Most 17-year-olds spend their summers getting ready for theirsenior year of high school. Whitney Jones will be preparing to bethe starting goalkeeper on the Northwestern women’s soccerteam.

Jones will graduate in June after just three years at GlenbardWest High School in Glen Ellyn, Ill. In those three years, she wasa two-year member of the Olympic Development Program Region IIteam, an All-West Suburban Silver pick as a sophomore in 2002 and aNaperville Sun All-Area selection.

After deciding that she wanted to come to NU last year, Jonesmade the initial contact with the coaching staff. She came to watchthe team play Penn State and sat down for a talk with coach JennyHaigh after the game.

The coaching staff had been watching Jones play in tournamentsthroughout her sophomore year.

“She is a very good shot-stopper,” Haigh said. “She can talk herway out of dangerous situations because she is very vocal. She hasvery good feet and played a lot in the field for her club team,which adds a lot to her game.”

But there was no guarantee that Jones would be admitted to NUbecause of her unique situation in high school.

The team did not find out until late this spring that she hadbeen accepted.

Haigh said the situation worked out well for both the Cats andfor Jones because NU had been looking to recruit goalies.

“She made the decision to graduate in three years,” Haigh said.”But we are happy with her decision. It worked out for our needs.We wanted her to come here, but we weren’t sure that could happen.We all had our fingers crossed.”

Jones hopes to take over in goal for the graduated SusieMcCreery.

The Cats finished ninth in the Big Ten last season, but the teamlost only two starters.

“We have matured and grown together,” Haigh said. “We’ve gottensome good young players. We lost a lot of close games last year,and we want turn those close losses to close wins.”