USWNT roster named for camp ahead of Switzerland matches

CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named 24 players to the training camp roster ahead of two matches against Switzerland, on Oct. 19 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah (7 p.m. MT on ESPN2) and Oct. 23 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. (12:45 p.m. MT on FS1). Ellis will name 18 players to suit up for each match.

The matches against Switzerland will only be the third and fourth meetings between the two countries, with the USA winning both previous contents. The Americans triumphed 4-1 on Aug. 20, 2014 in Cary, N.C. and 3-0 on March 6, 2015 at the Algarve Cup in Portugal.

The roster for the USA’s September friendlies following the 2016 Olympics feature players that were in Brazil, but as the U.S. team begins the new cycle leading up to qualifying for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Ellis chose not to call up several veterans, making space in camp for 11 uncapped players. All of them have previous U.S. Youth National Team experience at the Under-23 level or younger with eight coming from the NWSL and three from the college ranks.

+Read: U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team kicks off Florida training camp

“Right now, we are in a phase where we want to try to expand the player pool, look at a number of players and start the long process to qualifying for the next World Cup,” said Ellis. “That means several of our more experienced players won’t be in for this camp while we get to evaluate some different personnel. In order to see if these players can contribute, we need to get them into a National Team training environment and in games. Our staff has been watching NWSL games this season and these are the ones that stood out. The league is vitally important to create a tremendous competitive environment for these players to show their talents as professionals and we are excited to give them a chance with the National Team.”

These are the 11 players on the roster who have yet to earn a cap with the WNT:

• Jane Campbell: A senior at Stanford, she started for the USA in the 2012 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, was a member of the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup Team and previously trained with the senior team for one camp February of 2013 when she was 17-years-old.
• Danielle Colaprico: The Chicago Red Stars midfielder spent time in WNT camps at the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016.
• Lynn Williams: The 2016 NWSL Golden Boot winner scored 11 times for the Western New York Flash and two more in her club’s playoff semifinal victory over the Portland Thorns.
• Kealia Ohai: The Houston Dash forward also scored 11 goals during the regular season. She famously scored the game-winning goal in the 2012 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup Final as the USA defeated Germany, 1-0, to win its third championship for that age level.
• Shea Groom: The FC Kansas City midfielder, a first-time call up, was far and away her club’s leading scorer this year with eight goals
• Andi Sullivan: A Stanford junior, she is a veteran of the USA’s 2012 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup and the 2014 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup teams.
• Ashley Hatch: The BYU striker currently leads the nation in goals with 15.
• Casey Short and Arin Gilliland: The Chicago Red Stars defenders both helped their club limit opponents to 20 goals this year, tied for second fewest in the league behind the Portland Thorns (19).
• Merritt Mathias: The first player from Alabama to be called in since World Cup and Olympic veteran Cat Whitehill retired. Mathias played in 19 of the 20 games for the Seattle Reign this year, starting 17.
• Abby Dahlkemper: The former U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team captain played every minute of every game this season at center back for the Western New York Flash. This is her first senior team call-up.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Stanford), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (Western New York Flash), Arin Gilliland (Chicago Red Stars), Merritt Mathias (Seattle Reign), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Andi Sullivan (Stanford)

FORWARDS (6): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Shea Groom (FC Kansas City), Ashley Hatch (BYU), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)