ROCK HILL, SC – Young female soccer players across the globe grow up watching their idols play for their country's national team but very few achieve the honor of representing their country in international competitions.

Winthrop goalkeeper, Karly Gustafson, is one of those select few.  Gustafson has been a part of the Puerto Rican Women's Soccer National Team for nearly two years and recently competed in CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying here in the United States. 

To be eligible to compete for a national team in the Olympics, a participant must hold citizenship in the country for which they will compete.  Gustafson is a quarter Puerto Rican on her mother's side which allowed her to compete.

The journey for Karly started in 2014 when she was first selected to the Puerto Rican National Team.

"When I was first notified of my selection, I was truly honored," Gustafson said.  "It's something you dream of but never really believe could become a reality."

Gustafson's first taste of international competition came while she was still a member of the NC State women's soccer team in May of 2014 as Puerto Rico went through rounds of World Cup qualification. 

Gustafson joined the Winthrop women's soccer team in January of 2015 as a transfer and the potential of her missing in-season matches due to her national team games was certainly a topic of discussion with her new coach Spencer Smith.

"When Karly told me that she was a part of the Puerto Rican National Team, I was excited for her," Smith said.  "For her to play on that stage is a tremendous honor and wonderful experience.  We definitely wanted to do what we could to accommodate her international duties."

The challenges for Gustafson, a full-time college student, extended past the playing field and into the classroom as well.  Puerto Rico's first round of Olympic qualifying was scheduled in Bayamon, Puerto Rico at the end of August of 2015, conflicting with both the start of the school and soccer calendars.

While Gustafson may have already had experience in balancing a full-time school and soccer schedule, the need to do so from nearly 1,500 miles away presented some new challenges.

"My coaches and professors were extremely accommodating for me," Gustafson said.  "To miss games, practices, trainings and classes was extremely difficult and I would not have been able to handle it had my coaches and professors not been so understanding."

Following the August qualifying group stage, Puerto Rico advanced to the knockout stage which was held in November of 2015 in Trinidad & Tobago.  A 1-0 extra-time victory over Guyana sent Puerto Rico into the qualifying final and despite a 1-0 loss to Trinidad & Tobago, Puerto Rico was able to advance.

The advancement of Puerto Rico to the final round of Olympic qualifying was the first in the history of the national team and now Gustafson would be coming home to play as the final round was hosted in Frisco, Texas.

The Olympic Qualifying Championship was held in February of 2016 and Gustafson was again faced with having to miss more than two weeks of practices and classes between training with her Puerto Rican teammates and the tournament itself.

Based in Laurinburg, NC at St. Andrews University, the team played four exhibition matches leading up to the tournament.  These opponents included St. Andrews, UNC Wilmington, the Charlotte Lady Eagles semi-pro team and Winthrop.

"Stepping onto the field against my college teammates was strange," Gustafson said.  "Playing against your own team in a game is not something many people experience.  As a goalkeeper, you always see your team play from behind them.  Having them come at me was a huge change."

Once the training time ended, it was time for the big stage of Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas and scheduled contests against Mexico, Costa Rica and the United States.

With each passing moment as the team made its way from North Carolina to Texas, excitement continued to build for Gustafson about what was in front of her.

"I was more excited than nervous," Gustafson said.  "Sometimes I would feel nerves coming but then I thought about how great of an opportunity it was to play against these teams on that stage and I just enjoyed the experience."

Toyota Stadium, a 20,000 seat venue and home of Major League Soccer's FC Dallas, played host to the event and a true experience for Gustafson and the Puerto Rican team.

"The day before the game the whole team went to the field for the first time and just walked around," Gustafson said.  "I tried to imagine myself playing with the team, with people in the stands."

"It wasn't until I walked out onto the field to warm up against Mexico that everything came together. As soon as I walked out of the tunnel I couldn't stop smiling. Right behind my goal there was a huge crane with a camera on the end and two huge screens behind me. I was so honored to be there, to be a part of that team and to represent Puerto Rico."

The final game of the group stage pitted Puerto Rico against the United States.  Gustafson stepped onto the pitch with and was tasked with stopping the likes of Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Christen Press and many others.

"I have grown up watching the US National Team on television and to be given the opportunity to play against them was incredible," Gustafson said.  "It was an experience I will never forget."

Faced with three daunting opponents, the results weren't what Gustafson could've hoped for.  Nevertheless, it was an experience and an opportunity that few get to live and one that she will cherish forever.

"The greatest part of the experience was going through it with the team," Gustafson said.  "Playing on that stage against Mexico, Costa Rica and the United States was amazing but being a part of the Puerto Rican National Team has been, by far, the best part.  Although I live in the United States, I know I will always have a home in Puerto Rico with this team.  I could not have asked for a better group of girls, teammates and friends."