The Rochester Lady Lancers Thursday announced they had signed Syracuse, N.Y. native Brooke Barbuto as a player-assistant coach.

Barbuto joins the United Women’s Soccer team with vast college and professional experience. A four-year starter at Stony Brook University, she recorded 17 goals and nine assists. She was selected as an All-Academic team pick, and to the America East all rookie team, America East first team, NSCAA All-Northeast Region first team and America East Tournament all-championship team. Barbuto also was team captain and MVP during his season season.

After college Barbuto played professional Soccer for the Buffalo Flash (Western New York Flash) in 2009-2010. With the questionable stability of the women’s league in the United States, Barbuto found herself continuing her professional career oversees. Her first experience was in 2011 in Iceland with Haukar, finishing with nine goals and as many assists.

She started played with GBK in the Finnish first division from 2012-13. A year later, she helped the side gain promotion to a high league. During her two-year tenure, Barbuto finished with 34 goals and 15 assists. The Syracuse native continued her playing career in 2014 in Finland. She totaled 26 goals and 10 assists while earning MVP honors that season.

In 2017 Barbuto moved to Australia and played for the Peninsula Power as she picked up the major silverware, winning MVP honors for NPL QLD and NPL Women’s QLD and the Golden Boot by scoring 28 times in 20 matches to lead her team to the Premiership-Championship double.

Barbuto has been a certified USSF official for more than 15 years.

She has assisted with the Under-14 Syracuse Development Academy Girls the past two years. Prior to playing overseas she was the head women’s coach at Bryant and Stratton College for two seasons. Barbuto also has been coaching the CNYFSC House program for eight years.

Barbuto also has been on the staff of the Syracuse Silver Knights since the Major Arena Soccer League team’s inception.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.