W-League Feature
Thursday, December 12, 2013
CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. – Seven members of the 2013 W-League Champion Pali Blues lead the current and former W-League standouts called into the U.S. U23 National Team training camp, set to open on Saturday in Sunrise, Fla., by Head Coach Steve Swanson.
Recent NCAA College Cup champions Abby Dahlkemper, Sarah Killion, Sam Mewis and Jenna Richmond lead the septet, with fellow Blues Chioma Ubogagu (Stanford), Kassey Kallman (Florida State) and Daphne Corboz (Georgetown) also selected.
Eight members of the team previously played for Swanson on the U.S. U20 side that won the 2012 U20 World Cup in Japan. In addition to Killion and Mewis, former New Jersey Wildcats standout, and current MAC Hermann Trophy holder, Maya Hayes was selected for the camp after another standout season for North Carolina.
Other players selected include former Colorado Rush goalkeeper Kelsey Wys, who helped Florida State reach the College Cup Final in her senior season, and the Seattle Sounders Women’s Jaelene Hinkle, who had two goals and one assist this past season in Seattle.
Atlanta Silverbacks defender Emily Sonnett also earned selection after a standout season for NCAA Tournament No. 1-seed Virginia, while former Washington Spirit Reserves midfielder Christine Nairn was also named after a solid first professional season for the Spirit’s NWSL side. Also included was former W-20 standout Vanessa DiBernardo, who helped lead Illinois to the third round of the NCAA Tournament this past month.
The squad is set to train alongside the current U.S. U20 squad in Florida, with the two teams set to scrimmage at the end of training camp.