UVA soccer players begin competition with U.S. Soccer National Teams

Several current and former members of the UVA women’s soccer program are beginning summer camp competition with different U.S. National Teams, ranging from the U-18 Women’s National Team through the Women’s National Team.

Former Cavaliers Morgan Brian, Becky Sauerbrunn and Emily Sonnett have all been named to the spring training camp rosters for the USWNT that begins on May 27 in preparation for a pair of friendlies against Japan. The two contests against the Japanese team will be held June 2 and June 5 in Commerce City, Colo., and Cleveland, respectively.

Three current members of the Virginia women’s soccer program are also traveling to compete with different U.S. Soccer squads, including senior Kristen McNabb, sophomore Courtney Petersen and incoming freshman Zoe Morse.

McNabb will be heading to England with the U-23 Women’s National Team from May 28-June 8 to take part in a four-team U-23 Women’s Nordic Tournament being held at St. Georges Park, the sprawling official training center for the England Football Association located about 130 miles north of London.

The USA will square off against the U-23 Women’s National Teams of Sweden (June 2), Norway (June 4) and England (June 7) in what will be the main competition of this summer for this age group.

Petersen, a midfielder for the Cavaliers, is competing with the U-20 Women’s National Team in Paupa New Guinea for a training camp and matches that will serve as a test run for the 2016 Women’s World Cup being held at the locale from Nov. 13 – Dec. 3, 2016.

The USA will play two matches during the trip, facing the Japan U-20 WNT on May 27 and the PNG U-20 WNT on May 30. Both matches will be in the capital of Port Moresby, where all 32 matches of the World Cup will be staged over four venues. Training camp runs until June 1 for the U-20 team.

Morse, an incoming freshman with the most recent Virginia signing class, is one of eight defenders on the U-18 Women’s National Team training at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif., through May 28.