April 26, 2016

By Joanne Norell

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team will have two of its own representing the United States next month as the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team heads to training camp in Charlottesville, Virginia. Junior midfielder Sandra Yu has been called in as one of 26 players by coach Janet Rayfield, while Irish assistant coach Dawn Siergiej will serve as goalkeeper coach.

“What an incredible opportunity for Sandra,” Irish head coach Theresa Romagnolo said. “She has worked so hard to become such an impactful player here at Notre Dame. She is a tremendous defensive player and creative attacker. She can do so much on both sides of the ball. I’m excited she has earned this opportunity.

“It’s also a tremendous opportunity [for Siergiej] and well-deserved as she is one of the top coaches in the country.”

The U-23 squad will be in camp from May 1-7, with the roster comprised of all collegiate players with the NWSL season underway.

Yu made her first official collegiate appearance last fall, starting all 20 games for the Irish after missing her first two seasons due to injury. The Strongsville, Ohio, native scored three goals and tallied two assists playing primarily in the central midfield, and she was third on the team with 17 shots on goal.

Siergiej will enter her 14th season on the Irish staff this fall, having joined the program in 2003 under former head coach Randy Waldrum. During her time at Notre Dame, she has helped the Irish to two of their three NCAA national championships (2004 and 2010), as well as six NCAA Women’s College Cup berths.

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For the latest Fighting Irish women’s soccer coverage, be sure log on to UND.com, follow @NDSoccer on Twitter and like Notre Dame Women’s Soccer on Facebook.

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Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and earned her master’s degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University in 2013.