Buffalo's own headed to U.S. U20 Women's National Team

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- It's not every day that someone from your hometown gets selected to represent the country athletically, but this is the moment that Buffalo native and Western New York Flash Soccer Academy alum Linda Ullmark has been waiting for.

Ullmark was selected to compete for the United States Under 20 women's national soccer team in Costa Rica, something she has been dreaming of since she was a kid.

"I've known a lot of these girls since I was 17 years old, so I'm just looking forward to going out there and competing with the team and playing in games that are really meaningful for us," Ullmark said. "It's exciting to play with a lot of high-level players and especially against other countries, it's just another level of soccer."

Ullmark just finished up her freshman season at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill where she earned ACC All Freshman Team and NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team honors, as well as a national championship. She is a dominant player who is taking her talents to the national level.

"From UNC, I've just learned to be super competitive, so I'm hoping that transfers to the national team a lot and I can bring that competitiveness and winning mentality," Ullmark said on her college soccer experience. "Overall, I hope I can just score some goals for the team."

During her summer months away from UNC, Ullmark competes with FC Buffalo, a semi-professional team comprised of local professional players as well as other collegiate soccer players. Their captain, Carissima Cutrona, has nothing but praise for Ullmark.

"Being able to come back now this season and play with her after the incredible freshman year at UNC that she has had is really special, honestly," Cutrona said. "She is such a dynamic player. She can take over a game. She's a playmaker. When we go against other teams she has to be marked and if not, she is really able to do things from different areas of the field, especially score goals. For our team to get to play with a player of her caliber is incredible and I think we're just really excited to watch her flourish not only at UNC but on the national level as well."