USA Field Hockey News

USA Field Hockey Women Add Two to World Cup Training Squad
 

Katie O'Donnell (above) and Katelyn Falgowski have been added to the USA World Cup training squad in preparation for the world Cup, Sept. 27-Oct. 8 in Madrid.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Field Hockey and coach Lee Bodimeade have added high school athletes Katelyn Falgowski (Landenberg, Pa.) and Katie O'Donnell (Blue Bell, Pa.) to the World Cup training squad following intra-squad competition at the USA Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach.

The addition of Falgowski and O'Donnell raises the number of athletes in the U.S. camp to 24 with Bodimeade expected to trim the roster to a final 18 players for the World Cup, Sept. 27-Oct. 8 in Madrid, Spain.

Prior to the World Cup, the USA will host No. 1 ranked the Netherlands, No. 2 Argentina and No. 3 Australia in the AstroTurf March on Madrid Four Nation Tournament, Aug. 17-27 in College Park, Md. and Virginia Beach. All 24 USA squad members are expected to see action during the tournament with the final 18-member USA World Cup team announced August 28.

Tickets for the AstroTurf  March on Madrid are available at the gate on each day of the tournament. Admission is free for USA Field Hockey members with proof of membership and $5 for adults and $3 for youth 12-18 and free for children under 12.

Although both Falgowski and O'Donnell still have a year of high school remaining, the two new additions bring international experience to the squad. A senior at Wissahickon High School, O'Donnell has competed in 20 international matches and was a member of the USA Rabobank Champions Challenge team in 2005. Falgowski, a three-time high school All-American at St. Mark's High School, has appeared in 10 international matches including the 2005 Argentina three-nation tournament in Buenos Aires.

Both Falgowski and O'Donnell were members of the 2005 USA Junior World Cup team that earned a USA-best 7th place finish in Santiago, Chile.

The first 22 members of the U.S. squad announced following the USA Women's National Championships in early July with the additional two athletes completing the squad following a four-game intra-squad series in Virginia Beach. With their performances during the series, Falgowski and O'Donnell were elevated to the World Cup training squad from the USA developmental squad.

"All players have kicked off the World Cup preparation at a high level," said Bodimeade following the intra-squad series. "The games provided the opportunity for players to push for selection in the squad of 24 and also to develop new players that will press for selection in the future and provide greater depth to the playing ranks in the national program."

Previous selections to the squad include Kate Barber (West Chester, Pa.), Kayla Bashore (Shoemakersville, Pa.), Lauren Crandall (Doyelstown, Pa.), Rachel Dawson (Berlin, Pa.), Sarah Dawson (Berlin, N.J.), Kelly Dostal (Hatfield, Mass.), Kelly Doton (Greenfield, Mass.), April Fronzoni (Larksville, Pa.), Kristi Gannon (Escondido, Calif.), Kelsey Keeran (Columbus, Ohio), Claire Laubach, (Bristow, Va.), Melissa Leonetti (Erdenheim, Pa.), Carrie Lingo (Rehoboth Beach, Del.), Angie Loy (Loysville, Pa.), Caroline Nichols (Virginia Beach, Va.), Lauren Powley (Mountaintop, Pa.), Dina Rizzo (Walpole, Mass.), Sara Silvetti (Wapwallopen, Pa.), Keli Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa.), Tiffany Snow (Escondido, Calif.) and goalkeepers Amy Tran (Grantville, Pa.) and Barbara Weinberg (Louisville, Ky.).

The announcement of the squad comes at the two-year out "Countdown to Beijing" and the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games. The Games of the XXIX Olympiad will take place Aug. 8-24, 2008 in Beijing with 28 sports and 302 events. The 2008 Olympic Games will also include two additional women's field hockey teams raising the Olympic field from 10 to 12 teams.

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