Wilson and Thaden selected to U.S. Under-21 Nordic Cup Team
CHICAGO -- University of Texas senior forward Kelly Wilson (Odessa, Texas/Permian) and sophomore midfielder Nikki Thaden (Clive, Iowa/Valley) were tabbed as two members of the 18-player 2004 U.S. Under-21 Nordic Cup Team on Tuesday, July 13. They along with 16 other top U.S. players will now travel to Iceland with second-year U.S. Under-21 National Team coach Chris Petrucelli, who is also the Horns' current head coach, for the 14th annual Nordic Cup being held from July 23-29 in nine small venues located in the northern part of the country, not far from the Arctic Circle. While there, the U.S. team will be attempting to win an unprecedented sixth consecutive Nordic Cup Championship. Notably, this marks the second straight year that two Longhorns have made the Nordic Cup roster as Wilson and teammate Kelly McDonald were named to the 2003 team. Additionally, Texas joins Stanford (3) and North Carolina (2) as the only schools in the country to have two or more players included on this year's Nordic Cup team. The U.S. team will assemble to train for three days in New Jersey from July 16-18 (which includes a scrimmage against the U.S. Under-19 National Team on July 17) before departing for Iceland, which will be hosting its second Nordic Cup. The USA won its second of six Nordic Cup titles in Iceland in 1999. Held in Northern Europe every summer, the Nordic Cup is the top competition in the world for Under-21 women and is the focus of the USA's oldest youth national team during its seven-month run. A two-time All-American and three-time All-Big 12 performer, Wilson has been one of the Longhorns' top scorers in each of her three seasons on the Forty Acres to date and currently ranks second in career points (83), goals (28) and assists (27) in school history. Thaden, meanwhile, finished her freshman campaign in 2003 by tying for second on the team in scoring with 18 total points behind seven goals and four assists after playing in all 20 of UT's games. For more information the 2004 U.S. Under-21 Nordic Cup Team, please log on to USSoccer.com.
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