Lauren Milliet is used to wearing red and white. Now she’ll had blue to the combination.
Milliet, a 2015 graduate of Durango High School, will participate in the biggest soccer games of her career beginning July 2 in South Korea, where she will represent Colorado College and the United States at the World University Games.
“This is the biggest moment of my career, and most of the other players, as well. It’s exciting to represent your country,” Milliet said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald.
Milliet signed with Colorado College in the spring and was selected for the World University Games roster after going through trials with the Tigers and head coach Geoff Bennett in March.
Colorado College, based in Colorado Springs, could select players who are current or recent graduates born between 1990 and 1997. Athletes also had to be U.S. citizens.
The Tigers were chosen to represent Team USA by the United States International University Sports Federation. They are the first full collegiate women’s soccer team to represent the United States in this event, which is held every two years.
Milliet and the rest of the team will leave for South Korea on June 28 and will open play in ‘Pool D’ against South Africa on July 2 at Honam University Stadium in the city of Gwangju. It is an 11-day tournament.
Joining the USA and South Africa in Group D is France and Canada. The top team from each of the four pools will be seeded and will contend for medals.
“We’re definitely hoping to win, and we’re training to win,” Milliet said. “We’ve been training every day, lifting, running, playing friendlies. We all really want to win and aren’t going in just for the experience of playing in South Korea. We’re going to get a gold medal.”
That’s part of the attitude that helped Milliet get selected. She is one of five first-year Tigers to make the team, along with Rae Conion of Shaker Heights, Ohio, Kelli Sullivan of Sammamish, Washington, Madison Tominello of Monument and Anna Gregg of Sacramento, California.
They join eight alumni, a few of whom have turned professional, and 20 current Colorado College standouts.
“Selecting the roster was one of the hardest decisions, if not the hardest decision, we’ve had to make during our time here at Colorado College,” Bennett said in a news release. “There were a lot of intangibles that went into the decision making – the system that we are playing, positional needs and experience.
“Everyone in our trials performed very, very well. It was difficult for players, and it was difficult for staff. The only good thing is that part is over, and now we can focus on playing as opposed to logistics.”
Bennett expressed his belief in all of the players, from the fresh faces to the experienced veterans, to all help the team compete at the highest level.
“We’re going to have a handful of players from different eras of the program, which I believe is great,” Bennett said in the news release. “The young players are here for a reason, and I think they can help us. The older players can help us on the field, but off the field their expertise and maturity level will help us gel and make us pretty cohesive.”
Milliet is from a big soccer family. The daughter of Charlie and Janis Milliet has an older sister, Brooke, who plays for Fort Lewis College, and her younger sister Katie will be a senior on the Durango High School team next season.
Milliet has been thrilled to train alongside her future teammates, and she has taken the opportunity to show her skills and prove herself to Bennett before even beginning her freshman year on campus.
She said the pace of play is much faster than she is used to from her high school and club days with Rio Rapids FC, but adjusting hasn’t been a problem for the dynamic goal scorer who put 14 shots in the back of the net her senior season at DHS.
“Once I get into games and get settled, I’ve been doing pretty well,” Milliet said. “I’m building chemistry with the other girls on the field, and coach Bennett gets to see me play more. Now, he’s going to know my abilities for next season instead of not knowing me as well, and that will help me in the fall.”
Milliet said she has improved immensely and has stayed on her “tippy toes” trying to learn anything she can from the coaches and older players.
She isn’t quite sure how it will feel the first time she steps onto a field in South Korea with the Stars and Stripes on her back, but she knows it is an opportunity unlike any that have come her way.
“I’m speechless because I’ve never had such a big opportunity,” Milliet said. “It’s such an incredible feeling knowing I’m wearing a USA jersey and representing my entire country in a place I’ve never been. I’m unbelievable honored to play for the United States.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
World University Games
Team USA/Colorado College Schedule
July 2-13 at Gwangju, South Korea
Note: All times Mountain Daylight Time.
Pool D
July 2: vs. South Africa, Honam University Stadium, 8 p.m.
July 4: vs. France, Mokpo International Stadium, 1:30 a.m.
July 6: vs. Canada, Boseong Public Stadium, 1:30 a.m.
Rest of the Field
Pool A: Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, Ireland, South Korea
Pool B: Colombia, Japan, Mexico, Russia
Pool C: Brazil, China, North Korea, Poland
