Riverwood Senior Signs With Tide Soccer
David R. Cohen is the former Associate Editor of the Atlanta Jewish Times. He is originally from Marietta, GA and studied Journalism at the University of Tennessee.
Riverwood International Charter School senior Alex Plavin has signed with the University of Alabama to play soccer for the Crimson Tide.
Plavin, a goalkeeper for Tophat Soccer Club in Buckhead, holds the Riverwood school record for lowest goals against average (0.59), most shutouts (13) and most wins (14).
“It was my dream and real intent to play Division I soccer in the SEC,” said Plavin, the daughter of Tally and Stanford Plavin. “It’s just a really good balance between academics and athletics. When I stepped on campus at Alabama, the team was really warm and friendly. I just felt like they had a good culture going on.”
After helping lead Tophat to three consecutive state championships from 2013 to 2015, she was approached by Emory University and American University but ultimately chose Alabama. Two of her Tophat teammates, midfielder Logue Shamburger of the Westminster Schools and forward Chloe Maize of Cleveland, Tenn., also signed with Alabama.
“Alex is an exceptional goalkeeper,” her Tophat coach, Troy Garner, said in a Crimson Tide news release. “She has great hands and is a very good communicator. She pays attention to her position in great detail, has a great work ethic and will be a wonderful teammate.”
A member of Ahavath Achim Synagogue, Plavin first played organized soccer at the Marcus Jewish Community Center when she was 4. The Epstein School grad said a significant Jewish population was one of her criteria in selecting a university, and Alabama has a growing Jewish student body after years of recruiting Jewish students from the Atlanta area.
“Alabama has a Hillel on campus, which was a huge part of having the opportunity to go there,” Plavin said. “Getting involved locally is a great opportunity and something I look forward to.”
In the fall Plavin will compete for playing time at goalkeeper with redshirt junior Kat Stratton and fellow freshman Emilie Saksvig of Richmond, Va.
Alabama Coach Wes Hart said he is excited about the competition his seven freshmen will bring to the team in his second year at the university. He said Plavin “is a good shot stopper and is comfortable playing off her line. She reads the game well and is a very good communicator.”
Also celebrating college signing day Wednesday, Feb. 3, were Woodward Academy’s Lydia Morris, the daughter of Belinda and Michael Morris, who will play volleyball next year at Furman University, and Walton High School’s Joey Goodman, who will play football at Harvard University.
Please send news of any other local Jewish students signing to play college sports next year to david@atljewishtimes.com.
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