Slidell High graduate Whitney McCabe has signed a letter of intent to attend Southeastern Louisiana University and play soccer for the Lady Lions.

McCabe said she is excited to be moving up to the next level and putting her skills to the challenge.

McCabe, who has been playing soccer since she was four-years old, is going to a school that finished 11-6-2 and 5-4 in Southland Conference play. SLU’s season came to an end in Lake Charles with a 1-0 loss to Texas State during the Southland Conference Tournament.

Pictured is Slidell's Whitney McCabe, who signed a letter of intent to attend Southeastern Louisiana University and play soccer for the Lady Lions. She is seated in the first row flanked by her parents Mark and Anne McCabe. Standing in the second row: Slidell assistant soccer coach Megan Cuevas and SHS athletic director George Herdliska. (Staff Photo by Chris Kinkaid)

During her time at Slidell, McCabe, an outside defender, who also plays offense, won the Coaches’ Award her freshman and sophomore year, while taking the team’s defensive Most Valuable Player her junior and senior year. This season, she was named a first-team all-district player for defense. She also recorded a goal on defense this season.

Slidell coach Shannon Gipson said she is excited about McCabe’s opportunity with the Lady Lions.

“Whitney is a coach’s dream,” Gipson said. “No matter where we put her, she made an immediate impact. We put her on defense and she was forwards’ nightmare. She will be greatly missed. I’m looking forward to watching her play at SLU.”

Off the field, McCabe was heavily involved with her school. She was a cheerleader for four years in fact nearly every Friday night during soccer season, McCabe would play a soccer match and then change uniforms and cap off the night by cheering for the basketball team.

She also spent two years in Key Club. McCabe was in the Foreign Language Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes for one year.

In the classroom, she finished her high-school career with a 3.0 grade point average. She took honors English her sophomore and senior year. She also took honors Biology, a one-year course, her sophomore year.

McCabe said she plans on majoring in Nursing and added that Southeastern has a real good program.

Whitney is the daughter of Mark and Anne McCabe of Slidell.