Meet 3 more Fil-Ams on PH women’s soccer team at FIFA

Alicia Barker (left), Thanai Annis (with mom Myla) and Jessika Cowart are among the 23 Filipinas team members.

Three more top Fil-Am women soccer players are among the 23 members of the Philippines’ national women’s team competing at the current FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in 42 years.

Tahnai Annis, a sports management graduate of the University of Florida, helped lead the Gators to the NCAA Tournament all four of her years. She made the All-SEC All-Freshman Team and SoccerBuzz.com Freshman All-America team in 2008 and was an All-American and second-team All-SEC player in 2010.

After graduating Annis joined the Women’s Pro Soccer Elite’s New York Flash. She played the top women’s league in Iceland from 2012-14.

Thanai’s dad, Rusty, played college soccer and coached her through club football. He met his wife Myla at Ohio State University. Myla has dual citizenship, allowing Thanai to play for the Philippines..

Alicia Barker, a former University of Illinois Fighting Illini soccer standout and native of Woodinville, Washington, appeared in 75 games, earning All-Big Ten Second Team Defender, United Soccer Coaches Association Scholar All-North/Central Region Second Team and USCA All-North Region Third Team in 2018.

Also with the Malditas is Jessika Macayan Cowart, a former University of Washington Huskies who graduated in 2021.Cowart has played professionally overseas in Turkey, Serbia and Sweden.

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A native of Redwood City, California, Cowart played in 66 matches over four seasons for the Huskies. The midfielder started all 21 matches in 2019, claiming Husky Invitational Defensive MVP honors, as Washington advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Philippines is in Group A, along with Switzerland, Norway and hosts New Zealand. The Filipinas open play on Friday, July 21, at 12:00 a.m. CT, against Switzerland.