Press Release
Thursday, March 30, 2023
3 players to join soccer Aigles Bleues
Three soccer players will join the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues for the next Atlantic University Sport season.
Head coach Mehyar Zekaroui is happy that Ariane Rioux of Dieppe, Éloïse Gilbert-Grimard of Longueuil, and Onisha Goguen of Moncton will be at the training camp in August.
Ariane Rioux, 17, is 5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall and plays with CS Dieppe of the Senior Winter League. She has two national championship appearances and was a member of Team NB at the Canada Games in Niagara in 2022. She is also a member of Soccer NB's high-performance program. “From a young age, I was often at the stadium to watch the Aigles Bleues play,” she said. “I was a ball retriever during games. Seeing them play gave me a passion for the sport and wanting to continue my soccer career with the Aigles. The Aigles are a family, and I would like to be part of it.”
Rioux has been playing the game for 11 years and her strength is her ball control. She plays in several positions on the field. She will pursue studies in kinesiology. “I've always put a lot of pressure on myself and my performance,” she continued. “I hope to play without putting a lot of pressure and be able to control my anxiety. My goal is to have a connection with the girls and to improve myself as a player and as a person.”
Onisha Goguen-Tshimbalanga is 17 years old and measures 5 feet 5 inches. Born in Moncton, she played with CS Dieppe and Soccer NB high-performance. She has also been a member of the senior league, Canada Games and U17 AAA teams.
“The Aigles Bleues players are very welcoming, and I have been around them for several years. I felt instantly comfortable joining the team,” said Goguen-Tshimbalanga. “I always wanted to continue my sports career during my university years. It's a rewarding experience to be part of a team. The Aigles Bleues marked me by their mutual aid and support that each player demonstrates for the other. I hope to bring new energy to the team and work hard to achieve good results in the 2023 season.”
Goguen-Tshimbalanga wants to live positive experiences and receive new play ideas. She has been practising this sport for 9 years and her strengths are her speed and reading of the game. She communicates well with her teammates and is working hard to improve her weaknesses. "I want to improve my confidence with the ball and adapt well to the new dynamics of the Aigles Bleues.” She is enrolled in the pre-med program and is active in track and field and cross-country.
Éloïse Gilbert-Grimard 17 years old is 5 ft 7 inches tall and is originally from Montérégie, Quebec. She lives in Longueuil and has played with the U21 AAA team and the Club Soccer Longueuil of the Ligue de soccer élite du Québec. She has been part of a sport-study program for 5 years. “Joining the Aigles Bleues will allow me to continue to combine sport and studies,” she explained. “I also wish to improve as quickly as possible, to be part of the starting lineup and compete against new teams with a different caliber. I will also be able to learn new styles of play and contribute to the success of the Aigles Bleues.”
The athlete wants to improve her anticipation as well as her vision of the game. She's been playing since she was 5 years old and is eager to adapt to the university style of play. She is combative, determined, a creator of plays and with good vision. She will pursue studies in international business administration. She also does alpine skiing and snowboarding.
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