Chalupny, Johnston, Boxx and Press to join senior squad 

CHICAGO, Ill. – A total of seven Red Stars players have been called into the January camps for the U.S. senior and U-23 national teams. Chicago captain Lori Chalupny is joined in the senior camp by a trio of her club teammates, defender Julie Johnston, midfielder Shannon Boxx and striker Christen Press. Meanwhile, midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo and defenders Samantha Johnson and Taryn Hemmings represent the Red Stars at the U-23 level.

The two camps are both held at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif, with the senior squad meeting January 5-25 and the U-23 side gathering January 3-10. With the groups training concurrently for several days, the full national team coaches have a valuable opportunity to observe all of the two sides’ combined 53 players.

Full national team Head Coach Jill Ellis called up all 24 players that were recently in Brazil for the International Tournament of Brasilia and added five more, including veteran Boxx, who returns to the U.S. squad for the first time since September. Chicago teammate Chalupny continues her streak of call-ups following a five-year absence. The crafty defender-midfielder made her much-celebrated return to the Stars and Stripes in early December.

Press and Houston Dash midfielder Carli Lloyd led the U.S. senior team in appearances in 2014, both seeing action in 23 of the 24 games played. Red Stars goal-scoring machine Press had a chance to become the lone leader in the category but missed the final match of the year against Brazil due to a death in the family.

The camp begins an extensive schedule of training and matches as Head Coach Ellis and her staff work to whittle down the pool to a 23-player roster for the 2015 Women’s World Cup, which kicks off in Canada this June.

U-23 Head Coach Steve Swanson named a 24-woman roster featuring nine overage players, all of whom currently play in the NWSL. The roster features 12 total NWSL players, with the remainder made up of some of the best collegiate talents in the country, several of whom will be top picks in the 2015 College Draft on January 16. The Red Stars and Settle Reign FC are the top contributors to this U-23 camp, each being represented by three of their players.

Chicago midfielder DiBernardo has previously trained with the full national team and is expected by many to move on to a successful career at the senior level. She is one of five players called up to the camp who were part of the U.S. team that won the 2012 U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Red Stars fans can watch their national team members in action over the course of the 2015 NWSL campaign. Season tickets start at $145 and may be purchased by calling 773-697-8699 or by clicking here.

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER

GOALKEEPERS (4): Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City), Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)

DEFENDERS (10): Lori Chalupny (Chicago Red Stars), Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Whitney Engen (Western NY Flash), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Dash), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Rachel Van Hollebeke (Portland Thorns FC)

MIDFIELDERS (10): Shannon Boxx (Chicago Red Stars), Morgan Brian (Virginia), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Kristie Mewis (Boston Breakers), Samantha Mewis (UCLA), Heather O’Reilly (FC Kansas City), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)

FORWARDS (5): Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach (Western NY Flash)

U.S. U-23 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER

GOALKEEPERS (4): Aubrey Bledsoe (Sky Blue FC; Cincinnati, Ohio), Jane Campbell (Stanford; Kennesaw, Ga.), Katelyn Rowland (UCLA; Vacaville, Calif.), Abby Smith (Texas; Plano, Texas)

DEFENDERS (9): Lauren Barnes (Seattle Reign FC; Upland, Calif.), Abby Dahlkemper (UCLA; Menlo Park, Calif.), Arin Gilliland (Kentucky; Lexington, Ky.), Taryn Hemmings (Chicago Red Stars; Windsor, Colo.), Jaelene Hinkle (Texas Tech; Castle Rock, Colo.), Samantha Johnson (Chicago Red Stars; Palmdale, Calif.), Kassey Kallman (Boston Breakers; Woodbury, Minn.), Merritt Mathias (Seattle Reign FC; Birmingham, Ala.), Emily Sonnett (Virginia; Marietta, Ga.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Danielle Colaprico (Virginia; Freehold, N.J.), Vanessa DiBernardo (Chicago Red Stars; Naperville, Ill.), Tori Huster (Washington Spirit; Cincinnati, Ohio), Sarah Killion (UCLA; Fort Wayne, Ind.), Rose Lavelle (Wisconsin; Cincinnati, Ohio), Erika Tymrak (FC Kansas City; Bradenton, Fla.), Keelin Winters (Seattle Reign FC; Seattle, Wash.)

FORWARDS (4): Sarah Hagen (FC Kansas City; Appleton, Wisc.), Stephanie McCaffrey (Boston College; Winchester, Mass.), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash; Draper, Utah), Katie Stengel (Bayern Munich; West Melbourne, Fla.)