Julie Scheidler Class: Sophomore Hometown: Indianapolis, IN High School: Bishop Chatard Height: 5-5 Position: Defender/Midfielder Birthdate: 10/10/1988 Club Team: Carmel Crossfire

One of four high school All-Americans in freshman class and one of the top candidates at one of the outside back positions ... has shown athleticism, defensive skills and willingness to attack that could help her excel in Notre Dame's system ... in-state product whose widespread connections to Notre Dame span three generations and include 12 direct relatives who are Notre Dame graduates (full list later in bio.), plus eight - including her mother - who are graduates of nearby Saint Mary's College ... known for playing with tremendous heart and competitiveness ... product of elite Carmel Crossfire club, part of Carmel soccer club program that also produced senior forward Susan Pinnick (Carmel United Heat) and sophomore defender Rachel VanderGenutgen (Carmel Cyclones) ... a very technical player and true student of the game who plays within her abilities ... strong on the ball and effective with service from the flanks ... has steady desire to continue learning the game ... should show progress as she adjusts to higher level of opposition in the college game ... one of 22 Indiana natives who have played for Notre Dame, as are Pinnick (South Bend/St. Joseph's HS), junior D/M Kerri Inglis (Ft. Wayne/Snider HS) and VanderGenutgen (Schererville/Lake Central HS), plus former defender Lindsey Jones (South Bend/Adams HS) and Academic All-America forward Amy VanLaecke (Granger/Adams).

ODP/CLUB HIGHLIGHTS: Three-year member of Olympic Development Program Region II team (2005-07) ... began playing with Indiana ODP state team in 2003 ... played with Region II team at 2007 inter-regional (Ventura, Calif.) ... toured Costa Rica with Region II (spring 2006) and played in 2005 inter-regional (Boca Raton, Fla.) ... five-year captain of Carmel United Crossfire club (2003-07) ... founding member of Crossfire (in '96) who helped team win five state titles in six years (2002-03, '05-'07) ... the Crossfire narrowly missed the 2007 Region II semifinals, after going 1-0-2 in group play with scoreless tie versus Chicago-based Eclipse Select (featuring her future ND classmates Brittany Johnson and Erica Iantorno), a 2-0 win over homestanding West Des Moines Royal Fuerza and 2-2 tie with Michigan Hawks ... helped Crossfire outscore the opposition 27-0 en route to winning 2007 state title, with wins over FC Pride (10-0), St. Francis Elite (6-0), their sister club Carmel Clash (5-0 semifinal), and Dynamo F.C. in a 4-0 title game ... member of Crossfire team that was the 2002 Region II runner-up (also regional semifinalists in '04 and '05) ... helped the Crossfire win four straight league titles from 2004-07.

PREP & PERSONAL: Named 2006 NSCAA high school All-American while earning NSCAA player-of-the-year award for state of Indiana and collecting Scholar All-America honors from NSCAA ... set Bishop Chatard High School record for career points (183; 73 goals, 37 assists) ... also set team single-season records for goals and assists ... received "Spirit of Sport" female athlete-of-the-year award from St. Vincent Sports Medicine ... tabbed by Indianapolis Star as city's 2006 player of the year ... helped lead Chatard to top-20 state rankings all four seasons, with only one class/division in the state (Chatard never had been previously ranked) ... team captain her final two seasons ... four-time all-city selection who was named all-state, first team all-district and all-conference each of her final three years ... other 2006 honors included first team all-state, city player of the year, team MVP (repeat selection) and "heart of the team" award ... selected for north-south all-star game ... first team all-state as a junior and second team as a sophomore ... a first team academic all-state pick in her final two seasons ... lettered as a guard with varsity basketball team as a freshman and junior, helping team go undefeated each season ... led basketball team to sectional title and best overall record in program's history ... member of National Honor Society and student council ... served as peer mentor and retreat leader ... graduated with 4.42 cumulative grade-point average ... former Notre Dame baseball pitcher Mike Harmon and 2007 baseball captain Mike Dury (lefthanded pitcher/first baseman) also attended Chatard, with Harmon going on to serve as the current coach at his high school alma mater ... her uncles Tom Miller (ND baseball, '75) and John Scheidler (Ball State football, '76) both were college athletes, as were her aunt Maureen O'Brien Kohler ('81) and cousin Kathleen Rose Miller ('04), both with the Saint Mary's basketball team, while her cousin Jimmy Scheidler is a junior tight end on the Bowling Green football team ... extensive ties to her new school include a grandfather, seven uncles, two aunts, a cousin and a brother who all are Notre Dame grads (chronologically): grandfather J. Thomas O'Brien ('53), uncles Mark Scheidler ('71), Tom Miller ('75), Thomas O'Brien ('77) and Jeff Kohler ('79), aunt Rosaleen O'Brien Rogers ('87), uncles Christopher Paulison ('89), Joseph Vierhile ('90) and Timothy Kelly O'Brien ('95), aunt Maryann Wisler O'Brien ('95), cousin Mary Clare O'Brien ('03) and brother Matthew Scheidler ('05) - plus cousin Michael Scheidler, who will join her in the Notre Dame class of 2011 ... her mother Colleen O'Brien Scheidler ('79) is a graduate of nearby Saint Mary's College, as are six of her mother's seven sisters (her cousin Kathleen Rose Miller graduated from SMC in 2004 while another cousin, Katie Kohler, currently is a junior at SMC) ... born Oct. 10, 1988, in Naperville, Ill. ... daughter of Bill and Colleen Scheidler ... full name is Julie Ann Scheidler ... enrolled in First Year of Studies ... intends to major in science education.