Seven current or former Nebraska soccer players were named to the Canadian 20-player roster for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup announced Monday by Head Coach Even Pellerund.
The list includes Isabelle Morneau, Sharolta Nonen, Karina LeBlanc, Christine Latham, Breanna Boyd, Brittany Timko and Tanya Dennis.
?It is going to be a great experience,' Latham said. ?After playing in the WUSA and seeing the competition, the World Cup is going to be an even higher level. There are so many great players that it is going to be a great learning experience. Nebraska has molded the Canada program. There are so many of us that have come through this program, and it has really been the building blocks for Canada soccer. We have all been through the same system, we have all played together at some point and we just have the same tough mind set.'
Morneau, Nonen and LeBlanc each saw action in the 1999 World Cup for the Canadian National Team. Morneau and Nonen were starters on the 1999 team, while LeBlanc played a key role as a reserve.
Morneau has 56 international caps and has scored six goals for Canada. She has been a member of the World Cup team since 1995, but missed the 2002 Gold Cup due to an injured shoulder. As a Husker, Morneau was named an NSCAA Second-Team All-American in 1998 and 1999. She was one of the most talented and versatile soccer players in NU history, scoring 70 points on 24 goals and 22 assists throughout her career. She was a four-time All-Big 12 Conference pick and was named to the Big 12 Conference All-Tournament Team twice.
A defender from the Atlanta Beat, Nonen started all 21 regular-season games for the Beat while leading them to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Nonen anchored the best defense in the league, as the Beat allowed just 0.90 goals per game in 2003. During her NU career from 1996 to 1999, Nonen became the Huskers' first three-time All-American. She was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and the Big 12 Tournament Defensive MVP in 1999.
LeBlanc was the only goalkeeper in the WUSA to play every minute of every game in 2003 and helped the Boston Breakers post a 5-0-5 record over the final 10 regular-season matches this season. The Maple Ridge, British Columbia, native only allowed two goals in the team's final three games. LeBlanc led the league in saves (81) and lowered her GAA to 1.38. LeBlanc recorded five shutouts, including two in the final week of the season.During her collegiate career, LeBlanc was a Hermann Trophy Award finalist and ranked second nationally in goals-against average (.40) in 2000. She was an NSCAA First-Team All-Central Region selection and led the Big 12 Conference in goals-against average.
Former Huskers experiencing their first World Cup include Nebraska all-time scoring leader Latham and Boyd.
Latham made a major impact in her first season in the Women's United Soccer Association, being named the Rookie of the Year. The Calgary, Alberta, native played in 19 games for the San Diego Spirit, posting 15 points on six goals and three assists as a rookie. Latham was a three-year finalist for the Hermann M.A.C. Trophy, given to the best player in college soccer, in her four years at Nebraska. She rewrote the Nebraska record book, with 167 career points on 69 goals and 29 assists.
Boyd was drafted by the Carolina Courage as the eighth overall pick in the first round, making her the Huskers' draft pick in the WUSA. Boyd proved her defensive skills on the professional level, being named to the WUSA World All-Star team in her first season. Boyd was a three-time All-Big 12 and All-Central Region defender at Nebraska and was named an NSCAA Academic All-American in 2002.
Current freshmen Brittany Timko and Tanya Dennis were also named to the 2003 Canada World Cup Team. Timko has 20 international caps for the World Cup team and helped the Canadian National Team qualify for the World Cup, playing in the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. She has scored seven goals for the U-19 national team and helped lead it to a silver medal at the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championships.
Timko recorded her first collegiate goal last Friday against Duke in her first game in a Husker uniform. She and Dennis made their Nebraska debut against Duke and North Carolina last weekend, after playing for Canada in a 6-0 route of Mexico Thursday night.
Dennis made her World Cup debut Aug. 31, 2003, against Mexico. The Brampton, Ontario, native also played for the Canadian Pan American team this summer. She has been a consistent starter for the Canadian Under-19 National Team.
The 2003 World Cup begins Sept. 20, and will be held across the United States. Canada will play against Germany, Argentina and Japan as a member of Group C. The opener against Germany will be played in Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 20. Canada will face Argentina Sept. 24, in Columbus, and the final match against Japan will take place Sept. 27 in Foxboro, Mass.
The quarterfinals will take place Oct. 1-2, with the semifinals going on Oct. 5. The finals are scheduled for Oct. 12, at the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, Calif.