May 28, 2012
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By Miquel Jacobs
Assistant Media Relations Director
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s soccer rising sophomore Sabrina D’Angelo (Welland, Ontario) has earned her first call-up to the senior Canada Women’s National Team as the squad prepares to face China PR in a friendly on Wednesday, May 30 at Moncton Stadium in Moncton, New Brunswick.
D’Angelo was called up to John Herdman’s squad for the week after a slight training injury to Canada’s No. 1 goalkeeper, Karina Leblanc. The match against China PR is the penultimate friendly for the Canadians before competing at the 2012 Olympics in London. The match comes at a special time for Canada, as it will also be part of the Canadian Soccer Association’s Centennial celebrations. It will also be the first Canada WNT match at Moncton Stadium, giving the Association the opportunity to share its 100th anniversary with the soccer community in Atlantic Canada.
Following her week in New Brunswick, D’Angelo will next compete for the Canadian Under-20 National Team at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup that will be played in Japan from August 18 to September 9. Canada won the silver medal at the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship in March where D’Angelo earned the distinction of being just the second goalkeeper in the 10-year history of the international competition to post shutouts in all three group stage matches.
D’Angelo’s freshman season at South Carolina saw her named to the NSCAA All-South Region first team and the Soccer America All-Freshman First Team in addition to being picked as the SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year after solidifying herself as the goalkeeper of the year in the SEC as a freshman. D’Angelo was the first player in SEC history to earn two Player of the Year honors in the same season, and she was the only freshman named to the First Team All-SEC list in addition to being the only freshman goalkeeper in the nation to be named to an NSCAA All-Region team. She finished the season fifth among the nation’s freshmen in goals against average (0.80) and 10th in save percentage (.824). D’Angelo was the SEC’s leader in goals against average and set the South Carolina freshman records for goals against average, save percentage, matches played, matches started and wins. She was named a semifinalist for the All White Kit Rookie of the Year, International Player of the Year and Golden Glove awards at the conclusion of the 2011 season, and was also honored with the H.L. Cudney Memorial Award at the 40th Annual Welland Sports Awards – the top athletics honor in Welland, Ontario. D’Angelo was the youngest person to win the award since its inception in 1962.
