Next Friday, February 25 Canada will kick off their run at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 championship in the Domincan Republic, looking to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica later this year.
. Whitecaps FC BMO Academy Centre director Mike Ayyash will also be part of the team as a technical assistant.
The duo are longtime friends, teammates, and competitors. In fact, they both went to the Lonestar state to play college ball, but to different highly ranked schools.
Here’s a look at what each player brings to the Red & White.
Mia Pante
A consistent performer with a mindset for success, Mia Pante was the Whitecaps FC Most Promising Player in 2020 before embarking on her collegiate career at Texas A&M.
Pante is a dynamic presence on the backline with an ability to attack and drive forward – in fact that has led her to playing higher up the field and adding a goal and a team high eight assists to her name in her freshman season with the Aggies, where she was named to the All-Southeastern Conference Freshman team. Pante also previously represented Canada at the U-17 and U15 levels.
Holly Ward
A fast, powerful attacking player who can fly down the wing and create danger at any given moment - which made for some great training battle against her good friend Pante with the 'Caps. Ward was born in Vancouver, then spent time living across the border in Portland before returning with her family to BC. As a freshman, Ward very impressively started all 22 matches at the University of Texas during her freshman season, notching a goal and an assist for the Longhorns in her debut campaign. Ward also previously represented Canada at the U-17 level. She will be one to watch for Canada.
