STANFORD, Calif. – Tierna Davidson, Civana Kuhlmann and Kiki Pickett were named to the United States U-20 national team, as announced Wednesday by head coach Jitka Klimkova.
The 20-player roster will compete in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Trinidad and Tobago, starting play in Group B on Jan. 20 against Nicaragua. The team then faces Jamaica on Jan. 21 and Mexico on Jan. 23 to wrap up group play.
The eight-team field features two groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals. The two teams that qualify for the finals, as well as the winner of the third-place game, earn a berth in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in France.
Davidson, a sophomore defender from nearby Menlo Park, California, will meet up with the U-20 team, having trained with the senior women's national team starting on Jan. 6 at the United States Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California. The Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Davidson was named All-Pacific Region, All-Pac-12 and All-America after helping Stanford win the College Cup, where she was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
20 elite players from across ???? coming together for one goal: ??#CU20W begins January 19! pic.twitter.com/aFrrfqTgrU
— U.S. Soccer YNT (@ussoccer_ynt) January 10, 2018
Kuhlmann, a freshman forward from Centennial, Colorado, earned a berth on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team after scoring nine goals and assisting four others. Appearing in all 25 matches as both a sub and starter, Kuhlmann finished eighth in the Pac-12 in points (22). Following the College Cup, Kuhlmann won the Golden Boot as the top scorer at the U-20 Nike Friendlies in Florida.
Pickett, a freshman defender from Santa Barbara, California, played nearly the whole season at right back, making 24 starts. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team after scoring one goal and assisting four. With Davidson, Pickett helped Stanford finish the season on a 1,988:59 minute streak without allowing a goal from the run of play.