USWNT: Emma Hayes Names Roster for Trio of October Friendlies
The U-23 and U-20 WNT teams will hold training camps alongside the senior team in Philadelphia and Kansas City, respectively.
The United States Women’s National Team dropped its 26-player roster today ahead of the three October friendlies.
Head Coach Emma Hayes called up the following players:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)
DEFENDERS (8): Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign FC), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes)
FORWARDS (7): Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC)
This FIFA window will serve as the start of the build toward next year’s World Cup qualification, said Hayes. The large roster size will allow her to identify future talent, and, with NWSL playoffs around the corner, give players the opportunity to gain some minutes without subjecting them to taxing game days. Hayes will name a 23-player roster for each game day.
“We are extremely excited to get back together with the team,” Hayes said. “There has been a big gap from July until now and we’ve watched many club games. … We want to maximize every minute we have together, push the players, and keep the momentum going. These three fantastic games ahead of us will help us do that.”
Many familiar faces who we did not see in the last camp will be back in training. European-based players Lindsey Heaps, Emily Fox, Catarina Macario, Lily Yohannes, and Phallon Tullis-Joyce will be coming stateside, and Trinity Rodman, who has been managing a back injury, was also selected for the first time since April.
Rodman was named to the squad, but it appears that she suffered an injury playing in a CONCACAF game against Monterrey. Her status for national team duty is unknown.
While the majority of the roster are returning players, this will be the first senior camp for 24-year-old Kennedy Wesley. The defender is in her second season with the Wave and played two games earlier this year with the U.S. U-23 WNT. Jaedyn Shaw, whose last senior team call-up was in April, also spent much of her summer playing with the U-23 squad.
The U-23 and U-20 WNT teams will hold training camps alongside the senior team in Philadelphia and Kansas City, respectively.
“The U-23s, for us, are an extension of [the] WNT,” said Hayes. “We know that… we have to provide so many more development opportunities for younger players, and that’s why there’ll be a flip-flopping between the WNT and U-23s.”
The USWNT will face Portugal on Thursday, Oct. 23, and Sunday, Oct. 26, then will meet with New Zealand on Wednesday, Oct. 29.