April 19, 2011
STANFORD, Calif. - Three Stanford players have invited to United States national youth team camps, beginning this weekend: junior Camille Levin and sophomore Mariah Nogueira with the Under-23's and freshman goalkeeper Emily Oliver with the U-20's.
Both Levin and Nogueira are headed to camp as defenders. Levin began last season as an outside back before moving to forward. Nogueira has been a fixture at defensive midfielder since her arrival at Stanford. They are among 24 players called up by coach Bill Irwin for the camp, from April 24-May 1 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Levin and Nogueira may face Oliver when the U-23's scrimmage the U-20's, which will hold their training camp concurrently at the same site, on April 27. The U-23's also play semipro sides Ajax of Los Angeles (April 29) and the Orange County Waves (April 30).
Oliver is one of three goalkeepers and among 26 players altogether who have been called into the U-20 camp (April 23-30) by U.S. Soccer technical director April Heinrichs.
The U-20's still are early in their preparations for qualifying for the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup to be held in Uzbekistan.
They will scrimmage against UC Irvine during the camp as well as the U-23 and U-17 national teams.
Stanford junior midfielder Teresa Noyola and sophomore defender Alina Garciamendez are in Mexico with the full Mexican national team and have been participating in periodic camps and matches in preparation for the FIFA Women's World Cup to be played June 26-July 17 in Germany.
In early March, Mexico finished seventh in the 12-team Cyprus Cup. Mexico tied Russia (0-0) and South Korea (1-1), and beat Northern Ireland (3-1) to finish second in four-team Group C.
In the seventh-place match against New Zealand, which features former Stanford star Ali Riley, Mexico beat the Football Ferns, 5-0. Riley and New Zealand will join Mexico and the United States in the World Cup.
The U.S. national team will play its' send-off match against Mexico on June 5 (11 a.m. PT) at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. in a match televised live on ESPN2.
The U.S. team could include three former Stanford stars: goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart (Stanford's current volunteer assistant coach), defender and captain Rachel Buehler, and midfielder Kelley O'Hara. All are among 29 players at the team's camp in West Palm Beach, Fla., which began Monday and continues through May 6.
Many former Stanford players are now participating in Women's Professional Soccer. The WPS has begun its third season with six teams.
Here are former Stanford players on WPS rosters:
Nicole Barnhart (Philadelphia Independence)
Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers)
Allison Falk (Philadelphia Independence)
Kelley O'Hara (Boston Breakers)
Christen Press (MagicJack, based in Boca Raton, Fla.)
Ali Riley (Western New York Flash)