Fox Chapel youth soccer alumni make college choices

By: George Guido
Saturday, November 12, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Three graduates of the Fox Chapel Area Soccer program who have become high school standouts signed with their respective colleges.

National Letter of Intent Day featured Fox Chapel’s Makayla Mulholland signing with Appalachian State University, Molly McNaughton with Cal (Pa.) and Oakland Catholic’s Gabi Folino with Northern Kentucky.

All three seniors went through the Fox Chapel youth program before high school. On the high school level, the three played against each other once as Fox Chapel and Oakland Catholic played to a 1-1 tie in 2019.

“We started off at age 5 with the same group of girls, and I played some travel ball with the others,” said Folino, who plans to study business administration.

Folino was a four-year starter with the Eagles and was named to all-section and all-WPIAL teams.

The Fox Chapel Borough resident traveled to Highland Heights, Ky., just 7 miles from Cincinnati, and decided that was the place for her.

“I love the program and went to camps there and fell in love with the place,” Folino said. “Plus, it’s close enough for city life, right across the bridge.”

The same thing happened when Mulholland, a midfielder, visited Boone, N.C., surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“Of all my campus visits, once I saw App State, I realized how much I loved the town,” Mulholland said. “I can remember meeting Gabi and playing youth soccer together. That gave me the opportunity to build friendships with many people.”

Mulholland is undecided on a major.

Fox Chapel goalkeeper Molly McNaughton is headed for Cal (Pa.) and will study to become a criminal psychologist.

McNaughton thanked her parents — Sarah and David — for helping her navigate the recruiting process.

“After a while, I didn’t even know if I wanted to play in college, but they pushed me and I want to give them a shout out or I wouldn’t be in this position,” McNaughton said.

The Foxes senior decided on Cal because the Vulcans goalkeeper coach, Samantha Gribowicz, also coaches Molly in club ball.

McNaughton started playing soccer at “age 2 or 3” in the Fox Chapel youth program.

Tags: Fox Chapel