| Representing UConn and Team USA around the world |
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| Written by Noah Finz | |
| Wednesday, September 19, 2007 | |
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To represent UConn as an athlete is a big deal. But a select group of Huskies also got a chance to represent their country in international competition that took them to exotic places.
Basketball players Mel Thomas and Charde Houston, both seniors, were chosen to represent the U.S. in the Pan-American Games which were played in Brazil. So what's the best thing they took from that experience? "My medal. My gold medal," Houston said. Houston and Thomas helped Team USA regain it's position on the gold medal podium after a long drought in international competition. "The gold medal game was absolutely crazy," said Thomas. "We played against Brazil in Brazil and their fans were just wild. It was like a party the entire game. When we had the ball, the whole possession they were just booing us. When they had the ball they were just cheering the entire time." Another UConn basketball player also took home gold. Freshman Maya Moore helped lead Team USA to the win at the Under-19 World Championships in Slovakia. "There's no feeling like it," Moore said. "Standing on that podium listening to our national anthem play in another country where we had maybe five fans in the stands. Playing with the best of the best in my age group, knowing that we are the best in our age group in the world is ... There's no other feeling." A couple of Husky field hockey players -- freshman Melissa Gonzales and junior Megan Wheeler -- haven't played yet, but they've been chosen to represent the U.S. on the Under-21 national team which will compete in the Junior Pan Am Games and Junior World Cup. "I definitely think it's exciting just to have the opportunity to go places and play different competition across the country and across the world," Wheeler said. "Having the opportunity to put on a United States uniform, that's what every athlete aspires to one day," says Gonzales. Junior soccer player Brittany Taylor was also at the Pan-Am Games. She called the experience one of the best in her life since she and the rest of the U.S. Under-20 team took on everyone else's full national team. She and Team USA won the silver medal. "That was kind of like a reality check to know that I can do it kind of thing, 'cause sometimes I think I'm too hard on myself, and a lot of people say you're doing a lot better than you think you are," she said. Taylor hopes to parlay that experience to eventually make the full U.S. national team. |
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