BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Pirjo Elise Leppikangas is the latest member of the Fighting Camel women's soccer team after signing a National Letter of Intent. A native of Helsinki, Finland, Leppikangas will join the squad as an attacking midfielder or forward.

She caught the eye of coach Todd Clark while competing for Helsinki side PK-35 and coach Pauliina Miettinen. Miettinen is a former Finland international who recently took over the head coaching duties for the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) franchise FC Sky Blue.

"I am ecstatic to add 'Pipe' to our team," said Clark, who guided the Camels to their most successful campaign in five years during 2009. "She comes from a tremendous background and has been very well coached over the past few seasons. Coach Miettinen certainly knows talent at a high level so when she described Pirjo as "a good player with the potential to be great" I was certainly intrigued. After following up, we are massively excited to add her into our team and I am confident she will make a huge impact in the Atlantic Sun Conference right away."

While with PK-35, Leppikangas has helped the club climb from the Second Division to the Premier League as a captain. She scored the match winner in her team's victory in the Helsinki Cup in 2005 and 2006 and was named the best player at PK-35 in 2008. Additionally she was named the player of the Stadi Cup as a youth in 2005. Over the past three seasons she has played in 60 matches for PK-35, starting all 20 last year. She has pitched in with 13 goals and 23 assists in that span as well.

"Campbell has enjoyed its relationship with so many great internationals over the years and I think Pipe has the potential to join fellow Finns like our current captain Hanna Salmen and men's players Rami Kauppi, Juha Miettinen, and Toni Siikala, who all led their teams to tremendous successes while in the Creek en route to national recognition and even professional careers in the game. I definitely do not think a similar future for Pirjo is out of the question."