Produced by: redstormsports.com
May 8, 2019
Former St. John's standout Rachel Daly was selected Wednesday to England's roster for the upcoming 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
St. John's will see its second alumnus in as many World Cups represent their country at the highest international level this summer, as Mariela Jacome played for Ecuador during the last FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015.
Daly is one of the most prolific players to don a red and white kit for the Johnnies. Despite playing just three seasons for the Red Storm, the lethal goal scorer set a slew of school records including, career goals (50) and points (111).
As a senior, Daly helped lead the Johnnies to a school-record 15 wins, the program's first BIG EAST Regular Season Championship, and a home game in the NCAA Tournament. Daly ranked third nationally in goals (19), sixth in points (43) and led all Division I players with 6.0 shots per game. Daly capped off her career with the Red Storm as a unanimous selection for BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. Daly also took home First Team NSCAA All-American honors and finished as a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy.
"Everyone involved with the St. John's University women's soccer program is very proud of Rachel," St. John's Women's Soccer Coach Ian Stone said. "Personally, I know how badly she wanted to achieve the goal of making this World Cup squad. She is a fantastic example to us all in setting a goal and then doing whatever it takes in order to achieve it. She has become a tremendously dedicated professional who focuses her relentless desire towards being the best soccer player she can be. It is very fitting that she will get to compete at the highest level of the sport, the FIFA World Cup."
Since wrapping up her collegiate career in the fall of 2015, Daly has been a standout in the professional ranks for the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Daly finished as a finalist for the league's rookie of the year award in 2016 after tallying three goals and four assists in her debut campaign. The sixth overall pick in the 2016 NWSL Draft, Daly increased her goal scoring in 2017 with five tallies despite splitting her time between forward and defender.
Most recently, Daly is coming off of a 2018 campaign where she tallied a career-high 10 goals to earn Most Valuable Player honors for the Houston Dash. She helped the Dash to three NWSL Team of the Month honors while earning one NWSL Player of the Month award, as well as being named one of three forwards on the 2018 NWSL Second XI.
England will make its FIFA Women's World Cup debut on Sunday, June 9, taking on Scotland at Allianz Riviera - Nice Stadium in Nice, France. After a few days off, England will travel to Le Havre, France to face off against Argentina on Friday, June 14. The team will then close out group play on Wednesday, June 19, playing Japan in Paris at Le Parc des Princes.