Princeton Athletes Compete for Their Countries

U.S. field hockey midfielder KATIE REINPRECHT ’13 wasted little time in her squad’s debut at the Pan Am Games July 13. She scored in the second minute against Uruguay, sparking what would become a 5-0 victory for the United States. Sister JULIA REINPRECHT ’14, also a starter, helped to preserve the shutout on defense.

The field hockey stars are among more than a dozen Princeton athletes — alumni and undergraduates, from varsity and club sports — competing internationally this summer.

Men’s basketball standout HANS BRASE ’16 led Germany to a silver medal at the World University Games in South Korea July 13. The German team pushed the United States to double-overtime in the championship game before falling, 84-77. Brase’s Tiger teammateSPENCER WEISZ ’17 is representing Israel at the FIBA U-20 European Championship in Italy.

Women’s water polo teammates ASHLEIGH JOHNSON ’16 and ASHLEY HATCHER ’15 faced off in the Pan Am Games. Hatcher, playing for Argentina, scored three goals in three games (a win and two losses), while Johnson, a goalkeeper for the United States, held Cuba to three goals in a commanding 18-3 win during the group stage. Johnson will be playing for gold tonight when the Americans face Canada in the championship game.

Princeton track will have at least one representative at the World Championships in Beijing this August: Olympic steeplechase competitor DONN CABRAL ’12 ran a personal record and finished second at the U.S. Championships June 28, earning a bid to the World meet. LIZ COSTELLO ’10, SARAH CUMMINGS ’11, and ASHLEY HIGGINSON ’11 are slated to run at the Pan Am Games this week. And 2014 NCAA hammer throw champion JULIA RATCLIFFE ’16 earned a bronze medal for her native New Zealand at the World University Games.

Six Princeton rowers will compete for at the Under-23 World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.ERIN REELICK ’16, MEGHAN WHEELER ’16, MARY ANN MCNULTY ’16, and JAMES SINCAVAGE ’18 will row for the United States; and GEORGIE HOWE ’17 and JAMES GOBLE ’18 will represent Australia and Great Britain, respectively.

In women’s soccer, DIANA MATHESON ’08 recovered from injuries in time to take the field for host Canada in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Unfortunately, her first appearance came in Canada’s last game — a 2-1 loss to England in the tournament quarterfinals June 27.

Princeton’s club-sport athletes also have been playing for national teams this summer. LAUREN RHODE ’12 competed with the U.S. women’s national rugby team in a win over Canada in the Women’s Rugby Super Series July 1, and LYRA OLSON ’16 of the women’s ultimate Frisbee team is the lone Ivy women’s player on the U.S. team at the World Under-23 Ultimate Championships in London.