University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine soccer player Nicole McClure gets her first taste of international competition when she suits up for the Jamaican women's national team at the CONCACAF U-20 Championships, June 17-28 in Mexico.

McClure, a New York native, has dual citizenship and is eligible to play for the "Reggae Girlz" through her parents, both Jamaican nationals. The sophomore goalkeeper just began training with the U-20 team earlier this month as they prepare for the tournament, a World Cup qualifier.

CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, is the governing body for soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

The tournament, to be held at the Estadio Cuauhtemoc in Puebla, Mexico, begins with pool play, June 17-22. As part of Group B, Jamaica will take on Canada, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua in first round action. Group A consists of Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago, host Mexico and the defending champion U.S. squad.

The semifinals and finals will take place on June 25 and 28, respectively, as three teams will qualify for the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. This year's World Cup will be held, Nov. 19- Dec. 7, in Chile.

McClure was an integral part of last season's WAC champion and NCAA-bound Hawai`i squad. As a freshman, she appeared in 14 matches with a 6-1 record and 1.00 goals-against-average. During the WAC Tournament, McClure preserved shutouts in a double-overtime semifinal win over Utah State with a season-high six saves, and made five saves during the second-half of UH's title clinching win over Fresno State.

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