UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State women’s soccer juniors Taylor Schram (Canonsburg, Pa.) and Maya Hayes (West Orange, N.J.) have been selected for the U.S. Under-20 National Team, which will be competing in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup later this month. The Nittany Lion duo completed training in Bradenton, Fla. on July 30 before being officially selected to head coach Steve Swanson’s squad.
A total of 21 players were selected to the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup team. Action will be held in Japan from Aug. 19-Sept. 8. Hayes and Schram are expected to return to the Penn State program on Sept. 16 as the Nittany Lions host Wisconsin.
Hayes was the nation’s most prolific scorer in 2011 and was a finalist for the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, soccer’s highest honor. Hayes led the nation with 31 goals and 70 points, while breaking numerous Penn State and Big Ten records in helping the Nittany Lions win their record breaking 14th straight Big Ten Championship. The sophomore phenom broke single-season record at Penn State for goals and points as well as breaking the school sophomore record for goals in a season by 10 and points record by 19. She also tallied nine game-winning goals, second at PSU and the most for a sophomore in a season.
"This is a great opportunity for me to make this team a second time around," said Hayes. "It is really just an awesome experience. I am really going to take this opportunity and make the most of it. Hopefully I can come out of it with gold for the United States."
Schram is coming off a stellar 2011 season, where she earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors. She tallied career-highs in goals (12), assists (12), points (36) and games started (24). Schram was just one of just six Nittany Lions in program history to tally double-digit goals and assists. In addition, she ranked second on team in goals, assists and points.
"This is really a dream come true for me," said Schram. "I have been working hard for my entire life to achieve something like this. It is truly an honor for me to represent my country."
Hayes, Schram and the U.S. will play its first two Group D matches at the Hiroshima Big Arch Stadium in Hiroshima, on Aug. 20 against Ghana at 3 a.m. ET before facing China PR on Aug. 23 at 6 a.m. ET. The USA will finish the group stage on Aug. 27 against Germany in the town of Rifu near Sendai at 3 a.m. ET. The matchup between the Germans and the U.S. will be rare, as both countries have each won the tournament twice.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Bryane Heaberlin (North Carolina; St. Petersburg, Fla.), Jami Kranich (Villanova; Hamden, Conn.), Abby Smith (Dallas Texans; Dallas, Texas)
DEFENDERS (6): Stephanie Amack (Mustang Blast; Pleasanton, Calif.), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina; Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Julie Johnston (Santa Clara; Mesa, Ariz.), Kassey Kallman (Florida State; Woodbury, Minn.), Mollie Pathman (Duke; Durham, N.C.), Cari Roccaro (Albertson Fury; East Islip, N.Y.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Brian (Virginia; St. Simons Island, Ga.), Vanessa DiBernardo (Illinois; Naperville, Ill.), Sarah Killion (UCLA; Fort Wayne, Ind.), Mandy Laddish (Notre Dame; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Samantha Mewis (UCLA; Hanson, Mass.), Taylor Schram (Penn State; Canonsburg, Pa.)
FORWARDS (6): Kelly Cobb (Duke; Chugiak, Alaska), Maya Hayes (Penn State; West Orange, N.J.), Kealia Ohai (North Carolina; Draper, Utah), Katie Stengel (Wake Forest; Melbourne, Fla.), Chioma Ubogagu (Stanford; Coppell, Texas), Becca Wann (Richmond; Chesterfield, Va.)
