05-28-2021, 11:04 AM
Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski has named a 23-player training camp roster (plus the rehabbing Tobin Heath as a 24th training player) in the leadup to the Olympics. As a reminder, the roster has to be cut down to 18 for the Olympics, but here's how it currently stands, with Stanford players bolded:
Goalkeepers (3):
Jane Campbell
Adrianna Franch
Alyssa Naeher
Defenders (8):
Alana Cook
Abby Dahlkemper
Tierna Davidson
Crystal Dunn
Kelley O'Hara
Margaret Purce
Becky Sauerbrunn
Emily Sonnett
Midfielders (6):
Lindsey Horan
Rose Lavelle
Catarina Macario
Kristie Mewis
Sam Mewis
Andi Sullivan
Forwards (6):
Carli Lloyd
Alex Morgan
Christen Press
Megan Rapinoe
Sophia Smith
Lynn Williams
On a 18-player roster, we're probably looking at two goalkeepers, six defenders, five mids, and five forwards (though there are a number of players who could play both mid and forward, depending on the need, like Macario).
Of note, both Ali Krieger and her wife Ashlyn Harris are off the training camp roster, signifying their time on the national team has effectively come to an end (though they may be back for a post-Olympic send-off friendly or two). They were always looking like two of the easiest cuts for the Olympic roster, so this is expected. Also off the roster is Julie Ertz, who is expected to be healthy shortly but just had a MCL sprain, so they're handling her very carefully (as they should--she's maybe the most indispensable player on the roster in terms of the role she plays).
If they're healthy, then O'Hara and Press are locks. But the rest of the Stanford products on the roster may be on the outside looking in (though Macario is going to make that decision awfully tough on Vlatko). One would assume Davidson is included, too, but the starting backline is pretty clearly Dunn-Dahlkemper-Sauerbrunn-O'Hara, and with the roster crunch to get to 18 and the sheer number of forwards and mids that it's almost inconceivable to leave off, you might only take one additional defender. (More likely, it'll be six, and then Davidson seems safer, with either Sonnett or Purce joining her.) I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last major tournament for O'Hara, though. Despite her team-best fitness, she is often injured and has had some frustrating performances in recent USWNT matches. With Purce on the rise, I wouldn't expect O'Hara to still be in the picture for 2023.
Smith will be on the next World Cup roster, but with this being the last hurrah of some older forwards, it's just not going to happen (barring injury, which you always have to say in this sport). With all of the rest of the forwards, I just can't see how they're left off (even though numbers require at least one more to be left off).
Campbell seems to be rising in Vlatko's estimation, though, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see her make the roster as the backup keeper.
Goalkeepers (3):
Jane Campbell
Adrianna Franch
Alyssa Naeher
Defenders (8):
Alana Cook
Abby Dahlkemper
Tierna Davidson
Crystal Dunn
Kelley O'Hara
Margaret Purce
Becky Sauerbrunn
Emily Sonnett
Midfielders (6):
Lindsey Horan
Rose Lavelle
Catarina Macario
Kristie Mewis
Sam Mewis
Andi Sullivan
Forwards (6):
Carli Lloyd
Alex Morgan
Christen Press
Megan Rapinoe
Sophia Smith
Lynn Williams
On a 18-player roster, we're probably looking at two goalkeepers, six defenders, five mids, and five forwards (though there are a number of players who could play both mid and forward, depending on the need, like Macario).
Of note, both Ali Krieger and her wife Ashlyn Harris are off the training camp roster, signifying their time on the national team has effectively come to an end (though they may be back for a post-Olympic send-off friendly or two). They were always looking like two of the easiest cuts for the Olympic roster, so this is expected. Also off the roster is Julie Ertz, who is expected to be healthy shortly but just had a MCL sprain, so they're handling her very carefully (as they should--she's maybe the most indispensable player on the roster in terms of the role she plays).
If they're healthy, then O'Hara and Press are locks. But the rest of the Stanford products on the roster may be on the outside looking in (though Macario is going to make that decision awfully tough on Vlatko). One would assume Davidson is included, too, but the starting backline is pretty clearly Dunn-Dahlkemper-Sauerbrunn-O'Hara, and with the roster crunch to get to 18 and the sheer number of forwards and mids that it's almost inconceivable to leave off, you might only take one additional defender. (More likely, it'll be six, and then Davidson seems safer, with either Sonnett or Purce joining her.) I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last major tournament for O'Hara, though. Despite her team-best fitness, she is often injured and has had some frustrating performances in recent USWNT matches. With Purce on the rise, I wouldn't expect O'Hara to still be in the picture for 2023.
Smith will be on the next World Cup roster, but with this being the last hurrah of some older forwards, it's just not going to happen (barring injury, which you always have to say in this sport). With all of the rest of the forwards, I just can't see how they're left off (even though numbers require at least one more to be left off).
Campbell seems to be rising in Vlatko's estimation, though, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see her make the roster as the backup keeper.
