29 players named to U.S. WNT roster to kick off 2017 in California

CHICAGO – U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named 29 players to the first training camp roster of 2017, including Chicago Red Stars Julie Johnston, Alyssa Naeher, Christen Press and Casey Short, as the USA kicks off the year with an event running from Jan. 13-23 at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California.

Twenty-two of the 29 players earned a cap for the USA in 2016 while Ellis also named six uncapped players. Forward Amy Rodriguez, a member of the 2015 Women’s World Cup champions, makes her return to a roster for the first time since giving birth to her second child on July 1, 2016.

“The players have had a good break since our last games in November and I know everyone is anxious to get back to work,” said Ellis. “January Camp has always been valuable to set the tone for the upcoming year and it will be good for the players to get back on the field. For the staff, evaluation and performance remain the focal points during the 11-day camp as we begin a build up to the SheBelieves Cup.”

The January training camp will be a key evaluation period for Ellis to choose a squad for the upcoming SheBelieves Cup, which – as the inaugural tournament last year – will feature four of the world’s top-five ranked teams in the USA (1), Germany (2), France (3) and England (5).

The U.S. Women’s National Team and U.S. Soccer will continue to operate under the Collective Bargaining Agreement in its current form as we continue negotiations into the new year.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (4): Jane Campbell (Stanford), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
DEFENDERS (7): Jaelene Hinkle (Western New York Flash), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)
MIDFIELDERS (11): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Kristen Edmonds (Orlando Pride), Christina Gibbons (Duke), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Rose Lavelle (Wisconsin), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC), Taylor Smith (Western New York Flash)
FORWARDS (7): Crystal Dunn (Chelsea Ladies FC, ENG), Jessica McDonald (Western New York Flash), Alex Morgan (Olympique Lyonnais, FRA), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)

Additional Notes:
• U.S. captain Carli Lloyd is the most capped player on the roster with 232 games played and is four goals away from becoming the sixth player in U.S. history to score 100 international goals.
• 2016 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year Tobin Heath comes into the camp with 128 caps and 18 goals.
• The six uncapped players on the roster are goalkeepers Jane Campbell and Adrianna Franch and midfielders Kristen Edmonds, Christina Gibbons, Rose Lavelle and Taylor Smith.
• The camp marks the first call-up for Smith and Gibbons. An undrafted rookie during the last NWSL season, Smith played in 18 games for the Western New York Flash, starting five, and scoring two goals. Gibbons recently completed a stellar career at Duke University, where she was an All-American and started 64 of her 65 career games.
• Forward Amy Rodriguez makes her first appearance in a U.S. WNT camp since October of 2015 during the Women’s World Cup Victory Tour.
• The roster features the top four American scorers from the 2016 NWSL season in MVP and Golden Boot winner Lynn Williams (11 goals for the Flash during the regular season and three more in the playoffs), Kealia Ohai (11 goals for the Houston Dash), Jessica McDonald (10 goals for the Flash) and Christen Press (eight goals for the Chicago Red Stars).
• Williams set a record for fastest goal in a WNT debut when she scored 49 seconds after coming on at halftime against Switzerland on Oct. 19, but the record would last just four days when Ohai scored 48 seconds into her debut after coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute also against Switzerland on Oct. 23.
• Fourteen of the 18 players who were on the 2016 Olympic Team were named to this roster, plus three of the four alternates.
• Forward Alex Morgan, who recently signed to play in France with Olympique Lyonnais for the remainder of the European season before returning to the Orlando Pride for the latter part of the NWSL season, will attend camp only during the upcoming official FIFA dates, which run Jan. 16-24.
• Four players on the roster made their international debuts in 2016: Ohai, Casey Short, McDonald and Williams.
• College seniors Campbell, Gibbons and Rose Lavelle are expected to go high in the upcoming 2017 NWSL Draft being held on January 12 in Los Angeles.
• Forward Mallory Pugh (knee) and defender Meghan Klingenberg (back) were not available for this camp due to lingering injuries. Both are expected to be available for selection for the SheBelieves Cup.