U-23 WNT headed to La Manga, Spain, for three-game trip
CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will travel to La Manga, Spain, from Feb. 21-March 3 for three matches in a six-team invitational tournament. The USA will face the U-23 squads from Japan (Feb. 26), Norway (Feb. 28) and England (March 2). The friendly tournament also features China PR and Sweden.
With current U.S. U-23 WNT head coach Steve Swanson serving as an assistant coach for the senior team at the Algarve Cup in Portugal, Janet Rayfield will be the head coach for this trip. She was an assistant to Swanson when the USA won the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan.
The 22-player squad features 14 professional players, including 13 who were taken in the recent 2015 NWSL Draft. The only one-year pro is Chicago Red Stars midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo, who along with Sarah Killion (second pick overall to Sky Blue FC), Samantha Mewis (fourth overall to Western New York Flash) and Notre Dame defender Cari Roccaro, were all 2012 world champions.
Of the nine NWSL first-round draft picks, seven are heading to La Manga with top pick Morgan Brian of the Houston Dash in Portugal with the full team.
Just one player on the U-23 roster has caps with the full WNT, that being Mewis, but five additional players have been called into senior camps: goalkeepers Jane Campbell and Abby Smith, DiBernardo, Killion, and forward Stephanie McCaffrey.
Four players from the USA’s 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Team were called up in Campbell and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Andi Sullivan from Stanford, Roccaro, Wisconsin midfielder Rose Lavelle and Virginia forward Makenzy Doniak, who scored against Korea DPR at the World Cup.
The U.S. U-23s will precede the U.S. U-20s in La Manga. The U-20s are part of a 10-team friendly tournament and will play Norway (March 5), the Netherlands (March 7) and Sweden (March 9).
U-23 Women’s National Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jane Campbell (Stanford; Kennesaw, Ga.), Abby Smith (Texas; Dallas, Texas)
DEFENDERS (6): Abby Dahlkemper (Western NY Flash; Menlo Park, Calif.), Caprice Dydasco (Washington Spirit; Honolulu, Hawaii), Jaelene Hinkle (Western NY Flash; Castle Rock, Colo.), Cari Roccaro (Notre Dame; East Islip, N.Y.), Emily Sonnett (Virginia; Marietta, Ga.), Andi Sullivan (Stanford; Lorton, Va.)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars; Freehold, N.J.), Daphne Corboz (Sky Blue FC; Greenbrook, N.J.), Vanessa DiBernardo (Chicago Red Stars; Naperville, Ill.), Kristin Grubka (Sky Blue FC; Melbourne, Fla.), Sarah Killion (Sky Blue FC; Fort Wayne, Ind.), Lo’eau Labonta (Sky Blue FC; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), Rose Lavelle (Wisconsin; Cincinnati, Ohio), Samantha Mewis (Western NY Flash; Hanson, Mass.), Stephanie Verdoia (Boston Breakers; Salt Lake City, Utah)
FORWARDS (5): Makenzy Doniak (Virginia; Chino Hills, Calif.), Shea Groom (FC Kansas City; Liberty, Mo.), Stephanie McCaffrey (Boston Breakers; Winchester, Mass.), Cheyna Williams (FSU; Hampton, Ga.), Lynn Williams (Western NY Flash; Fresno, Calif.)
