Northern Colorado Bears women’s soccer has announced the addition of three new student-athletes to its program for the upcoming season. The new signees are Thordis Melsted, Ashlyn Callahan, and Janie Hanson.
Thordis Melsted, a goalkeeper from Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, previously played at the University of North Alabama. She recorded 166 minutes on the field, faced 31 shots, and made eight saves in her last season. Melsted is also a national champion in both U17 soccer and several track and field events in Iceland. She plans to study Business Administration with a focus on Human Resource Management at Northern Colorado.
Ashlyn Callahan joins as a defender from Arvada, Colorado. She was recognized with ECNL RL All-Regional League (Mountain) honors during the 2023–24 season and received multiple all-conference awards while playing high school soccer at Ralston Valley High School. Callahan chose Northern Colorado for its location and opportunity to compete close to family.
Janie Hanson comes from Edmonds, Washington, where she earned First Team All-Wesco honors in soccer during her junior and senior years at Edmonds Woodway High School. Hanson also competed in track and field and basketball, serving as team captain for both basketball and soccer teams. She intends to pursue a degree in Education while playing for the Bears.
Head Coach Tim Barrera commented on the incoming class: “We are excited to welcome three more recruits to our 2026 team,” said Head Coach Tim Barrera. “All three are multi-sport athletes who are also great students. Ashlyn can play anywhere across the back line and possesses tremendous speed and closing ability. She was also being recruited to play flag football and played high school soccer with Izzy Martinez. Thordis is an experienced goalkeeper with excellent shot-stopping ability and great distribution, and she grew up as a national champion track athlete in Iceland. Janie Hanson is a three-sport athlete (track and basketball) who is a true two-way midfielder with a tremendous motor and the ability to score goals.”
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