After playing internationally with Mexico, dual citizen now training with U.S. National Team
When Julia Quinonez was a youth soccer player, she dreamed of donning the red, white, and blue, and taking to the pitch with Team USA.
The Pepperdine sophomore women’s soccer player is doing so now. Quinonez, a forward, is one of 22 players from across the nation taking part in the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team Training Camp in Riverside, Missouri, at the University of Kansas System Training Center.
Quinonez, 20, said playing with other top soccer players in the March 31 to April 7 camp, months after winning the West Coast Conference crown with the Waves, is an amazing experience.
“It feels really great to see the hard work me and my team have done pay off,” she said a few days before going to Missouri. “What we accomplished in the fall — winning WCC is crazy — but I’m so stoked, so excited.”
Quinonez wants to improve and show off her soccer skills during the eight-day camp.
“I’m looking forward to growing in my techniques, my technical skills, my soccer IQ,” she said. “I want to see what their level of play is and bring it back here, execute on the pitch here at Pepperdine. I want to grow and learn. This is a high-level team. I’m excited to get to know them. Hopefully it will help me in the future.”
Waves head coach Tim Ward said he and his coaching staff are proud and excited for Quinonez.
“Last year, Jules had a few opportunities to play with the Mexican U20 team, and in one of those games, she scored on the U.S. U20 team,” he said. “I’m thinking they didn’t forget that. And they are about to find out what we already know,Julia is both an amazing player and perhaps, more importantly, an amazing human being.”
Quinonez scored two goals and had two assists for Pepperdine during the 2024 season. She scored six goals — including one game winner — and registered three assists during her freshman season in 2023. Quinonez was named the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year that year.
Quinonez has improved her soccer skills during her two collegiate seasons. She is always a threat to make a play on offense or kick for a score.
“My team has played a big part in that,” she said. “I think my finishing can be lethal at times. I’m dangerous with or without the ball. I want to always be on a defender’s blind side. I always want to help get my team the scoring chances we need.”
A Torrance native, Quinonez played soccer, basketball, and baseball when she was kid. She committed to soccer when she was 8. The future Wave won several honors in high school soccer including Pioneer League MVP, Daily Breeze Player of the Year South Bay, and two All-Pioneer League first team honors. She also led her team to a league championship. Quinonez played soccer for the LA Galaxy Girls Academy DA U9-U14 and for Beach FC U15-U18/19 also.
The other players participating in the U.S. camp include defenders Hailey Baumann, Kennedy Bell, Ava Bramblett, Jordyn Bugg, Cameron Patton, Cameron Roller, Morgan Roy, and Kaelyn Wolfe.
Midfielders Mia Bhuta, Shae Harvey, Reagan Kotschau, Emily Lenhard, Ashley Pennie, Megan Santa Cruz, and Taylor Suarez are also there. As are goalkeepers Caroline Birkel, Sonoma Kasica, and Adelyn Todd.
The six other midfielders on the field with Quinonez are Emeri Adames, Katie Collins, Mia Oliaro, Olivia Thomas, and Amada Schlueter.
Quinonez and Harvey, a Stanford standout, played club soccer together a few years ago. Now, they train together in the summer.
Quinonez said Harvey is a talented soccer player.
“Her technical skills are crazy,” Quinonez revealed. “She also has great instincts. Being able to play with more than one player like that at camp is awesome.”
Quinonez, an American and Mexican citizen, played on Mexico’s U20 Women’s National Team last summer. She scored a goal during one of the team’s friendlies against their U.S. counterparts in July.
Quinonez said she cherished the experience.
“That team is amazing,” Quinonez explained. “Their ability to have an amazing culture while traveling … I learned so much from Mexico that it has helped me here at Pepperdine. The people, the culture, the skills, it’s at a high level I love.”
She aimed to do her best with Team USA.
“I want to do everything I can and remember to stay calm, alert, and in control,” Quinonez said. “I want to execute anything I need to when given the opportunity and trust the process.”
The Waves soccer player said playing with the American U20 squad is great.
“Growing up, I always had dreams about being on the USA or Mexico’s national team,” Quinonez remembered. “It’sexciting that I have accomplished that. It is so surreal and an amazing feeling.”