Forty-five women spanning 15 states have been selected to play for the 2013 U.S. Women’s National Team in football. Team USA will compete June 28 to July 6 in Vantaa, Finland, in the second International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Women’s World Championship.
USA Football assembles America’s national teams in the sport for international competition. Team USA defeated Canada, 66-0, in Stockholm, Sweden, to win the gold medal at the inaugural tournament in 2010. The IFAF Women’s World Championship is an eight-nation football tournament held every three years. Schedules and other participating countries will be announced at a later date.
Team USA will be led by head coach JOHN KONECKI of Schererville, Ind. Konecki also was head coach of the U.S. Women’s team that won the 2010 gold medal in Stockholm, Sweden. Konecki has led the Chicago Force of the Women’s Football Alliance to a 34-7 (.829) record in four years, including two straight undefeated regular seasons and a runner-up finish in 2012. He also is the offensive coordinator at Crete-Monee High School in suburban Chicago, helping that program go 56-14 (.800) and qualifying for the playoffs in all six of his seasons with the school. Crete-Monee went 14-0 in 2012, winning the Illinois Class 6A state championship.
“There is no higher honor than representing your country in international competition,” Konecki said. “Additionally, I am fully committed to advancing women’s tackle football, and competing on a world stage allows for women to continue on with the mission of being ambassadors for the sport.”
The team will hold a training camp in Chicago prior to departing for Finland. Team USA held a padded, full-contact National Team Trials on Jan. 25-27 in Austin, Texas, to help select its roster. Team USA assistant coaches will be announced in the coming weeks.
USA Football is the national governing body of the sport in the United States and the U.S. representative to IFAF. IFAF unites 64 nations spanning six continents. USA Football fields national teams in men’s, women’s and high school-age tackle as well as men’s and women’s flag football.
U.S. Women’s National Team
Ashley Berggren, WR Evanston, Ill. Chicago Force
Kenoris Blackmon, DL Kansas City, Mo. K.C. Tribe
Cassey Brick, RB Costa Mesa, Calif. San Diego Surge
Mia Brickhouse, RB San Francisco, Calif. Boston Militia
Callie Brownson, DB Alexandria, Va. D.C. Divas
Alberta Brydson, DB Cedar Hill, Texas Dallas Diamonds
Brittany Bushman, QB Euless, Texas Dallas Diamonds
Andreana Campolo, LB Auburn, Wash. Seattle Majestics
Catherine Converse, DL Kalamazoo, Mich. West Michigan Mayhem
Jennifer Deering, DL Oakland, Calif. Bay Area Bandits
Vicky Eddy, LB Woburn, Mass. Boston Militia
Kristine Elmore, LB East Orange, N.J. New York Sharks
Tami Engelman, OL Chicago, Ill. Chicago Force
Danielle Golay, DL Alameda, Calif. Bay Area Bandits
Rachel Gore, DB Federal Way, Wash. Seattle Majestics
Jeanette Gray, WR Highland, Ind. Chicago Force
Sami Grisafe, QB Evanston, Ill. Chicago Force
Brandy Hatcher, RB Chicago, Ill. Chicago Force
Leah Hinkle, LB Albany, Ore. Portland Shockwave
Odessa Jenkins, RB Prosper, Texas Dallas Diamonds
Nasira Johnson, RB Atlanta, Ga. Atlanta Xplosion
Kimberly Klesse, WR Columbus, Ohio Columbus Comets
Angela Larsen, K-P San Jose, Calif. Bay Area Bandits
Kimberly Marks, DL Chicago, Ill. Chicago Force
Aspen Marshall, DL Benicia, Calif. Bay Area Bandits
Knengi Martin, DL San Diego, Calif. San Diego Surge
Rachel May, DL Haltom City, Texas Dallas Diamonds
Jamie Menzyk, OL Portage, Ind. Chicago Force
Karen Mulliga,n QB Brooklyn, N.Y. New York Sharks
Elizabeth Okey, OL Chicago, Ill. Chicago Force
Dawn Pederson, OL Chicago, Ill. Chicago Force
Holly Peterson, WR Elk Grove, Calif. Sacramento Imperials
Jennifer Plummer, LB Galesburg, Mich. West Michigan Mayhem
Athena Reyes, DB Yonkers, N.Y. New York Sharks
Sarah Schkeepe,r OL Brooklyn, N.Y. N.Y. Sharks
Adrienne Smith, WR New York, N.Y. Boston Militia
Katie Sowers, DB Kansas City, Mo. Kansas City Titans
Liz Sowers, WR Kansas City, Mo. Kansas City Tribe
Hiroko Suzuki, OL Gardena, Calif. San Diego Surge
Sharon Vasquez, DB Pittsburgh, Pa. Pittsburgh Passion
Nicole Vilarino, WR Tualatin, Ore. Portland Shockwave
Katrina Walter, OL Poway, Calif. San Diego Surge
Jen Welter, LB Dallas, Texas Dallas Diamonds
Donna Wilkinson, DL Wheaton, Md. D.C. Divas
Rebecca Worsham, OL Springfield, Va. D.C. Divas
USA Football’s national team program is supported by corporate partners Cutters Gloves, Gatorade, Marriott, Rawlings, Riddell, St. Vincent Sports Performance, Shock Doctor, Sports Authority and Upper Deck.
About USA Football: USA Football, the sport’s national governing body in the United States, hosts dozens of football training events annually offering education for coaches, skill development for players and resources for youth football league commissioners. The independent nonprofit is the official youth football development partner of the NFL, its 32 teams and the NFL Players Association. USA Football manages U.S. national teams within the sport for international competitions and provides more than $1 million annually in equipment grants and youth league volunteer background check subsidies. Endowed by the NFL and NFLPA in 2002 through the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football (www.usafootball.com) is chaired by former NFL team executive Carl Peterson.