Sailors soccer trio to continue playing in college

Newport Harbor High seniors Emily Ohlhaver, Carly Ruiz and Rachel Baugh have all signed letters of intent to continue their soccer careers in college.

Ohlhaver is headed to UC Santa Barbara, Ruiz to Brown University and Baugh to UC San Diego.

Ohlhaver, a first-team All-Sunset League midfielder as a senior for the Sailors, said she was considering a number of other schools. But, she said, she liked that UCSB was close to home and the campus near the beach.

“I’m really excited,” said Ohlhaver, a four-year varsity starter. “It’s almost been like a life goal for me so far, to play competitive Division I soccer in college.”

Ruiz, also a midfielder, helped jump-start the Newport Harbor offense as well. She suffered a facial fracture early in the season but came back to help the Sailors in Sunset League play.

Ruiz, a two-year varsity starter who is on her way to graduating from Newport Harbor with above a 4.0 grade-point average, said she was deciding between Brown or another Ivy League school, Dartmouth.

“[Brown] is still Division I soccer, but it’s a great academic school,” Ruiz said. “I know I’m not going to play soccer professionally. I just wanted to get in a school to help my future. I liked that [the Brown campus] was completely different than Newport. The city of Providence is rad.”

Baugh, a key defender for Newport Harbor, was another four-year varsity starter.

She said UC San Diego fit her because it’s a Division II school, and she wants to focus more on her studies in college. Also, it has the Scripps Center on campus, and Baugh said she’s interested in biology.

“I feel blessed,” Baugh said. “I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t playing next year.”

Ohlhaver and Baugh have played on the same club team, the Fountain Valley Wolfpack, for a number of years.

The Sailors finished 5-7-6, and 1-5-3 in the Sunset League for first-year coach Larry Draluck.

— Matt Szabo