University of Connecticut Athletics
Three Huskies To Compete In CONCACAF World Cup Tournament
1/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
CORDOBA, Mexico (January 18, 2006) - University of Connecticut women’s soccer team members Brittany Taylor (Campbell Hall, N.Y.), Stephanie Labbe (Stony Plain, Alberta) and Katie Radchuck (Halifax, Nova Scotia) are currently competing in the U-20 Women’s National Team CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Mexico. The nine-day tournament, which began on Wednesday, will be held in Veracruz at Luis Pirata Fuentes Stadium and in Cordoba at Rafael Murillo Vidal Stadium. Taylor will be playing for the U.S. National team as an outside back while Labbe, a goalkeeper, and Radchuck, a defender, will be playing for the Canadian National team. Also competing in the tournament will be Jamaica, Surinam, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago.
The top three finishers in the CONCACAF qualifiers will advance to the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, to be held in Russia, from August 16-September 2, 2006. A total of 16 teams will compete for the U-20 Women’s World Cup. Four of these teams will come from Europe, three from both CONCACAF and Asia, two from both Africa and South America, one from Oceania, and host Russia. The European entrants have already been determined with Germany, France and surprise qualifiers Finland and Switzerland earning berths at the most recent UEFA U-19 Women’s Championships held last August in Hungary.
After a successful training camp at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, Taylor was named to the 20 player squad and joins the National Team on her first trip out of the country. U-20 National Team Coach, Tim Schulz, was impressed with Taylor in their recent camp.
“[She] was a versatile player who can play at any wide position,” Schulz said. “She has all of the athletic tools”.
She had a strong freshman campaign as a forward with UConn this past fall, scoring eight goals, including seven game-winners, for a total of 17 points during the 2005 standout season. Taylor was also recognized this season as a Soccer Buzz Rookie of the Year finalist, an All-BIG EAST First Team honoree and a NEWISA All-New England Second Team award winner.
Labbe and Radchuck were teammates at the U-19 World Cup in Thailand during the fall of 2004. They will provide experience for the U-20 Canadian National team in 2006. Labbe has earned a total of 4 CAPS for Canada and is one of the two goalkeepers on the team. Radchuck has amassed 16 CAPS and started every game in Thailand in 2004. Head Coach, Ian Bridge is looking forward to the tournament and believes that, “Without a doubt, this is the most important tournament in our program”.
Both Labbe and Radchuck had an immediate impact on the Huskies in 2005. Labbe appeared in 22 games, starting nine, and maintained a goals against average of 1.15. Radchuck played in 18 games, starting eight, in the defense and the midfield. She will be called upon to provide a strong defensive presence in the backfield throughout her career.
