CU Buffs soccer notes: Taylor Kornieck named to US Women's National Team

Jun. 13—It surely is a special thrill for any soccer player to score a pair of late goals to rally your team from certain defeat, as Taylor Kornieck did last week with her NWSL club, San Diego FC.

It took just a few more days for the former University of Colorado star to attain another huge career milestone.

On Monday, Kornieck was named to the roster of the United States women's national team for the 2022 CONCACAF Women's Championship. A veteran of national team call-ups for age-group teams, this marks Kornieck's first assignment for the full USWNT. She will get to make her debut near familiar territory when the U.S. team plays the first of two pre-tournament tune-ups against Colombia on June 25 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

The CONCACAF Women's Championship is an eight-team competition that will be held in Mexico July 4-18. Berths for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2024 Olympics in Paris will be at stake.

Kornieck served as a team captain for the U.S. U16 team in 2016 and later played a combined six matches for the U19 and U20 teams in 2017. She recorded her first international goal in a 2017 match against England.

At CU, Kornieck earned three first team All-Pac-12 Conference honors and netted a second team honor as well. Kornieck is the Buffs' all-time leader in points (102) and shares the program record of 24 assists with Fran Munnelly. Kornieck ranks second all-time at CU in goals (39), trailing only Nikki Marshall (42), who recently rejoined the Buffs for her second stint as a volunteer assistant.

Kornieck owns three of the top eight single-season points totals in program history (30 in 2019, 28 in 2018, 28 in 2018, 26 in 2016) and shares the program record for assists in a season with 10 in 2018, a mark that was tied by Shanade Hopcroft last fall.

Kornieck was the third overall selection in the 2020 NWSL draft by Orlando and was traded to San Diego earlier this year.

Although several other Buffs have been training camp invitees for the USWNT, Marshall (now Nikki Malone) was the only previous former CU player to receive a full call-up in 2014, though she was unable to play due to an injury.

Kornieck will be one of several players on the 23-team roster with Colorado ties, a list that includes Colorado natives Mallory Pugh, Sophia Smith and Jaelin Howell (a training camp invitee).

"We knew Taylor had the ability to be special when we first started recruiting her," Buffs head coach Danny Sanchez said in a statement released by CU. "She went out and proved that in her college career. We're especially pleased with how much she's producing in the NWSL which led to this call up. She has been an impact player in every game she's played. We know that she'll really shine on the international level."

Nonconference slate

CU soccer recently released the nonconference portion of the 2022 season. The season kicks off with three consecutive home games, beginning with Weber State on Aug. 18, followed by dates at Prentup Field against San Diego (Aug. 21) and Valparaiso (Aug. 26).

Highlighting the early ledger will be a road date against Brigham Young, which reached the NCAA title game last fall before getting edged by Florida State in penalty kicks. The game will be the first of a home-and-home agreement, with BYU scheduled to visit Boulder in 2024.

CU will take a two-game trip through Michigan to face the Wolverines for the first time (Sept. 8) as well as Michigan State (Sept. 11). The Buffs also have home dates against Texas A&M Commerce (Sept. 1), Omaha (Sept. 4), and Denver (Sept. 17).

The Pac-12 schedule and all television information will be released later this summer.

Notable

Former Buffs defender Joss Orejel will represent Mexico at the CONCACAF Women's Championships. Orejel has enjoyed several call-ups with Mexico's women's national team...Sophomore midfielder Jenny Beyer was one of 29 players who just completed a training session for the German U20 World Cup team.