BERLIN- Stephen Decatur standout girls’ student- athlete Rebecca Lederman last week signed a national letter of intent to play soccer at and attend Canisius College next fall.
Lederman, a four-year varsity starter in soccer at Decatur, signed a letter of intent last Thursday at the Berlin school to accept a combined athletic and academic scholarship at Canisius College and will take her vast skills to the soccer program at the upstate New York school next fall. Canisius is a Division I school that competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
Lederman had a choice of as many as 20 other colleges, including other Division I programs, that recruited her after they saw her play in college showcase tournaments over the last three years. She ultimately chose Canisius based on the quality of the school’s academic programs and the combined academic and athletic scholarships she was offered.
Lederman also hit it off almost immediately with the Canisius coach after flying up to the school last September for an official visit during which she watched two home games.
While Lederman has made her mark at Decatur mainly on the soccer field, she is also an accomplished outdoor track athlete, more specifically a sprinter. Her first love is soccer, but she also holds the school record in the 100 meter and is ranked in the top five in two other sprint distances. She will compete again in outdoor track this spring.
Decatur girls’ varsity soccer coach Misty Bunting said this week Lederman was a relentless competitor on the field and a tireless worker in the classroom.
“Rebecca truly is a shining example of how determination, focus and that drive to succeed can literally pay off in the end,” she said.
Lederman played several positions for Decatur over the past four years. She earned All-Conference honors in each of her four years at Decatur and was named team defensive MVP as a sophomore and team offensive MVP following her senior season.
“This certainly speaks to her versatility as a player,” said Bunting. “She is incredibly fast and aggressive and there aren’t many players in our conference who can keep up with her. She has a natural talent and incredible instincts, and she is the one who has not only kept us in games defensively, but has been the offensive winning factor in several as well.”