U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named 26 players to the first training camp roster of the year. The USA kicks off the camp on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California, and ends it on Jan. 21 with the team’s 2018 curtain-raiser against Denmark at San Diego County Credit Union Stadium (4:30 p.m. PT on ESPN).
Twenty-two of the 26 players on the roster earned a cap for the USA in 2017, but all trained with the U.S. team at some point in 2017.
“We are very much looking forward to getting the group back together,” said Ellis, who last coached the players on Nov. 12 in a 3-1 win vs. Canada during the final game of 2017. “We’re expecting a competitive and highly energized camp in Los Angeles as we start this important year for the team. We have a few injuries, so we won’t have 100% of our core together, but this stretch of testing, training, and a competitive match will provide a good platform to begin 2018.”
The 15-day training camp, which will begin with a battery of physical tests, will be a key evaluation period for Ellis and her staff to choose a squad for the SheBelieves Cup in March as four of the world’s top-six ranked teams – the USA (1), Germany (2), England (3) and France (6) – contest the world’s most elite four-team tournament for the third consecutive year.
U.S. Women’s National Team January Camp Roster by Position (Caps/Goals):
GOALKEEPERS (4): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 2/0), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 14/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 23/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 13/0), Tierna Davidson (Stanford; 0/0), Sofia Huerta (Chicago Red Stars; 3/0), Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC; 73/3), Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC; 104/2), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 135/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 19/0), Taylor Smith (NC Courage; 7/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 12/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Brian (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 69/6), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 57/14), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 43/4), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash; 246/98), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC; 33/6), Andi Sullivan (Stanford; 7/0)
FORWARDS (7): Crystal Dunn (Chelsea FC, ENG; 57/22), Savannah McCaskill (South Carolina; 0/0), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride; 134/80), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars; 96/44), Mallory Pugh (Washington Spirit; 29/6), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC; 129/34), Lynn Williams (NC Courage; 15/4)
