Roma McLaughlin Earns Call for Ireland Women's Soccer Squad

Junior Roma McLaughlin, a standout on the Central Connecticut women's soccer team, will join the Ireland women's soccer national team for a pair of international friendlies on June 11 and 15 against Iceland. Ireland head coach Vera Pauw named her squad ahead of the friendlies as the squad prepares for World Cup Qualifying in the fall.

McLaughlin, who has earned five appearances with the Irish national squad, earned All-America honors for the second straight season after being named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team. The standout midfielder has helped CCSU win three straight Northeast Conference championships.

McLaughlin tallied 10 points and scored four goals in the shortened 2021 spring season. In the team's first game, the Greencastle County Donegal, Ireland native set the tone scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 4-0 victory. The junior then scored a goal in back to back games at Wagner and versus Bryant, leading the Blue Devils to an undefeated regular season at 6-0.

In 44 career matches she has tallied 16 goals and 10 assists. A three-time All-NEC choice, she is a two-time NEC Midfielder of the Year and the 2018 NEC Rookie of the Year.

"She was, of course, in the squad before I came, but if you look at her performance last year to where she is now, you can say that she now is dominant in midfield," Pauw said of McLaughlin's call-up. "She is always pressing forward, which is our style of play, and she never loses the ball. When she has the ball, she wants to get forward and is always the motor in her team."

The matches come in preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers ahead of September's kickoff. Ireland are in Group A for that, and will play Sweden, Finland, Slovakia and Georgia as they look to reach a first-ever major tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.