The Gophers women’s soccer team announced the signing of six recruits — five from Minnesota and one from Iowa — on Monday.

The Minnesota recruits are midfielder Ellie Arvesen, forward Mehan Bolton, forward Elle Dykema, goalkeeper risten Knutson and midfielder Allie Reinke.

This year’s class holds true to the Gophers’ tradition of strongly recruiting in Minnesota. The Iowa recruit, Haley Halverson, will join Nicole Baier and MacKenzie Misel as the only non-Minnesota natives on the team next season.

Halverson attended West Des Moines Valley High School and reached the Iowa State Tournament twice in her high school career. She led the team in scoring in 2009 and 2010 and also participated in the Iowa Olympic Development Program.

Bolton and Arvesen both attended Mahtomedi High School, and they continued to play club soccer with the St. Croix Soccer Club Scorpions.

Knutson was an ESPN Regional First Team honoree and was also named to ESPN’s Top-20 goalkeeper list.

The Gophers will return 16 players in 2012 from last year’s team. Nine of those 16 played more than 1,000 minutes in 2011. Tamara Strahota is also expected to return after sitting out all of 2011 with a leg injury.