Jan. 13, 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. – West Jessamine standout Arin Gilliland has enrolled at UK and will participate this spring with the women’s soccer team UK head coach Jon Lipsitz announced.

A defender from Wilmore, Ky., Gilliland graduated from West Jessamine High School. She is a 2010 Parade All-American and was named this year’s Miss Kentucky soccer. She finished her career with 109 career goals at West Jessamine.

“Simply put, Arin is one of the top players in the country,” Lipsitz said. “Her national team experience and all the accolades are well known. More important is her immense competitive drive and her desire to get better every day. She is going to have a great career at UK. I am most excited to coach Arin because of who she is as a person. Her academic excellence and desire to be a part of a close soccer family makes UK a perfect fit for her.

She earned a spot on the U18 National Team, and on January 15th will begin camp with the U20 National Team. Gilliland also made the Kentucky All-State team all four years at West Jessamine. Gilliland also excels in the classroom, adding Academic All-State honors on her resume.

Gilliland will compete as a freshman in the 2011 season this fall, but she’ll have a semester under her belt.