Some past and present Bruin athletes will temporarily hang up
their blue and gold this summer. Instead, they will don the more
patriotic red, white and blue.
UCLA is well represented on many national teams competing this
summer, including softball teams at the Pan American Games and
Canada Cup, the women’s soccer Under-21 team and Team USA in
women’s water polo.
Six UCLA softball players have been selected to play for the
16-member 2003 Women’s National Team in the Pan-Am Games, a
competition that brings together athletes from the countries of the
Americas, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic during August 1-17.
The team will try to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive
title.
College World Series Most Outstanding Player Keira Goerl, the
only current Bruin on the team, will join Lisa Fernandez, Amanda
Freed, Tairia Mims, Stacey Nuveman and Natasha Watley on the
team.
USA softball has dominated its competition in the Pan-Am Games,
as the team boasts a 40-game win streak that dates back to 1987.
The team won gold in 1979, 1987, 1991, 1995 and 1999 and silver in
1983. As the most dominant team in the history of softball, Team
USA has been ranked No. 1 in the world for 17 straight years.
USA softball’s second team will compete in the Canada Cup,
July 4-13. Former Bruins Courtney Dale and Lindsey Klein were named
to the team, which will also play an exhibition series against
Australia July 15-20 in San Francisco.
In women’s soccer, current Bruin Nandi Pryce is
representing her country on the Under-21 national team. Pryce, a
defender who will be a senior next season, has international
experience. She captained the Under-21 U.S. National Team to its
fourth consecutive Nordic Cup title, a victory over Germany, in
Turku, Finland last July.
The Nordic Cup, which will be played July 21-27 in Denmark, is
the most important competition in the world for Under-21 women. It
has been played in northern Europe since 1990, with the United
States winning its first championship in 1997. Team USA lost to
Sweden in the 1998 championship and has reeled off four straight
championships since.
Five Bruins were named to the Team USA women’s water polo
roster for the 2003 FINA World Championships taking place July 13
to 17 in Barcelona, Spain and Pan-Am Games running August 3 to
11.
Former Bruins Robin Beauregard and Nicolle Payne will join
current Bruins Natalie Golda, Thalia Munro and Amber Stachowski on
the team.
The current roster for Team USA includes seven players from the
2000 Olympics roster and 12 players from the 2002 World Cup roster.
Both teams won silver.
The current team is ranked No. 2 in the world, behind
Hungary.