Mexico released its roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship on Saturday (complete with flight info!). Of the 20 players, at least 13 have American connections, including 10 who play for NCAA D1 soccer teams.
The most notable is forward Tanya Samarzich, who has already been capped by the senior MexWNT, seeing action in last year’s Pan-American Games and in China this month. Samarzich has verbally committed to USC (Trojans) for the fall of 2013 as she is only a junior in high school (b. 28-Dec-1994).
I’ll have more on Mexico and Canada, who already released a preliminary roster earlier this month (complete with University information), later in the week.
For NCAA D1 players, all hyperlinked school names go to that player’s bio on their respective school’s athletics website. An asterisk (*) denotes that the particular player has an American connection.
Goalkeepers (2):
- Cecilia Santiago: Mexico’s senior national team goalkeeper, started all 3 matches for Mexico at 2011 Women’s World Cup. Age eligible for the 2014 U-20 WWC as well.
- *Rosa Mérida Medina: Oklahoma State, hometown is Dallas, Texas. Previously with Dallas Texans club.
Defenders (7):
- *Arianna Romero: Nebraska, hometown is Surprise, Arizona. Was in camp for U-20 MexWNT in 2010, but not on any teams.
- *Bianca Sierra: Auburn, hometown is Livermore, California
- *Christina Murillo: Michigan, hometown is Ojai, California
- *Ashley Kotero: Auburn, hometown is Coto De Caza, California
- *Alejandra Amador: Lamar U., hometown is Seal Beach, California
- Cristina Ferral
- Mariel Gutiérrez
Midfielders (5):
- Nayeli Rangel: captain in 2010, likely captain this year; tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee last July (recent Mexican news article)
- Yamile Franco
- *Natalia Gómez Junco: Memphis, hometown is Nuevo Leon, Mexico
- *Olivia Jiménez: played for Arizona Rush (Tuscon) in 2010, cannot find any college info. She did play for a Tijuana club in September 2011.
- *Ariana Martínez: (edit: was UCLA) transferred to Cal (UC-Berkeley) this semester; was a member of the U-18 USWNT pool, playing in at least one match. Hometown is Moorpark, California
Forwards (6):
- *Tanya Samarzich: Apparently a verbal commitment to USC (2013); club is Legends FC. Hometown is Upland, California. Has already been capped by senior MexWNT.
- *Christal Martínez: (full name is “Chrystal Elizabeth Martinez Gonzalez”) American River College (a community college in Sacramento); hometown is Sacramento, California
- *Briana López: South Carolina State; hometown is Santa Barbara, CA
- Fernanda Piña
- Andrea Sánchez (first name is Maria, b. 31-Mar-1994)
- *Daniela Solís: Portland State; 2010 U-20 WWC veteran; hometown is Sherwood, Oregon
If anyone can find significant American connections (e.g., born in the USA, lives in the USA, plays for an American club or college) for the rest of these players, add a comment or @ me via Twitter (@WSoccerExpress). The only player that I had trouble narrowing down my search for is Maria Andrea Sanchez, as her name is fairly common.
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