By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the summer upon us and the calendar beginning to flip towards the start of the Tennessee Tech soccer season, the Golden Eagles are proud to announce another addition to the 2016 roster with the signing of Julia Rebollo, an incoming defender out of Barcelona, Spain.

Rebollo takes her place among an already talented recruiting class that saw six incoming freshmen dot the I's and cross the T's into their Tech tenure during the initial signing period back in early February.

"We are excited that Julia will be joining the team this upcoming fall season," TTU head coach Steve Springthorpe claimed on the club's latest addition. "She plays at an extremely high level in Spain and we expect that her playing experience along with her maturity in the game will translate well to our team."

Rebollo brings a wealth of experience into the mix after suiting up for RCD Espanyol, one of the top club teams in Spain, based in Barcelona. Rebollo had been a mainstay with the team over the last three years, helping to play a pivotal role in winning the Copa Catalunya (Catalonia Cup) in the 2014-15 season. Current Golden Eagle sophomore, Mayra Tarraga Manzanal suited up for RCD Espanyol as well.

Prior to her RCD Espanyol stint, Rebollo spent two years playing with CE Sant Gabriel, a prestigious Spanish football club out of Sant Adria de Besos, Barcelona. During her time there, Rebollo aided her team in taking home the Spanish Cup during the 2012-13 season.

"Julia will no doubt bring some aggressiveness and competiveness to an already solid back four, and the expectation of her is that she will compete for a starting position as an outside back," Springthorpe said. "Julia is a tenacious defender, who also likes to get involved in the attack by getting forward and playmaking from that position."

The Golden Eagles are coming off a historical 2015 campaign that saw the team capture its most conference wins in one season in school history, a second place OVC finish, the highest in 15 years, a regular season winning record for the first time in over a decade, and the first postseason appearance in six years, culminating in a trip to the OVC Tournament semifinals.