University of Delaware junior forward Taylor Lister has been invited to participate in a trial at the USA Field Hockey Developmental Squad’s training camp, which is slated to take place this coming weekend at Duke University.

“Congratulations to Taylor as her outstanding field hockey performance over the past year was also witnessed and appreciated by the U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Janneke Schopman,” said UD head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. “The invitation Taylor received from Coach Schopman is a tribute to Taylor’s growth and contribution level as a Blue Hens player.  It also provides a clear signal of the level that the University of Delaware field hockey program has risen to and shows the coaching qualities and understanding of where future U.S. National Team hopefuls and players can and will be developed.”

Van de Kerkhof continued, “Taylor’s involvement and interaction with the U.S. National Developmental Squad will be a win-win situation for all; USA field hockey, UD field hockey and Taylor as an individual. I know Taylor is going to enjoy her experience in the upcoming weeks and am positive she will become a better player, leader and person for the Blue Hens and perhaps one day an official member of Team USA.”

To account for the transitional phase from the U.S. U-21 Women's National Team to the senior team, the squad’s purpose is to nurture the talent of college students who no longer are permitted to be on the U-21 USWNT due to age restrictions but show great promise in hockey.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity because I’ve been involved with USA Field Hockey programs since middle school and it has been a dream to play for Team USA,” Lister said. “I haven’t made anything yet, but it’s an amazing honor to be invited for a tryout; this isn’t something that everyone gets to experience. I’m looking forward to learning from the other players and coaches involved with the developmental squad and I know getting a different perspective will only help myself and my Blue Hens team in the long run.”

The developmental squad will be attending several training camps throughout the year between March and May, where they will train and scrimmage against the U.S. U-21 Women's National Team and college teams. In June, they will compete as a team at the Young Women's National Championship held at Spooky Nook Sports in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

A Longstreth/NFHCA Regional First Team All-American, CAA All-First Team, NCAA All-Tournament Team and CAA All-Tournament performer this past season, Lister finished the year with 21 points on 11 assists and five goals.  Lister and the Blue Hens picked up the program’s first-ever national championship while completing the year with a 19-game winning streak and an overall record of 23-2.