While the Nebraska soccer team continues its tour of Canada with a string of international matches, an even bigger event is currently taking place in the United States’ neighboring country that has grabbed the attention of people all over the world: the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Nebraska is not unfamiliar with the grandest stage of all of women’s soccer. Since the program’s start in 1994, NU has since produced 11 players to go on and compete for the prestigious World Cup title. The 2015 World Cup is no different, as three ex-Huskers earned their names on a coveted team roster. Former NU goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc and former midfielder Selenia Iacchelli play for Canada, while ex-Husker defender Ari Romero represents Mexico.
For LeBlanc, the World Cup scene is far from a new experience. A Maple Ridge, B.C., native and Nebraska’s goalkeeper from 1997-2000, she makes her fifth World Cup appearance on the Canadian national team in 2015. LeBlanc made her World Cup debut in 1999 and helped Canada to its nation-best fourth-place finish in 2003. Upon the unveiling of team rosters this past April, LeBlanc publically announced her retirement following the 2015 Cup.
“I’ll continue to play with my team post-World Cup to finish out the season,” LeBlanc mentioned on Twitter. “It has been such an honor to represent Canada for the last 15 years.”
In her time at Nebraska, LeBlanc captured All-America honors while named to the All-Big 12 Conference second-team list. In 2000, she ranked second nationally in goals-against average with a 0.40 score. She was drafted in the third-round of the WUSA draft by the Boston Breakers in 2000, where she spent three seasons in the goalkeeper position.
For Iacchelli, the World Cup is a brand new slate. Sidelined with injuries much of her soccer career, the Edmonton, Alberta, native spent four seasons with Nebraska from 2005-2008 and has been a member of the Canadian national team since 2013. For her, playing for her country on soccer’s largest platform is a dream come true.
“I was shocked when I found out I made the World Cup roster,” Iacchelli said. “I had suffered so many injuries in my career, so it was such a relief to finally see all of my hard work and dedication pay off.”
Iacchelli said her preparations for the Cup have been intense, but she continues to learn new details about her game. Despite suffering a foot injury in her senior season with the Huskers in 2008, Iacchelli attributes much of her success to the Nebraska soccer program.
“Coach (John) Walker taught me so much,” Iacchelli said. “He gave me so much confidence. He taught me to stay calm on the ball and the little details about how to control my game. In fact, he is one of the biggest reasons why I continued to push through the injuries. He never gave up on me, and it pushed me to never give up on myself.”
Iacchelli earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors from 2006-2008 while at Nebraska, while leading the team in assists (3), shots (50) and shots on goal (24) in the 2007 season.
The World Cup is also unchartered territory for Romero, who played as a defender for the Huskers from 2010-2013. Originally from Surprise, Ariz., Romero embraced her family’s Mexican heritage by playing for the Mexican national team, of which she has been a member since 2012.
“It has always been my dream to play in the World Cup ever since I was a little girl,” Romero said. “I was so excited to learn I had made the roster this year. To be selected to play for my country of Mexico at the highest level is such an honor and a humbling opportunity.”
With the Huskers, Romero became one of the program’s most decorated defenders. Throughout her career, she earned second-team All-America honors and was named the 2013 Big Ten Defender of the Year. Romero also helped lead NU to a pair of regular season and tournament Big Ten titles in 2013. None of her successes, she said, would have occurred without the support and guidance of the Nebraska coaching staff.
“Coach Walker played a huge part in my development as a player,” Romero said. “He never let me be content with where I was. He reminded me to keep refining my technique and to always be confident in my abilities. If it wasn’t for him and his program, I wouldn’t have been the tenacious player that I am today. The World Cup is a reflection of what he and his staff have done for me.”
In addition to some international playing time, the current NU squad is attending some matches to support the former Huskers in the Cup. So far, both Canada and Mexico are finishing up games in the group round of the FIFA World Cup. Canada defeated China 1-0 in the first match on June 6, while taking a draw with New Zealand 0-0 June 11 and the Netherlands 1-1 on June 15. Mexico tied Colombia in the Group F division 1-1 on June 9, but fell to England 2-1 on June 13. Canada has advanced to the round of 16, while Mexico will play France in the final preliminary group round on June 17.