University of North Carolina Athletics
Five UNC Players Chosen For Algarve Cup Team
February 17, 2012 | Women's Soccer
Feb. 17, 2012
CHICAGO, ILL. - Following a week of training in Frisco, Texas, and a dramatic 2-1 victory against New Zealand on Feb. 11 in front of a sold-out crowd at FC Dallas Stadium, U.S. Women's National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named a 23-player preliminary roster that will travel to the 2012 Algarve Cup in Portugal. The roster includes five former players from the University of North Carolina.
Named to the U.S. roster for the Algarve Cup are goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, defenders Whitney Engen and Meghan Klingenberg and midfielders Tobin Heath and Heather O'Reilly.
This year's tournament is being staged from Feb. 29-March 7 and the U.S. team will depart for Europe on Feb. 20. Sundhage will name 21 players to the tournament roster prior to the start of the matches. All the players Sundhage is bringing to Portugal trained with the USA last week in Texas.
The U.S. team, which has been placed into Group B at the annual tournament, will open play on Feb. 29 against Denmark in Lagos. The USA will face Norway on March 2, again in Lagos, and will finish the first round on March 5 against Japan at Estadio Algarve in Faro in what will be the first meeting between the teams since the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. Group A features Germany, Sweden, China and Iceland. Group C features host Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Wales and Hungary.
This will be the 17th trip to the Algarve Cup for the U.S. Women, who have won the tournament eight times, including three straight championships from 2003-05 at what has become one of the world's most competitive international women's events. Last year, the USA defeated surprise finalist Iceland 4-2 in the championship game after falling behind 2-1 in the first half.
U.S. Women's National Team Roster by Position - Detailed Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart, Ashlyn Harris, Hope Solo
DEFENDERS (9): Rachel Buehler, Stephanie Cox, Whitney Engen, Meghan Klingenberg, Amy LePeilbet, Heather Mitts, Kelley O'Hara, Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx, Tobin Heath, Lori Lindsey, Carli Lloyd, Heather O'Reilly, Megan Rapinoe, Amy Rodriguez
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney, Sydney Leroux, Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach
