U.S. U-19 Women’s National Team heads to New Zealand
CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team will embark on its first international trip of the year when it travels to New Zealand from June 8-20.
U.S. head coach Jitka Kilmkova has called up 20 players for the trip that will feature a match against the New Zealand Women’s National Team consisting of mostly younger players on June 14 followed by two matches against the New Zealand U-20 WNT on June 17 and June 19.
New Zealand is preparing for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup to be held from Nov. 13-Dec. 3 in Papua New Guinea and was drawn into a difficult Group C with the USA, as well as France and Ghana.
Of the 20 players called up, 11 are in college, while the remaining nine are still playing youth club soccer. Fourteen of the players on the trip were born in 1997 and four born in 1996, which is the age cutoff year for the next U-20 Women’s World Cup, and two born in 1998, making them age-eligible for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France.
The trip is representative of U.S. Soccer’s goals of increased international competition for the youth Women’s National Teams.
U.S. U-19 WNT Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (2): Samantha Leshnak (UNC; Liberty Township, Ohio), Lauren Rood (Crossfire; Camas, Wash.)
DEFENDERS (8): Holly Daugirda (Utah Avalanche; Salt Lake City, Utah), Tierna Davidson (Stanford; Menlo Park, Calif.), Stefani Doyle (Dallas Sting; Lewisville, Texas), Shannon Horgan (Clemson; Long Beach, N.Y.), Ann Marie Jaworski (Shattuck St. Mary’s; Grinnell, Iowa), Michaela Kovacs (Michigan State; Hudsonville, Mich.), Jacey Pederson (PSV Union; Palo Alto, Calif.), Ally Prisock (USC; Fontana, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Breanna Dewaal (Utah Celtic FC; Sandy, Utah), Jordan DiBiasi (Stanford; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Kayla Hill (TCU; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Shannon Simon (Washington; Torrance, Calif.), Ella Stevens (GSA; Grayson, Ga.)
FORWARDS (5): Elizabeth Braby (BYU; Murray, Utah), Mallory Eubanks (Mississippi State; Lexington, Ky.), Marissa Everett (Oregon; Canyon Lake, Calif.), Cecilia Gee (Lamarinda United; Orinda, Calif.), Cyera Hintzen (Dallas Sting; Richardson, Texas)
