FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

Official Netherlands Under-19 National Team Info (In Dutch)

SOMERS, Wis. (Jan. 29, 2013)-- University of Wisconsin-Parkside women's soccer player Niekie Pellens will attempt to represent her homeland this spring, earning a spot at the 35-player selection camp for the Netherlands Under-19 National Team as the Dutch gear up for the second qualifying round of the 2013 European Women's U19 Championships.

Pellens, a native of Naarden, Netherlands, was a freshman on the Ranger soccer squad that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division II Tournament this fall.

“It's a huge honor for me to be given the opportunity to represent my country. I have been practicing and playing soccer my whole life and the chance to play on the national team is a dream come true,” said Pellens.

The defender was first scouted by the country's national body, the Royal Dutch Soccer Union (KNVB), when she was 11. The KNVB has been tracking her career ever since before inviting her to camp this fall as the country attempts to advance to the finals of the European U19 Championships to be held in Wales.

Pellens is the lone player on the 35-woman preliminary roster playing soccer outside of continental Europe. The KNVB will select 18 players to form the U19 National Team after holding their camp on Feb. 4 at the national headquarters in Zeist, Netherlands.

The Dutch are in Group 1 of the second qualifying round of the European Championships and will open the competition on April 4 against Sweden. Netherlands faces Ireland on April 6 and close out the round-robin with an April 9 fixture against Italy. The top team from all six groups join host Wales in the finals along with the top ranking second place group finisher.

“Playing for the Rangers is a great chance for me to develop my game. In the Netherlands, the style of play is very technical and tactical. In the United States the game is much more physical and more speed oriented with quick attacks forward,” said Pellens.

“For her to get an invite to the u19 national camp is a huge accomplishment because the team has been in residency since September. For her to get added over our semester break is not a usual occurrence and I have to credit all the hard work she put in during our fall season. Nieke has a great understanding of the game and will be a tremendous asset to your program for the next four years,” said UW-Parkside head coach Troy Fabiano.

Pellens ultimate goal is to adapt the playing styles of both nations to become a well-rounded player with the hope of eventually being able to play the game professionally.

The Rangers finished their 2012 campaign ranked 15th in the nation with a 14-5-1 record, advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.