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GREG AUMANHolder of 59 shutouts over four years, she chooses Tampa over other bigger programs.
LAND O'LAKES - Gators goalie Shannon Aitken, who has 59 career shutouts as a four-year starter, has orally committed to play at the University of Tampa. She will be the fifth member of Land O'Lakes' 2003 state championship squad to continue playing at the college level.
"She's an excellent athlete, which is the first thing, but she also puts in a lot of training, which helps her a lot," said coach Vicky King, whose team is off to a 7-0 start.
Aitken has yet to give up a goal this season, and her seven saves in Monday's win against Tampa Catholic were more than she needed to make in the first six wins combined. She considered other bigger programs but knew UT was right for her after the first of three unofficial campus visits.
"It wasn't my first choice at first, but it surprised me how much I liked everything," said Aitken, 18, who hopes to study psychology in college. "I like the team a lot, and they were very welcoming when I visited. I like the coach, I like that it's smaller classes, and I know some of the players."
Aitken visited Louisiana State, where former teammate Stacy Bishop is a standout freshman, but said the program didn't feel like a good fit.
She'll have a former teammate at UT in Maggie Barthel, who played sparingly as a sophomore forward this season, and she'll play against two teammates - Casie Poyssick and walk-on Katrina Giraldes - when the Spartans face Saint Leo each season.
Aitken, who has more shutouts (59) than goals allowed (56) in her 93 career matches as a Gator, said much of her success should be shared with the strong defenses in front of her. Three of her shutouts this season have come in games in which she hasn't faced a shot.
"It's easy to get bored back there sometimes," she conceded.
The Spartans return two keepers who played this season, including starter Jade Berbert, a sophomore who had six shutouts and finished with a 15-4 record.
Aitken might not be the only player from this year's Gators soccer class to sign with a college program. She said fellow keeper Amanda Smith, who is recovering from a broken leg, is leaning towards accepting an offer to join Poyssick and Giraldes at Saint Leo.
With a major decision behind her, Aitken now can relax and enjoy the rest of her senior year, which will include a shot at another state title. If she records another shutout, she will match her longest streak without a goal, set over an eight-game span her sophomore year.