SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Ushering in a new era of Bronco soccer, the Santa Clara women's soccer team welcomes Audrey Hegardt from the 2016 signing class to the squad.

"Audrey is going to come in and compete for an outside back position," said Santa Clara head coach Jerry Smith. "She is a tough one-on-one defender that is competitive and very hard-working."

A Southern California native, Hegardt plays for Cathedral Catholic High School in Del Mar, Calif. For the past two seasons, Hegardt has captained her team to a CIF Southern California State championship and Western League title. During her sophomore season, Hegardt was a member of her high school squad that also captured a CIF Southern California title.

At the club level, Hegardt played with the San Diego Surf from 2011 until 2014 before making the switch to her current club team, Slammer's FC. The past four seasons, Hegardt has helped lead her squad to a Southern California Conference Championship as well as an appearance in the ECNL finals in 2012.

For her successes on the field, Hegardt was invited to attend U-14 and U-15 United States National Team camps.

Continuing her family's legacy, Hegardt joins the women's soccer program while her brother, Jared, graduates this year after spending four years with the men's soccer program. Hegardt's mother, Kim, and father, Ron, also attended and graduated from Santa Clara.