Rachel Robinson Named to the US Women’s National Team
USA Field Hockey National Team Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia field hockey junior midfielder Rachel Robinson (Mount Joy, Pa.) has been named to the 2020 U.S. Women’s National Team, as announced today (Jan. 10) by USWNT head coach Caroline Nelson-Nichols.
Robinson, a first team All-American and an All-ACC first team honoree, started all 23 games for the Cavaliers as a defensive midfielder. She ended the season with five goals and four assists for 14 points. Scored the game-winning goals against Penn State and the regular-season meeting with Duke. She also scored Virginia’s lone goal in the NCAA semifinal game against Princeton. Robinson has twice been named to the Longstreth/NFHCA All-South Region Second Team, but this is her first time earning All-America honors. She is a veteran of US junior national teams, most recently playing was most recently on the 2019 U-21 USWNT and toured with the squad in Germany.
Following three days of intense training sessions at the 2020 Trial, held at Spooky Nook Sports in Lancaster, Pa., eight new faces, along with two returners, were welcomed to Team USA for the opportunity to represent the red, white and blue on the international stage, joining 15 returning members from the 2019 team. Of the pool of athletes that were recommended by their college coaches, those successful candidates produced a high level of play creating a truly elite trial environment. Athletes were challenged to push the standards of the game and they rose to that challenge.
“The athletes have worked incredibly hard through the recent trials to secure an opportunity to represent Team USA in the upcoming FIH Hockey Pro League season,” said Caroline Nelson-Nichols, USWNT Head Coach. “Our staff is excited to get to work with this talented group.”
Robinson joins Tara Vittese, Carissa Vittese, Michelle Vittese, Paige Selenski, Jessica Coleman, Lori Mastropietro, Michelle Vizzuso and Meredith Thorpe on the list of Cavaliers who have also played with the U.S. senior national team.
The 2020 calendar for the USWNT will hit the ground running with the second edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League. USA kicks off competition on Friday, January 24 against No. 1 The Netherlands at Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Athletes who have been named to the 2020 U.S. Women’s National Team: Mary Beth Barham (Fairfax, Va.), Virginia Bramley (Elizabethtown, Pa.), Ali Campbell (Lancaster, Pa.), Anna Dessoye (Mountaintop, Pa.), Ali Froede (Burke, Va.), Linnea Gonzales (Bel Air, Md.), Danielle Grega (Kingston, Pa.), Alexandra Hammel (Duxbury, Mass.), Carrie Hanks (Niskayuna, N.Y.), Karlie Heistand (Hamburg, Pa.), Ashley Hoffman (Mohnton, Pa.), Laura Hurff (Newark, Del.), Jess Jecko (Sauquoit, N.Y.), Kelee Lepage (Honey Brook, Pa.), Amanda Magadan (Randolph, N.J.), Madison Maguire (Rumson, N.J.), Lauren Moyer (York, Pa.), Alyssa Parker (Woodbine, Md.), Miranda Rigg (Harrisonburg, Va.), Rachel Robinson (Mount Joy, Pa.), Kealsie Robles (Yorktown, Va.), Haley Schleicher (Virginia Beach, Va.), Casey Umstead (Green Lane, Pa.), Taylor West (Princess Anne, Md.), Corinne Zanolli (Newtown Square, Pa.)