Wake Forest Athletics
Ridgik, Bledsoe, Stengel Called up to U.S. U-23s
7/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
July 15, 2014
By Alex Botoman, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWSoccer)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest senior Riley Ridgik as well as recently graduated All-Americans Aubrey Bledsoe and Katie Stengel have been called up to the United States Under-23 Women's National team for its July training camp which starts today in Seattle.
The three Demon Deacons are all joining the team for the second camp in a row after they also trained with the squad last month in California. Stengel, who has signed to play with Bayern Munich in Germany this fall, is one of four players in the camp that have experience with the full U.S. Women's National team.
A team captain and Wake Forest's top returnee, Ridgik earned All-ACC honors for the first time in 2013 after a breakout season where she led the Demon Deacons with 11 goals. Though she spent most of her time as a forward in 2013, the Ventura, Calif. native has also played as a midfielder for Wake Forest, which is the position she plays for the U-23 team.
Bledsoe left Wake Forest as the most accomplished goalkeeper ever to suit up for the Demon Deacons. She started every game of her career from 2010-13, and was a three-time All-American and All-ACC selection. Bledsoe holds the Wake Forest career records for shutouts, goals against average and starts, among others. She will play for IK Grand Bodo in Norway next season.
Stengel smashed all of Wake Forest's scoring records in her four years with the squad, finishing with 50 goals and 25 assists in only 75 games played. She was a four-time All-ACC pick and a three-time All-American and led the ACC in goal-scoring in both 2010 and 2011. Stengel has extensive national team experience, having started for the U.S. team that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2012 before earning the first full national team call-up for any Wake Forest player this spring.
U.S. U-23 WNT Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Aubrey Bledsoe (Wake Forest; Cincinnati, Ohio), Megan Kufeld (Washington; Fremont, Calif.), Abby Smith (Texas; Dallas, Texas)
DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (UCLA; Menlo Park, Calif.), Caprice Dydasco (UCLA; Honolulu, Hawaii), Arin Gilliland (Kentucky; Lexington, Ky.), Kristin Grubka (Florida; Melbourne, Fla.), Jaelene Hinkle (Texas Tech; Denver, Colo.), Bri Pugh (Oregon; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Emily Sonnett (Virginia; Marietta, Ga.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Brian (Virginia; St. Simons Island, Ga.), Daphne Corboz (Georgetown; Greenbrook, N.J.), Sarah Killion (UCLA; Fort Wayne, Ind.), Mary Luba (Marquette; Shorewood, Wis.), Rachel Mercik (UC Berkeley; El Dorado Hills, Calif.), Samantha Mewis (UCLA; Hanson, Mass.), Riley Ridgik (Wake Forest; Ojai, Calif.), Kylie Strom (Boston University; Endicott, N.Y.)
FORWARDS (6): Kelly Cobb (Duke; Chugiak Alaska), Ashleigh Ellenwood (Arkansas; Michigan City, Ind.), Jannelle Flaws (Illinois; Glenview, Ill.), Shea Groom (Texas A&M; Liberty, Mo.), Stephanie McCaffrey (Boston College; Winchester, Mass.), Katie Stengel (Wake Forest; West Melbourne, Fla.)
