Five Athletes from RIT/NTID Earn Gold Medals with U.S. Women’s Soccer Squad at Deaflympics

Frank A. Kruppenbacher, RIT/NTID Marketing Communications

U.S. Women’s Soccer strikes gold at inaugural Deaflympics competition. Photo by Matthew Kohashi.

General | 1/18/2005 9:01:00 AM

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – The 20th Summer Deaflympic Games were the first Games ever to feature women's soccer, and the United States Deaf Women's Soccer Team made the most of this historic opportunity. They won the first-ever gold medal in Deaflympic women's soccer competition by shutting out Russia 3-0, on Sunday, January 16th, at Olympic Park, in Melbourne.

The win for gold followed an amazing undefeated streak for the U.S. Women, who beat all opponents they faced since the start of the Deaflympic games, including Denmark 5-2, Norway 5-0, Russia 4-1, Australia 6-0, Great Britain 3-0, Denmark 7-2 (semi-final), and Russia 3-0 (final).

The 20-woman U.S. squad includes 4 students and one alumna from Rochester Institute of Technology and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf: Kasandra Barrios, '04 (Applied Computer Technology/Webster, NY); Jennifer Buckley (Biology; Macedon, NY/Palmyra Macedon High School); Jennifer Fields (Criminal Justice; Covington, La./ Convington High School); Devon Hostetler (Art & Computer Design; Portsmouth, R.I./Portsmouth High School); and, Elizabeth Sorkin (Film/Video/Animation; Elk Grove, Calif./Laguna Beach High School).