CHICAGO – Penn State women's soccer freshman goalkeeper Mackenzie Gress garnered a placement on the United States U-20 Women's Youth National Team, the United States Soccer Federation announced Tuesday. Gress will represent the Red, White and Blue on an international stage at the 2023 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic.
"Mack is undoubtedly one of the top young goalkeepers in our country," head coach Erica Dambach said. "Her hard work and consistency have set her up well to take advantage of this opportunity. She has been very intentional with her training and made the decision to ultimately trust the process throughout her development. We can't wait to see what things she can accomplish at one of the highest levels of competition in our sport."
Gress completed her freshman season in the Blue & White as a reserve option behind graduate student and newly appointed team captain Katherine Asman. A native of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, Gress is a graduate of Lyndhurst High School and played club soccer for the STA Girls Academy. According to TopDrawerSoccer, Gress ranked as the No. 17 overall player and the No. 3 goalkeeper in the 2022 recruiting class. One of the most dominant recruiting cycles in program history, Gress was an instrumental piece in Penn State's top-rated class in the 2022 campaign.
No stranger to national team recognition in the United States National Team program, Gress attended training camps with the U14 and U16 U.S. Youth National Teams, playing for the U16 USYNT in a global tournament hosted by UEFA in England. A standout shot stopper throughout her youth career in the U.S. National Team system, Gress was also a part of a competitive player pool for the U18 USWYNT.
"I am so honored to be a part of the U-20 Women's National Team competing at the CONCACAF tournament later this month," Gress stated. "It is a privilege to get to play with some of the best players in the country while competing against some of the best in the world. I cannot thank my Penn State family enough for providing me with the environment to grow and develop each day. I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity."
The U.S. U-20 WYNT held an overlapping training camp from April 15-22 in Cary, North Carolina, featuring some of the nation's best prospects from the U-20, U-19 and U-18 teams. Gress joined players from across the country at that camp, ultimately garnering a placement on the team following the USSF's announcement this week. Women's Youth National Team head coach Tracey Kevins evaluated 46 players in preparation for the announcement ahead of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
The 2023 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship will be held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, at Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez. The tournament features an eight-team format with two groups of four teams each slated for round-robin competition. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the semifinals, with the top three teams guaranteed a placement at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. The U.S. U-20 WYNT opens competition on Wednesday, May 24, with a 7 p.m. fixture against Panama.
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