Palov To Add To Family History At UNB
(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS women’s soccer team is naming centre midfielder Eva Palov to their recruiting class of 2024.
The 17-year-old, from Bedford, Nova Scotia, has signed a U SPORTS Letter of Intent and will join the REDS ahead of the 2024 Atlantic University Sport season.
“We’re excited to have Eva join our program,” said REDS’ head coach Jon Crossland. “She’s a calm midfield player that has high soccer intelligence and technical ability. She’ll fit very nicely into our centre midfield and compliments our current group very well. Eva has a strong background of success at the club and provincial level which will serve her well in the transition to university soccer.”
Palov is finishing her Grade 12 year at Bedford’s C.P. Allen High School, where she’s been a member of the senior girls’ team for the past two seasons.
Previously, she attended Kings-Edgehill School, in Windsor, Nova Scotia, where she was named Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2021.
On the club level, Palov is a veteran member of Suburban FC and has helped the club’s U17 side win back-to-back Nova Scotia Soccer League titles (2022, 2023). In 2022, Palov’s Suburban side finished fifth at the national U17 championship tournament.
“I loved the feel of the UNB campus,” said Palov. “I know the team to be hard-working and competitive, and UNB has great academics.”
Palov, a two-time attendee of the Vancouver Whitecaps Combine, has a strong family history at UNB.
Her grandmother, Janet, was a two-sport athlete at UNB during 1960s as a member of the women’s swimming and field hockey teams.
Her grandfather, Dan, attended UNB as well and was a running back with the Red Bombers football team.
“Eva comes from a sporting family that has roots here in Fredericton,” said Coach Crossland. “Her grandfather played football here at UNB and coached football at Fredericton High School, so this will be a homecoming for them, and we’re glad Eva will continue to carry that level of excellence to the school, sport, and community.”
“One of my strengths that I’ll bring to the team is my technical ability,” said Palov. “I’m creative when turning with the ball to escape pressure, and opening opportunities forward. I have a great work ethic on and off the field.”
Palov says making an immediate impact and helping UNB win a conference championship are among her short-term goals. Long-term, she wants to become one of the team’s key leaders.
Palov will study business while attending UNB.
STORY BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTO: UNB Athletics