(New Zealand) On Friday morning local time, New Zealand women’s soccer head coach Jitka Klimková named her 23-person squad for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 which includes Sun Devil Soccer’s senior forward, Gabi Rennie.
“It is an incredible achievement to play for your country, but to represent them in a World Cup that is hosted in your home must feel like nothing else on Earth,” Sun Devil head coach Graham Winkworth said. “I am so proud of Gabi. I will be cheering her on like crazy and so will all of Arizona State.”
The New Zealander is the second Sun Devil Soccer player in history to be named to her country’s FIFA World Cup roster. Amy LePeilbet (2000-2003) won a silver medal at the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany with the United States Women’s National Team.
Rennie will make her FIFA Women’s World Cup debut at home in Aotearoa, New Zealand with the Ford Football Ferns at Eden Park on Thursday, July 20 against Norway.
The forward is familiar playing with the Ferns as she has scored a pair of goals in international play, including one in New Zealand’s contest vs. Australia at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
As of May 2023, Rennie has played in 30 games for New Zealand’s national teams: U17: 6 in 2018, U18: 7 in 2018, national team: 17 since 2021. She was a member of New Zealand U-17 that captured New Zealand’s first medal at a FIFA World Cup, when it placed third at the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay.
She transferred to ASU in 2022 after playing at Indiana for two seasons. In the 2022 season Rennie played in 14 games with three starts and accumulated a trio of assists. Nearly half (6) of her 13 shots were on frame. Including both Indiana and ASU, she comes into the 2023 season with 35 games of collegiate experience. Off the field, Rennie was named to the 2022 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll.
2023 New Zealand Women’s World Cup Roster:
Elizabeth Anton (18/0) Perth Glory, Australia*
CJ Bott (37/2) Leicester City, England
Katie Bowen (92/3) Unattached
Claudia Bunge (20/0) Melbourne Victory, Australia*
Olivia Chance (43/2) Celtic, Scotland
Milly Clegg (2/0) Unattached*
Daisy Cleverley (31/2) HB Køge, Denmark
Victoria Esson (14/0) Rangers, Scotland
Michaela Foster (4/0) Unattached*
Jacqui Hand (12/1) Åland United, Finland*
Betsy Hassett (143/13) Stjarnan, Iceland
Grace Jale (17/2) Unattached*
Anna Leat (9/0) Aston Villa, England*
Annalie Longo (127/15) Unattached
Erin Nayler (84/0) IFK Norrköping, Sweden
Ria Percival (161/15) Tottenham Hotspur, England
Gabi Rennie (24/2) Arizona State University, USA*
Ali Riley (152/2) Angel City, USA
Indiah-Paige Riley (7/0) Unattached*
Paige Satchell (42/2) Unattached
Malia Steinmetz (18/0) Unattached*
Rebekah Stott (89/4) Brighton & Hove Albion, England
Hannah Wilkinson (113/28) Melbourne City, Australia
*FIFA Women’s World Cup debut
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Liesl Babicka
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