COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— Sixteen of the nation’s most promising young field hockey stars will represent the United States as members of the 1999-2000 U.S. Women’s Under-16 Team.

Selected by the U.S. Field Hockey Association as a result of performances at the AAU Junior Olympics held in early August, the team is expected to compete in international competition in the Netherlands in the spring of 2000. Now in its third year of existence as a US Field Hockey program, the U16 team placed third at the Netherlands Tournament in 1998 and 1999.

The squad features three repeat selections from the 1998-99 team including Rosalinda "Chilly" Banuelos (Escondido, Calif.), Lori Hillman (Gibbsboro, N.J) and Amy Stopford (Hillsborough, N.C.). Brooke Townsend (Houston, Texas) was named to the team after serving as an alternate in 1998-99.

The squad features three pairs of high school teammates with Banuelos and Morgan Albani of Escondido California’s San Pasqual High School, Diana Esposito and Brooke Miller of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania’s Lower Dauphin High School and goalkeeper Esther Dickinson and alternate Kristen Madden of Concord (N.H.) High.

The roster also includes Katie Grant (Lehighton, Pa.), Tiffany Marsh (Marathon, N.Y.), Carey Maser (Medford, N.J.), Jennifer McDavitt (Walpole, Mass.), Christy Morgan (Centerville, Va.), Jane Sackovich (Hockessin, Del.), Natalie Singelais (Bow, N.H.), and Kelly Wood (Litiz, Pa.). Alternates include Madden (Concord, N.H.), Kelly Augustine (Northampton, Pa.), Rachel Dawson (Berlin, N.J.) and Megan Foster (Berlin, N.J.)

The Under-16 Team serves to introduce young players to international competition while preparing athletes for future National Team consideration. In addition to the Under-16 team, the U.S. Field Hockey Association will sponsor an Under-19 Team, Under-21 Team and the U.S. National Team in 2000.

The U.S. Field Hockey Association is the National Governing Body for men’s and women’s field hockey in the United States, and is responsible for the training and preparation of teams to participate in the Olympic and Pan American Games and for the promotion and development of the sport throughout the United States.

Women's U16 Team Roster