ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women’s soccer team will be well-represented at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, which begins today.
In the 28-year history of the championship, just three Knights had ever been named to a FIFA Women’s World Cup Roster (Michelle Akers, USA 1991, 1999; Amy Griffin, USA 1991; Lena Petermann, Germany 2105). This summer, four Knights - Konya Plummer, Sophie Howard, Aline Reis and Kathellen Sousa – will all be representing their countries as members of their national teams.
Rising senior Konya Plummer serves as team captain for a Jamaican squad – the youngest team captain on any Women’s World Cup roster this summer. Plummer, who joined the Knights in 2018, only appeared in nine UCF matches last fall as she was helping the Reggae Girlz become the first Caribbean nation to qualify for the Women’s World Cup
Sophie Howard (2012-14) helped Scotland qualify for the first time and will suit up for her first Women’s World Cup. Named to the 2012 Conference USA Freshman Team, 2013 American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team and 2014 AAC Second Team, Howard helped the Knights to the 2014 Sweet 16 as part of three NCAA Tournament berths during her tenure. She also helped UCF earn two regular season conference championships and two league tournament titles before heading to Germany to play for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
A pair of former Knights have been named to the Brazilian roster.
Recent UCF Hall of Fame inductee Aline Reis (2007-11) makes her Women’s World Cup debut but is no stranger to Brazil’s women’s national team. She was named one of Brazil’s two goalkeepers for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. A Freshman All-America selection as a goalkeeper in 2008 and a three-time all-region selection, Reis was a two-time First Team All-Conference USA selection and was named to the Second Team in the other two years of her career. Reis holds the No. 2 spot on the career saves chart at UCF and is fourth all-time for the Knights with 27 career shutouts.
Kathellen Sousa (2017) joins Reis on the Brazilian squad. The 2017 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Sousa was an all-region selection during her lone season with the Black and Gold. Moving to centerback in the season opener, Sousa helped the Knights to 10 shutouts during their 16-match unbeaten streak. She was called up by the national team in the summer of 2018 for the Tournament of Nations.
While the tournament begins June 7, the Knights will have to wait two more days before seeing the pitch. Reis and Sousa will lead Brazil against Plummer’s Jamaican squad on June 9 at 9:30 a.m. Howard and Scotland open against England at noon.
Brazil Group Phase Schedule
June 9 | 9:30 a.m. – Brazil v. Jamaica on FS1
June 13 | Noon – Brazil v. Australia on FOX
June 18 | 3 p.m. – Brazil v. Italy on FS1
Jamaica Group Phase Schedule
June 9 | 9:30 a.m. – Jamaica v. Brazil on FS1
June 14 | Noon – Jamaica v. Italy on FOX
June 18 | 3 p.m. – Jamaica v. Australia on FS2
Scotland Group Phase Schedule
June 9 | Noon – Scotland v. England on FOX
June 14 | 9 a.m. – Scotland v. Japan on FS1
June 19 | 3 p.m. – Scotland v. Argentina on FS2