Kansas University soccer coach Mark Francis has been appointed assistant coach on the U.S. Under-21 Women’s National Soccer Team.

KU’s fourth-year boss will assist head coach Chris Petrucelli of the University of Texas. The team will begin training at the U.S. Soccer Training Headquarters located in Chula Vista, Calif., before the Under-21 World Championships take place from July 21-28 in Europe.

“It’s a great honor any time you get to coach a national team,” Francis said. “It’s a reflection on our program and where we’ve come, for me to get this opportunity.”

Francis is Kansas soccer’s winningest coach with a career record at KU of 39-35-5. He led the 2002 squad to a 11-7-2 record and sixth place Big 12 Conference finish.

“The Under-21 team is just under the National Team, so a lot of the players have practiced and played with the National Team,” Francis said. “I am excited about the opportunity and look forward to learning a lot from Chris. Just working with the caliber of players and coaches on the team will help me to do a better job with our kids at Kansas and in getting them to the next level.”

KU made its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001 in a 1-0 loss to BYU.