By NESJ Staff

PHOTO: Morgan Andrews (right) of Milford, N.H., and Notre Dame is one of four New Englanders chosen for the U.S. U-20 team that will compete next month in a CONCACAF qualifier for the World Cup. (Notre Dame Athletics)

The U.S. under-20 women’s national team that heads to the Cayman Islands for the regional championship next month will have a strong New England influence.

Coach Michelle French’s roster for the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship includes Notre Dame midfielder Morgan Andrews (Milford, N.H.), UConn midfielder Rachel Hill (Rollinsford, N.H.), Boston College forward McKenzie Meehan (Scituate, R.I.) and Harvard forward Margaret “Midge” Purce.

The tournament runs Jan. 9-19 in George Town, and the top three teams (the semifinal winners and the victor of the third-place game) will advance to the 2014 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.

The United States faces Costa Rica, Jamaica and Guatemala in group play.

Andrews led Notre Dame with seven goals in her freshman season, Hill tallied a team-high 13 goals in her rookie year for the Huskies, and Purce topped the Crimson with 11 goals in her first season. However, Meehan made the biggest splash, notching a school-record 20 goals as a freshman.

For more on this story go to:

http://nesoccerjournal.com/news/colleges/women-di/12-24-four-local-women-cayman-bound

Related story:

Gator Savannah Jordan Named to U.S. Under 20 National Team Roster for CONCACAF play in Cayman Island

Gainesville, Fla. From gaterzone.com

PHOTO: Savannah Jordan, the nation’s leading freshman scorer with 22 goals, is part of U.S. U-20 roster for CONCACAF play.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Freshman Savannah Jordan (Fayetteville, Ga./ Whitewater H.S.) is part of the U.S. Soccer Under-20 National Team roster for Under-20 World Cup qualifying play, set for Jan. 9-19 at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, Cayman Islands.

The 20-member team named by U.S. under-20 women’s national team coach Michelle French will compete in the 2014 Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) U-20 Championship. The U.S. is part of Group A at the tournament, which also includes Costa Rica, Jamaica and Guatemala. The top three teams at the event advance to the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup, set for Aug. 5-24 in various cities in Canada.

Jordan just finished a week-long U-20 camp in Sunrise, Fla. French called 24 players into the camp and cut the roster to 20 for upcoming CONCACAF play. Players born on or after January 1, 1994, are eligible for the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup. Jordan is one of 10 on the roster who just finished their freshman season of collegiate play.

“At every position, we feel these players are technically proficient and possess a great understanding of how we want to play in order to be successful as a team,” said French. “We have players with very unique qualities ranging from creative and effective finishers, to players who are threatening with their dynamic movement in the midfield, to players who are defensively strong and physical in one-on-one situations. Our overall athleticism will be another strength of this team.”

December has brought several honors to Jordan after the conclusion of her first Gator campaign. Jordan became just the second freshman in Florida’s 19-year history to earn National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America honors. TopDrawerSoccer.com named her the outlet’s national rookie of the year on Dec. 19.

Jordan was the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, marking the first time a freshman has received the honor. She shared the SEC lead and tied for third nationally in 2013 NCAA Division I play with 22 goals. That total also stands second all-time for Gator freshmen and is Florida’s highest season total since Abby Wambach turned in 31 as a senior in 2001. Jordan opened her collegiate career with two goals versus Florida Gulf Coast and three versus Oregon State –that five-goal weekend earned her Disney/NSCAA Player of the Week honors. She also was the SEC Offensive Player and College Sports Madness National player of the week on Oct. 28 after three goals in the previous weekend (1 at Tennessee, 2 versus Texas A&M). The SEC Freshman of the Year scored multiple goals seven times.

For more on this story go to:

http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=26930