BENTONVILLE -- A change of heart and a coaching change allowed Anslea Haikey to sign with the college that she wanted to go in the first place.
The Bentonville senior defender made Central Arkansas her choice and signed her soccer national letter of intent during Thursday's ceremony at the Tiger Athletic Complex. She became one of five signees for the Sugar Bears this week.
"I'm feeling good about it," Haikey said. "It's also a little sad because it's going to be hard leaving the teammates I've grown up with. Other than that, I'm excited."
The 5-foot-7 Haikey had originally made a verbal commitment to Missouri Southern because it had offered more than UCA and Truett-McConnell College, an NAIA institution located in Cleveland, Ga. She began to change her mind, however, after Alese Woodard resigned as Missouri Southern's coach in November.
That's when Haikey started to have second thoughts about UCA and changes started to take place. She was under a new frame of mind about a month later.
"When the coach resigned, I backed out and said 'Whoa, whoa,'" Haikey said. "UCA kind of tugged at my heart. That was where I always wanted to go. I didn't care anymore, and this was it."
"I went to UCA and asked if I could play there. When (UCA coach) Jeremy (Bishop) said yes, I de-committed and went to UCA. All my other club teammates who were at MSSU had their scholarships taken away by the new coach, so I'm glad I changed."
Haikey isn't the only Lady Tiger to have second thoughts before she signed her letter of intent Thursday. Melanie Matkins, Bentonville's second-leading scorer last spring, signed with Harding after she had originally planned on attending John Brown.
"I was committed to going to John Brown for about nine months," Haikey said. "Then I decided to change my mind at the last minute. I had some other offers, and I had to decide between Harding and UCA.
"Both schools were good to play soccer for, but I chose academics. Harding had the better academic program for me."
Matkins, who had 12 goals and 16 assists last season, hopes to be an attacking midfielder, the same position she currently plays for the Lady Tigers.
Sports on 02/05/2016