4 Arizona soccer players selected for US Olympic Development National Team

In a sign of the rising tide of the sport here in Arizona, four local soccer athletes were selected for the 2024 United States Olympic Developmental National Team. Phoenix Pinnacle junior goalkeeper Ivy Nystrom, Gilbert Christian junior midfielder Caprice Chiuchiolo, Goodyear Millennium freshman midfielder Anaiya Miyazato and seventh-grade goalkeeper Audrey Stine all earned the honors last week.

Nystrom and Chiuchiolo will represent the 2007 team, Miyazato on the 2008 team and Stine will be on the 2010 team. A huge pool of athletes from all over the country, from Hawaii to Connecticut, battled for spots on the 18-player rosters.

The next step in the process for the national team is to travel to Costa Rica in March for a week and a half, where they will take on other international teams in friendly matches.

It’s a dream come true for Nystrom and Chiuchiolo, who have been involved with regional camps where coaches evaluate players for a couple of years now but hadn’t received that call yet.

“It was really exciting finding out that I made the team,” Nystrom said. “And then I was super excited to accept the challenge and play some very great players. It definitely helps with my confidence. But I also know that it’s just the beginning and the work is just getting started. I have a lot more to develop, a lot more to continue to grow. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Chiuchiolo’s excitement was even harder to contain.

“I was waiting for it,” Chiuchiolo said. “They told us the day that they were going to send out the email if you made the team or not. It was February 2nd, a Tuesday. I was checking my phone all day at school – nothing yet. So I went to high school practice, and after, my parents showed up with balloons. That’s when I kinda knew. I hugged my parents. It was an overflowing amount of emotions. I was so excited and happy because this is something that I’ve been working for for a long time. I started crying a little bit because I know how much work I’ve put into it.”

As for their future goals, making the team impacts their trajectory. Nystrom hopes to represent Team USA at the senior level.

“It absolutely is a goal for me to be on the national team one day, “ Nystrom said. “I see this as an opportunity – one more step in that direction. I’m just going to take this opportunity and make the best out of it, work my way up there and get there eventually.”

Chiuchiolo has her eyes set on representing the Ecuadorian Under-17 national team, a country in which she has family from, at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in the Dominican Republic. The roster has yet to be finalized, but she hopes to make it.

“It’ll help me better prepare for that,” said Chiuchiolo.

Nystrom and Chiuchiolo have a history together, playing on the same club soccer team in the past and competing in the same Olympic Developmental Programs. The two hung out a lot during the trip to Florida.

“It’s very exciting to have another Arizonan on the team,” Nystrom said. “It means a lot to me. I love that there’s more than one. It shows that Arizona is definitely a force to be reckoned with and it continues to grow.”

“Representing Arizona, it’s a great opportunity for us to show young girls who are just starting out doing state ODP, like, ‘Hey, you can make it to this level. You can make it  all the way there if you put your mind to it and keep working,’” Chiuchiolo added.

Like Nystrom and Chiuchiolo, it is the first time that Miyazato has made the national team.

“It was really exciting because I’ve never done it before,” Miyazato said. “I’m excited about getting more exposure for myself. In all, it was really good. It raises it (my confidence) really high because there were so many talented people there and I got chosen out of a lot of girls.”

The Miyazato family is no stranger to success when it comes to soccer – Anaiya’s older sisters, Kiana and Annika, both went on to play college soccer after graduating from Millennium. Her older brother, Andre, plays for the 2005-2006 Phoenix Rising Elite Club (ENCL) team.

Anaiya is the youngest, but might also be the best. She has recorded 17 goals and 18 assists in her first season at the high school level so far as Millennium is in the quarterfinals of the 5A state playoffs.

Her career is just beginning.

“It’s really special,” Miyazato said. “I feel proud to represent Arizona because not many people made it. It’s just special.”

The Republic attempted to reach out to Stine, but efforts were unsuccessful. It is Stine’s second time being named to a national team.

As for what’s next for the athletes, Nystrom, Chiuchiolo and Miyazato all are involved in playoff runs with their schools.

Nystrom has played in 15 games this season and recorded 57 saves as Pinnacle waits to play Chandler Basha in the 6A quarterfinals following its 9-2 win over Glendale Mountain Ridge in the first round. Chiuchiolo has tallied up 31 goals and 16 assists en route to leading Gilbert Christian to the 3A state championship final against Safford. And Miyazato is the leading goal scorer for Millennium, which beat Peoria Sunrise Mountain 3-2 in the first round and takes on the top seed, Scottsdale Notre Dame Preparatory, in the quarterfinals.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ soccer players selected for US Olympic Development National Team