By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the calendar having flipped to 2023, the Tennessee Tech soccer team continues to zero in on its fall campaign with the additions of two future Golden Eagles to help solidify the club's roster. Having recently welcomed aboard seven incoming freshmen toward the tail end of 2022, TTU head coach Steve Springthorpe and his staff have announced the signings of Melina Hamm and Neve Renwick to join the Tech squad for the 2023 season.
"We recruited both Melina and Neve from the international ranks, which has turned into a significant part of our program if you look at our roster over the last several years," associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Corey Boyd said. "We love having that kind of cultural diversity on our squad and know that it adds something different to our overall team culture both on and off the field. We are looking forward to having both Melina and Neve become a part of our program and are hoping they both blend in quickly and hit the ground running."
Melina Hamm (pictured left) will suit up in purple and gold after enjoying a wealth of success on the club circuit in her native Germany. During her days with TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Hamm played in the U17 Bundesliga for multiple years, the highest youth league in the German football league system. The Solingen product helped guide her club to first-place finishes in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns as well as a fourth-place ending in the 2019-20 season to go along with regional selections every year from 2016-20. Off the pitch, Hamm excelled in the classroom to the tune of being her high school's Valedictorian.
"Melina is a multifunctional midfielder who is very technical and controls the game well," Boyd remarked. "She is most naturally a defensive midfielder at a six position, but can play box to box as an eight with her ability to drive with the ball and make things happen. Melina can also play as a center-back and comes from a really strong club in Germany and has a high IQ for the game. We love having players who are comfortable on the ball and like to break lines with passing and dribbling and we feel Melina can do just that. We look forward to having her join us and for her to add depth to an already strong group of players."
Neve Renwick (pictured right) comes to Cookeville with a star-studded resume both within the high-school and international scene in her native England. While taking aim at Chaucer Secondary in Sheffield, Renwick collected over 270 goals and over 120 assists throughout her tenure. On the international stage, Renwick suited up for a variety of clubs including Barnsley Women FC, SWLFC, South Yorkshire, Sheffield United and Wakefield AFC.
Throughout her time with Barnsley Women FC, the incoming Tech freshman scored over 100 goals and was also the top goal scorer during her Wakefield AFC stint. Renwick captained SWLFC to the league title at the U15 and U14 level and scored 15 goals and 4 assists during preseason for the U21 tier 2 championship club, Sheffield United.
"Neve is a really powerful, direct forward who can play anywhere across the front," Boyd claimed. "She is probably most naturally a center forward, but can play in either wide positions. Neve is two-footed, can finish with her head and has a nose for goal. She has a goal-scoring mentality and has done it at every level she has played. Neve is excited for this opportunity and we are delighted to have her with us."
