Oklahoma State University Athletics
Mercado Participating In U.S. Under-20 National Team Tryouts
April 29, 2009 | Cowgirl Soccer
STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State soccer star Melinda Mercado is one of 24 players training at the U.S. Soccer Under-20 Women's National Team Domestic Training Camp in Carson, Calif., this week.
Mercado, who will be a sophomore for the Cowgirls next season, is one of eight defenders competing at the U.S. National Team trials this week. The team is coached by Jill Ellis, and Texas Tech coach Tom Stone serves as one of the team's assistant coaches. Mercado is among a group of eight college freshmen and 16 high school players invited to the tryouts, and those players will be eligible for the next FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which will be held in Germany.
"I am very excited that Melinda has been given this opportunity," said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. "She had a wonderful freshman year at Oklahoma State, and this is a tremendous reward for all of her hard work. To be recognized as one of the best players in the entire country is quite an accomplishment.
"I am so proud of her, and if the camp goes well, maybe we can watch her compete for the U.S. National Team in the near future."
A native of Sapulpa, Okla., Mercado is coming off a highly successful freshman season for the Cowgirls in which she helped lead OSU to its first-ever Big 12 Conference regular season championship. She started all 23 games for the Cowgirls at defender and was part of a defensive unit that allowed just 18 goals. She also collected a pair of goals as a freshman, including the game winner at Louisville.
Following her standout season, Mercado earned third-team Freshman All-American and All-Freshman Central Region honors from Soccer Buzz. She was also named to the Big 12 Conference All-Newcomer Team.
