U.S. U-16 Women’s Youth National Team heading to France with 20-player roster

CHICAGO – U.S. Under-16 Women’s Youth National Team head coach Patchy Toledo has named a 20-player roster that will travel to western France from March 29-April 10 for the six-team Mondial Montaigu Football Tournament.

The USA will be in Group F along with Portugal and Norway while Group E features host France, Japan and Mexico.

Each team will play the other teams in its group once, plus one game against a team in the other group that will not count in the tournament standings. The group winners will play for the championship, the two second-place finishers will play for third and the two third-place finishers will play for fifth.

The USA opens against Portugal on April 3, faces France (in the game that is outside of the tournament competition) on April 5 and finishes against Norway on April 7. The placement matches are on April 9. None of the U.S. games will be streamed.

“This tournament is a great opportunity for our young players to experience a high level of international soccer against Europeans teams,” said Toledo. “This is an opportunity to test themselves against top players, expand their knowledge of the game at the highest level and to display strengths while improving their weakness. I am hoping they enjoy every minute of this adventure.”

The tournament is being held concurrently with a 16-team Under-16 boys’ international competition and a eight-team boys’ club competition featuring Under-16 sides from mostly French professional teams.

All the players on the U.S. roster were born in 2007, which is the birth year that will form the primary age group working to earn a berth to the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Seventeen of the 20 players attended the last U-16 WYNT training camp in early March in Los Angeles, with forwards Zoe Matthews and Maddie Padelski and midfielder Tessa Knapp being added to the group.

Eleven of the players on this roster helped the USA win the 2022 Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship in August of 2022: goalkeepers Molly Vapensky and Kennedy Zorn, defenders Mya Brandon, Alexis Coughlin, Jordyn Hardeman, Katie Scott and Kai Price, midfielders Kennedy Fuller, Ainsley McCammon, and forwards Ayva Jordan and Alexandra Pfeiffer.

The 20 players on this roster come from 16 different clubs – with three each from Legends FC in Southern California and Solar SC in Texas. The players come from 12 different states with seven from Texas.

U.S. U-16 WYNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWN)
U-16 GIRLS’ MONDIAL MONTAIGU FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Goalkeepers (2): Molly Vapensky (Chicago FC United; Evanston, Ill.), Kennedy Zorn (SC del Sol; Peoria, Ariz.)

Defenders (7): Mya Brandon (Michigan Hawks; Canton, Mich.), Alexis Coughlin (Legends FC; Corona, Calif.), Kiara Gilmore (FC Dallas; Allen, Texas), Jordyn Hardeman (Solar SC; Midlothian, Texas), Daya King (Legends FC; Moreno Valley, Calif.), Kai Price (Concorde Fire; Atlanta, Ga.), Katie Scott (Internationals SC; Fairview, Penn.)

Midfielders (5): Trinity Armstrong (IMG Academy; Frisco, Texas), Kennedy Fuller (Solar SC; Southlake, Texas), Tessa Knapp (Internationals SC; Bay Village, Ohio), Ainsley McCammon (Solar SC; Bedford, Texas), Y-Lan Nguyen (Virginia Development Academy; Fairfax, Va.)

Forwards (6): Eleanor Hodsden (Lonestar SC; Dripping Springs, Texas), Ayva Jordan (Slammers FC HB Køge; Las Vegas, Nev.), Zoe Matthews (Legends FC; Southlake, Texas), Maddie Padelski (Tennessee SC; Nolensville, Tenn.), Alexandra Pfeiffer (St. Louis Scott Gallagher; St. Louis, Mo.), Mya Townes (The St. James FC Virginia; Aldie, Va.)