COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Three Maryland field hockey players were selected to the U.S. Junior National Team, the United States Field Hockey Association recently announced. Rising sophomore Katie O'Donnell and rising juniors Brianna Davies and Alexis Pappas were named to the junior squad, as well as. The trio were also selected to the 18-member 2008 Junior Pan Am Cup squad, which will compete in an international tournament in Mexico City, Mexico, October 3-12.

The 2008 Junior Pan Am Cup in Mexico City will serve as a qualifier for the 2009 Junior World Cup, which will be held in Boston, the birthplace of the sport. The 16-team Junior World Cup will be held at Harvard University, Aug. 4-16, 2009.

Katie O'Donnell (Blue Bell, Pa.) is coming off a stellar freshman campaign where she was named a NFHCA first team All-American, ACC Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Honda Award. She has been a member of the Senior National Team since the age of 16 and has earned 26 international caps in her career. She was a member of the 2005 Junior World Cup team, helping the U.S. to a best-ever seventh-place showing at the event.

Brianna Davies (Annville, Pa.) and Alexis Pappas (Mount Joy, Pa.) have been starters since they were freshman. Davies has played every game since coming to College Park on defense, earning NFHCA first team Mid-Atlantic All-Region honors in 2006. Pappas has also played in every game and transitioned to the midfield as a sophomore where she had a solid campaign, helping Maryland record an 18-3 record and a No. 3 final national ranking. Both were also members of the 2006 NCAA Championship team.

Rising sophomore Meghan Dean (Marathon, N.Y.) was also named to the Junior Development team. Dean has been a member of the Under-21 team in 2006 and 2007. She traveled to China with the team in the spring of 2007, leading the team in goals scored on the tour. At Maryland, she played in every game as a freshman.

For more information, visit www.usafieldhockey.com.

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