With everything the U.S. Naval Academy had to offer, Elise McCaskey couldn't say no.

McCaskey, a senior at Butler High School, has decided to continue her academic and soccer careers at the Annapolis, Md., service academy.

"The fact they are ranked eighth in the country academically shows they're really respected and it's an honor to serve my country," said McCaskey.

"I looked at the perks and the opportunities after I served and I thought it was too good to pass up," she added.

McCaskey had received interest from other schools, such as American University and Duquesne.

"She kind of looked at a lot of different places as a junior and all through the fall," said Butler coach Marlene Peoples. "I think she weighed everything and made the decision best for her," Peoples added.

Another plus to the Naval Academy was the chance to play for head coach Carin Gabarra, who was the one-time career-leading scorer in collegiate history with 102 goals and 78 assists at University of California-Santa Barbara. That record was broken by North Carolina's Mia Hamm.

Gabarra also was a U.S. Olympic gold medallist in 1996, a member of the 1991 World Championship team and she received the Golden Ball Award as the top women's player. Gabarra was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2000, only second female ever to receive the honor.

"Actually, her accomplishments attracted me to the school," said McCaskey, who certainly has the athletic background to make a smooth transition to the Division I level.

The midfielder was a Butler County All-Star first-team selection the past two seasons. She had five goals and an assist last season and eight goals and four assists as a junior, the year the Tornado reached the PIAA Class AAA championship game.

"I think she most definitely can play at the Division I level," said Peoples. "She's a good, strong soccer player with an intensity and a will to win to be successful.

"She was a captain her junior and senior years and did a great job. She distributed the ball well and controlled the field. That's where she made the biggest impact," Peoples added.

McCaskey also has played in the Olympic Developmental Program and with the Pittsburgh Strikers.

"Those experiences will help me," said McCaskey. "Obviously, I'll have to work hard, but I think I can do it well."

McCaskey also benefited from playing with a pair of Division I recruits at Butler: Meghan Schnur (Connecticut) and Annie Lowry (James Madison).

"I enjoyed playing every moment with those two," said McCaskey. "They helped me and helped me be a better player. Meghan really helped me see the field better."

Peoples said McCaskey has earned her place with those two, which can be an aspiration for the program's younger members.

"They always look at that, especially when you have Division I players for numerous years in a row," said Peoples. "They can see it's a possibility, not just someone else."

McCaskey is not sure what her field of expertise will be when she leaves Annapolis, but she will get a chance to find out this summer.

"There's a lot of things. I can fly, work on a destroyer, I'm not sure," she said. "They have a summer program two weeks at a time. There are a lot of different fields to decide on."

As a first-year student, McCaskey also will participate in plebe summer, a six-week program that begins June 29.