The U.S. women’s national team (USWNT) is back following its gold medal run in France this summer, with head coach Emma Hayes naming a 26-player training roster for their upcoming friendlies.
Eighteen of the Olympians will return for these matches against Iceland and Argentina at the end of the month, but there are also new and returning names from Hayes — including North Carolina’s Ashley Sanchez and Angel City’s Alyssa Thompson.
Injuries have also played a role in shaping this training roster, including keeping out Washington Spirit players Croix Bethune (who has a season-ending injury with a torn meniscus) and Trinity Rodman (working her way back from a back injury), and Gotham FC’s Tierna Davidson. Crystal Dunn was not named to this roster due to personal commitments, according to the team’s official release.
Injuries may have also played a role in Hayes bringing back other players for evaluation. Andi Sullivan had been tabbed by Washington Spirit head coach Jonatan Giráldez for a USWNT return before tearing her ACL earlier this month, for instance.
But for Hayes, who has been spotted across the country at NWSL matches featuring half-time appearances, the theme has been “quite a lot of work to do.” With Thursday’s release, the narrative now seems to be “moving forward.” And once again, she’s shown a willingness to use the full extent of a roster to consider the playing pool. In this case, more than half the roster has fewer than 20 USWNT appearances.
“There’s no doubt that the summer was brilliant, and we want to make these three games about celebrating some amazing accomplishments and players, but at the same time, we can’t rest on any laurels,” Hayes said in the USWNT release.
“Our focus is forward, our focus is on our process, and we want to keep chasing new heights. I love that we get to see most of our Olympic Team again after a few months, but I also love getting to work with some newer players and evaluate how they perform in our environment.”
USWNT roster for October friendlies
Goalkeepers: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
Defenders: Emily Fox (Arsenal), Eva Gaetino (PSG), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Hailie Mace (Kansas City Current), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC), Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)
Midfielders: Korbin Albert (PSG), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit), Lindsey Horan (Lyon), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage)
Forwards: Yazmeen Ryan (Gotham FC), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC), Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)
‘Lots of new names, lots of returning looks’
First, a reminder: while Hayes has named a 26-player training camp roster, only 23 of those players can dress for the three games. But having three games in the October window does allow greater opportunity for Hayes to flex players in and out of game-day rosters to ensure that everyone gets a look in some form, though there’s no guarantee of the uncapped players on this roster earning their first as of now.
We expected rotation in this roster — with Sanchez and Thompson being two of the most obvious locks for a return to the U.S. environment. Portland’s Olivia Moultrie missed out on the summer and a chance at the Olympics due to injury, but she’s also not a surprising return to the national team after she scored her first two USWNT goals at the W Gold Cup, and was also named to the SheBelieves Cup roster.
Defender Hailie Mace is another returnee — but perhaps the biggest surprise from the NWSL group. She last appeared for the USWNT in November 2022, and while she traveled with the team to New Zealand for their first games of 2023 ahead of the World Cup, dropped out of contention.
There are six uncapped players on the October roster — including two Olympians, Emily Sams and Hal Hershfelt.
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On the NWSL front, Emma Sears got the call from Hayes, and it’s her first call up to any U.S. national team at any level, thanks to her rookie season with Racing Louisville FC. She’s scored five goals and contributed an assist. Yazmeen Ryan has a handful of youth national team caps at the U-18 and U-23 level, but she’s been a key player for Gotham FC in their 2024 campaign alongside all of the more established USWNT players. And Bay FC defender Alyssa Malonson also has youth national team experience under her belt, along with three seasons in the NWSL.
And there’s one uncapped player from Europe returning for another chance at seeing the field, in PSG center back Eva Gaetino. There’s no intel as of yet from Hayes on why Ajax’s Lily Yohannes wasn’t named to this roster, or Chelsea’s Cat Macario, though she will speak to reporters later on Thursday.
‘Futures camp loading’
Notably, this roster doesn’t have any players from the U.S. Under-20 team that won bronze at the recent U20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia. The release states that those players were given time to “reintegrate with their clubs and colleges.”
And while Hayes has been talking about it throughout her NWSL tour, U.S. Soccer did finally confirm Thursday they are planning a “Futures Camp” that will run concurrently with the senior team’s training camp in January, planned for Los Angeles.
Not only should that include U20 players, but Hayes will cast a wide net to evaluate players without USWNT appearances, from the NWSL, the college game, Europe, and perhaps even the USL Super League.
U.S. Soccer hasn’t provided information yet on how many players will receive an invite to the Futures Camp, but the last time the USWNT did a talent identification camp it was December 2019 under then-head coach Vlatko Andonovski and featured 24 players (including, notably, Naomi Girma and Sophia Smith, amongst others).
(Top image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
