Three Rebels Chosen For National Soccer Competition

OXFORD, Miss. In what has become a winter tradition, three Ole Miss soccer players have been selected to participate in one of youth soccer’s top events, the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Under-19 National Camp.

Rebel sophomore Jennifer Hance and freshmen Danielle Johnson and Hannah Weatherly are members of the Region III team, which represents the South region of the United States and with which Rebel head coach Steve Holeman is an assistant. This year’s event will be held at Ventura College in Ventura, Calif., from Jan. 3-6.

The South team is one of four national regions of 18 players each that form the field of 72 of the nation’s top women’s soccer players 19-years-old and under. Players from each of the region teams are competing for roster spots on the ODP national team pool.

Hance, Johnson and Weatherly are three of six current Rebels who have participated with the Region III team at national camp in the last three years. Hance teamed with Christine Breaux, Chrissy Strini and Megan Vickery on last year’s team, while Strini was also picked in 2005.

Holeman has been involved in the Region III program since 1996 and is in his fifth year as an assistant coach. Holeman served as Region III head coach at the U.S. Olympic Festival in 2001 and 2002, and guided the team to a gold medal finish in 2001.

Hance has earned All-SEC recognition in each of her two seasons at Ole Miss, along with being named the 2005 SEC Freshman of the Year and second team Freshman All-America. The 5-foot-10 midfielder has already turned heads on the national level, being invited to the USA U-20 National Team Camp this past spring.

Johnson made a big splash in her first season as a Rebel. The versatile athlete from Baton Rouge, La., earned third team Freshman All-America honors from Soccer Buzz and was named second team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman. While spending most of her time helping the Ole Miss defense lead the league, Johnson also ranked fourth on the team with five goals and 11 points.

A local product from Tupelo, Miss., Weatherly made an immediate impact in her first year in the Red and Blue. The forward ranked third on the squad with six goals and 14 points, while starting 19-of-20 matches. Weatherly was a member of the Region III ODP squad in 2005-06 as well.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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