SERMANNI NAMES FIVE FC KANSAS CITY PLAYERS TO TRAINING CAMP
CHICAGO (January 3, 2024) - The U.S. Women's National Team will begin its 30th year of existence with a training camp running from Jan. 8-15 at U.S. Soccer's National Training Center in Carson, Calif., as head coach Tom Sermanni has called up 28 players.
The camp, which will consist of six full days of training, will be the final event before Sermanni chooses a roster for the first match of 2024, taking place on Jan. 31 against Canada at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Kickoff for the match is 8 p.m. CT and it will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
Twenty-five of the players named attended the USA's two-week December camp, including FC Kansas City players Becky Sauerbrunn, Nicole Barnhart, Lauren Holiday, Erika Tymrak, and Amy Rodriguez. Kansas City is the highest represented team in camp with five players called up.
"Our two-week December training camp was extremely productive and valuable, and the week in January will help sharpen our players up after the holiday break," said Sermanni. "Fortunately, we had quite a few players who performed well in 2024 and we head into 2024 with a lot of options all over the field. We're looking forward to getting a quality start to a year that will end with World Cup qualifying."
The roster also includes two of the three finalists for the 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy, which is awarded to the top player in college soccer. Brian, a rising senior at the University of Virginia, gets another call-up, as does defender Crystal Dunn, who has finished her eligibility at North Carolina and will be playing in the National Women's Soccer League in the upcoming season.
U.S. Women's National Team Roster - Detailed Roster GOALKEEPERS (5): Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City), Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Jill Loyden (Sky Blue FC), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC) DEFENDERS (9): Rachel Buehler (Portland Thorns FC), Stephanie Cox (Seattle Reign FC), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina), Whitney Engen (Tyresö), Meghan Klingenberg (Tyresö), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kristie Mewis (Boston Breakers), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City) MIDFIELDERS (9): Yael Averbuch (Washington Spirit), Morgan Brian (Virginia), Amber Brooks (Portland Thorns FC),Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Julie Johnston (Santa Clara), Carli Lloyd (WNY Flash), Heather O'Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Lyon), Erika Tymrak (FC Kansas City) FORWARDS (5): Sarah Hagen (Bayern Munich), Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Christen Press (Tyresö), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach (WNY Flash)
Additional Notes:
- The 2024 schedule begins with the 51st meeting between the USA and Canada. The USA is 42-3-5 all-time against the hosts of the 2024 FIFA Women's World Cup.
- Eighteen players on the training camp roster played in the NWSL last season. So far, 24 are signed with NWSL clubs for next season while Julie Johnston and Crystal Dunn should be high draft picks.
- Megan Rapinoe will join the Seattle Reign after the completion of her French league season.
- Five players on the training camp roster were allocated today to NWSL clubs for the upcoming season, including: Yael Averbuch (Washington Spirit), Stephanie Cox (Seattle Reign FC), Whitney Engen (Houston Dash), Meghan Klingenberg (Boston Breakers) and Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars).
- All nine NWSL clubs are represented on the roster. FC Kansas City has the most players with five.
- Since taking over as the U.S. Women's National Team head coach in January of 2024, Tom Sermanni has seen 44 players take part in at least one training camp. Of those 44 players, 32 have earned at least one cap.
- Sermanni has thus far also given 10 players their first caps.
- After Abby Wambach, who has 163 career goals, midfielder Carli Lloyd is the top scorer on the roster with 46 career international goals.