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April 14, 2015

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CHICAGO – Two Virginia women’s soccer alumnae were selected for the 2015 United States FIFA Women’s World Cup Team, U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday. Midfielder Morgan Brian (class of 2015) and defender Becky Sauerbrunn (class of 2007) were among the 23 players chosen by head coach Jill Ellis for the squad to compete in Canada this summer.

Sauerbrunn will be making her second appearance at the FIFA World Cup while Brian will be making her debut on the game’s grandest stage. Both have been mainstays on the United States Women’s National Team in recent years.

Sauerbrunn, who made her FIFA World Cup debut four years ago in Germany, becomes the second Cavalier to be named to the roster for multiple World Cups, joining Angela Hucles (2003, 2007). A three-time All-American at Virginia, she has made 78 appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team since her international debut in 2008. Sauerbrunn currently plays professionally for FC Kansas City.

Brian is the fifth Cavalier to be named to a World Cup roster, joining Amanda Cromwell (1995), Lori Lindsey (2011), Hucles and Sauerbrunn. The two-time reigning MAC Hermann Trophy winner has made 26 appearances for the United States since 2013 and was the only active collegiate player on the American roster for last fall’s CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Tournament. She has four international goals, the most recent coming in the team’s 4-0 victory over New Zealand in St. Louis earlier this month. The first overall pick in this year’s NWSL Draft, Brian made her professional debut for the Houston Dash last week.

Joining Brian and Sauerbrunn on the trip to Canada is Virginia head coach Steve Swanson, who is a member of Ellis’ staff for the World Cup. Swanson, who is also the head coach of the United States U-23 Women’s National Team, has served on Ellis’ staff for the past year.

The United States begins play in Group D of the World Cup on June 8 against Australia in Winnipeg. The World Cup final will be held July 5 in Vancouver.

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