Jan. 22, 2017
TEAM USA Field Hockey Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -Four members of the Penn State field hockey team have been named to the United States Field Hockey Under-21 National Team, which was announced by USA Field Hockey.
"As the past couple of years have shown the U-21 team is a great opportunity for our best athletes in that age category to train and play together," said Janneke Schopman, current U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach and former U-21 USWNT.
"We see these athletes improve and become better players every time they are together. They also show great energy and commitment and are a great group to work with. I'm excited to see this group of players with lots of talent develop further!"
Schopman and her staff evaluated athletes throughout the year at U-21 training camps, high performance and Junior National Camps, the Young Women's National Championship and during the college season. The selection process took into account the willingness to learn and athletes' abilities to improve and grow with the ultimate goal to become a national team player.
Gini Bramley (Elizabethtown, Pa.), Skyler Fretz (Oley, Pa.), Madison Morano (Hammonton, N.J.) and Jenny Rizzo (Hershey, Pa.) were all named to the U-21 National Team and will take part in two training camps scheduled for 2017.
The U.S. U-21 Women's National Team has two training camps scheduled for 2017. The first will happen February 11-15, 2017 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. Here the U-21 USWNT will practice as well as scrimmage the U.S. Women's National Team. The second training camp weekend will take place March 17-19, 2017 at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
"We're just so proud of the four players that were selected to the U-21 squad," said Penn State field hockey head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss.
"It's exciting to see the opportunity that they have to grow within the U.S. program; I'm also excited for the opportunity to travel out to California and North Carolina to improve their field hockey training and knowledge."
Penn State recorded 16-or-more wins for the 17th time under Morett-Curtiss during the 2016 season. The 2016 season also marked the squad's 31th all-time NCAA appearance, tying them for second all-time with Old Dominion.
The Nittany Lions 78 goals on the season tied for fifth all-time equaling the total amassed in the 2011 season.
For more updates on the U.S. U-21 Women's National Team, frequently visit usafieldhockey.com.
Information from www.teamusa.org was used in this article.