June 4, 2015
VIDEO: Walsh Looks Ahead to Women's World Cup
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; June 4, 2015 - Since the program started in 1994, Penn State women's soccer has been touted as one of the nation's premiere programs and never has this sentiment been more evident than this summer. The Nittany Lions will have five representatives at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, hosted by Canada beginning June 6. The five participants rank tied for second among all collegiate soccer programs (Stanford also has five and North Carolina leads with nine).
Ali Krieger '06 and Alyssa Naeher `09 will don the Red, White and Blue, Erin McLeod `05 and Carmelina Moscato `05 are playing for Team Canada, and Penn State senior Raquel Rodriguez (San Jose, Costa Rica) will compete for the Costa Rica Women's National Team. Canada plays its first 2015 World Cup game against China on June 6 at 6 p.m., the United States kicks off the tournament on June 8 against Australia at 7:30 p.m. and the Costa Ricans play their first World Cup contest on June 9 against Spain, beginning at 4 p.m. All 52 Women's World Cup games will be broadcast live via the Fox Sports networks.
"This is obviously the biggest stage and it's fantastic for Penn State soccer to have five players compete at the World Cup," Penn State women's soccer head coach Erica Walsh said. "This program has been around since 1994 and since its inception, the university has supported it so well. It has such an incredible history and it's great to be a part of it."
The five players have helped Penn State to 12 Big Ten titles and three College Cup appearances, with Naeher and Rodriguez assisting in the Nittany Lions' 2012 national championship game appearance. The group has combined for seven National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America honors, six Big Ten Player of the Year awards and two NSCAA Scholar All-America nods.
ALI KRIEGER `06
UNITED STATES
DEFENDER
The United States' starting right back and one of the most visible Nittany Lions on the international stage, Krieger has been a member of the Women's National Team since 2008. She will make her second World Cup appearance after being one of four U.S. players to spend every minute of the 2011 Women's World Cup on the pitch. A two-time NSCAA All-American, Krieger is one of five Penn State women's soccer alumni competing for the Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), her 10th season as a professional.
Alyssa Naeher `09
UNITED STATES
GOALKEEPER
Naeher, a three-time NSCAA All-American at Penn State, earned her first cap with the U.S. Women's National Team at the International Tournament of Brasilia in 2014. She has trained with the senior team since 2009, and helped the U.S. U-20 women's national team win the 2008 FIFA Women's World Cup, where she won the Golden Glove as the tournament's best goalkeeper. The 2014 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year is in her sixth professional season, which includes a five-year career with the Boston Breakers and a two-season stint with Germany's FFC Turbine Potsdam.
CARMELINA MOSCATO `05
CANADA
DEFENDER
Moscato has been a member of the Canadian national program since 2000, competing on teams that finished in the top four at four international tournaments, including the 2012 London Olympics bronze medal squad, the first medal won by a Penn State women's soccer player. She became the 18th female to make her 75th appearance for Canada on April 4, 2013, racking up 91 caps since 2002. During her four-year Penn State career, Moscato recorded 40 points and started 45 of her final 46 games. She has competed professionally in Italy's Serie A, Swedish Damallsvenskan and the NWSL for the Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers and Seattle Reign FC.
ERIN MCLEOD `05
CANADA
GOALKEEPER
McLeod has started in net at three World Cups and two Olympic Games, including the 2012 London Olympics bronze medal. She has 100 starts and 104 caps, making her the 12th female soccer player to make 100 appearances for Canada. In each of her two seasons with the Blue and White, McLeod captured NSCAA All-America and first team All-Big Ten honors, finishing her career with a 0.64 goals against average, a program-best. McLeod is in her second year with NWSL's Houston Dynamo, her eighth professional campaign after stops in the WPS and Dalsjofors GoIF (Sweden).
Raquel Rodriguez `15
COSTA RICA
MIDFIELDER
Rodriguez has been a member of Las Ticas' senior team since 2012. She helped the team make history by becoming the first Central American team to earn a Women's World Cup bid after finishing second at the 2014 North, Central American and Caribbean Association of Football (CONCACAF) Women's World Championship. Rodriguez started four-of-five matches at the tournament, scoring the fourth-most goals of any player (3). For her performance, Rodriguez was named a 2014 CONCACAF Female Player of the Year nominee, the only amateur player nominated for a Player of the Year award. Rodriguez, the 2014 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar All-America pick, NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region first team member and Academic All-Big Ten honoree, posted 17 points in 18 games played during the Nittany Lions' 2014 season en route to their 16th Big Ten title in 17 years. She is one of three team captains for Penn State's upcoming campaign.
Penn State Participant World Cup Schedule
Canada
June 6 - vs. China at 6 p.m. ET (Edmonton)
June 11 - vs. New Zealand at 9 p.m. ET (Edmonton)
June 15 - vs. Netherlands at 7:30 p.m. ET (Montreal)
United States
June 8 - vs. Australia at 7:30 p.m. ET (Winnipeg)
June 12 - vs. Sweden at 8 p.m. ET (Winnipeg)
June 16 - vs. Nigeria at 8 p.m. ET (Vancouver)
Costa Rica
June 9 - vs. Spain at 4 p.m. ET (Montreal)
June 13 - vs. Korea Republic at 7 p.m. ET (Montreal)
June 17 - vs. Brazil at 7 p.m. ET (Moncton)