Frazer to Compete at Euro Championships
8/21/2009 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Aug. 21, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Incoming University of Maryland freshman Megan Frazer was selected to represent her native Ireland at the 2009 European Field Hockey Championships, from Aug. 22-29, in Amsterdam.
Frazer, a 5-foot-7 midfielder, is the youngest member of the Irish National Team. The Derry, Northern Ireland, native did not have the opportunity to play in the Women's Junior World Cup in Boston, where three current Maryland players competed for the United States, because Ireland does not field an Under-21 national team.
"The European Championships will be my first major tournament playing for my country, so it is obviously a huge honor," Frazer said. "We are pooled with former Olympic gold medalists, Germany and Spain, so this will be an exciting opportunity to play against some of the best players in the world. This tournament will hopefully be a good way to prepare me for my first season at Maryland."
The 2009 European Championships is an eight-team event. The champion, second place and third place teams will earn an automatic berth to the 2010 World Cup. The field includes Germany, Netherlands, England, Spain, Ireland, Russia, Scotland and Azerbaijan.
Due to her European Championships schedule, Frazer will be unable to attend Maryland's preseason training camp nor its season-opening Wildcat Classic in Evanston, Ill., from Aug. 28-31.
"Maryland is really excited for Megan," Terps' head coach Missy Meharg said. "To have the opportunity to play for her country in the best field hockey-playing continent in the world will help her development tremendously."
Frazer was called up to the Irish Senior National Team at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season. The Irish will take on Germany in its first game of the European Championships on Saturday.
