U.S. Women’s National Team defender Rachel Buehler will attend the San Diego SeaLions’ Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) home opener on Sunday, June 3, at Cathedral Catholic High School. The SeaLions will host Ajax America Women in WPSL Pacific-South Conference action beginning at 4:00 p.m. Buehler will meet fans and sign autographs prior to the start of the match.
“We are so honored to have Rachel be a part of our home opener,” said SeaLions’ General Manager Amie Becker. “Not only is she a tremendous athlete, she’s also incredibly humble, kind and intelligent. She is the quintessential role model, and San Diego is so fortunate to have her as an ambassador for women’s soccer in the community.”
“I am very excited that I am able to support the SeaLions at their home opener,” said Buehler. “I am proud to be from the San Diego soccer community, and believe that with local support we provide a perfect environment for high level women’s soccer to thrive.”
Buehler, a San Diego native, was a four-year letter winner at Torrey Pines High School and earned First-Team All-CIF and All-Palomar League honors for three straight years (2000-2002). She played club soccer with San Diego Surf, competing on several championship teams, and was named Surf’s Player of the Year in 2003. Buehler went on to play at Stanford where she captained the women’s soccer team for three years, earning an All-Pac-10 Conference First Team selection.
In addition to her school and club play, Buehler had extensive with the U.S. youth national teams, playing on the U-16 and U-17 squads. She was a member of the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship team in Canada and the third place finisher at the 2004 competition. Buehler joined the full National Team training camp in 2006 and debuted at the 2008 Algarve Cup in Portugal. That year she also made the U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team that took the gold medal against Brazil in Beijing. In 2011 she competed with the National Team at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, earning a controversial red card against Brazil.
In 2009 Buehler was allocated to FC Gold Pride of the WPS in the league’s inaugural season and captained the team to the WPS title in 2010. In 2011 she signed with Boston Breakers after FC Gold Pride disbanded. Currently she is training with the National Team in preparation for the 2012 Olympics in London.
In addition to her National Team duties, Buehler is a Director with the Kick-It-Away Platini Cancer Foundation which raises money to help soccer players and coaches with expenses from battling cancer. The organization was founded by her former Surf coach Platini Soaf who wanted to give back to the soccer community after the help he received in his own battle against cancer.
The SeaLions are coming off a two-game sweep against Pacific-North Conference opponents. San Diego defeated former USWNT defender Brandi Chastain and the California Storm 3-1 on Saturday, May 19. Less than 24 hours later they shut out Central California HEAT 4-0 on Sunday, May 20. The SeaLions face LA Vikings in an away game on Saturday, June 2, followed by the June 3 home opener.
