: "I chose to continue my academic and athletic career at SJSU because it felt like I belonged there after my very first visit. The team culture is exactly what I wanted – the perfect combination of family and always working towards individual/team goals. I knew that this environment would allow me to thrive and I cannot wait for the next four years!"
Accolades:
- Scouted and invited to three U.S. Soccer Girls Training Centers in 2017 and 2018
- Two-year captain on Developmental Academy team coached by Brandi Chastain's, former USWNT player and two-time Olympic gold-medalist
- Played ECNL from 2015 to 2016 at the age of 13 for De Anza Force
- Played Development Academy (DA) from 2016 to 2020 for the California Thorns
- From 2020-22, played ECNL with De Anza Force
Head Coach Tina Estrada says: "Tatiana is a massive talent in the local area. She has an extremely high soccer IQ, great vision in the attack, and is a coach's dream when it comes to work ethic and passion for the sport. She has been well coached by Lloyd Grist and Brandi Chastain at DeAnza Force and we look forward to her immediate impact in the attack."
#SpartanUp