USWNT January Camp: A New Era Begins with Dunn and Girma Leading the Charge
As the new year kicks off, the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) is gearing up for an exciting week-long training camp in Carson, California, starting on January 14. This camp, led by the newly appointed manager Emma Hayes, is set to be a pivotal moment for the team as they prepare for the upcoming SheBelieves Cup in February. While the camp won’t feature any matches, it promises to be a crucial opportunity for players to showcase their skills and for Hayes to assess the depth of her squad.
Among the 26 players called up, Gotham FC defender Crystal Dunn and San Diego Wave center back Naomi Girma are the standout names. Their inclusion highlights the blend of experience and fresh talent that Hayes is looking to cultivate. Notably, the camp will not feature any European-based players, and some of the team’s star forwards, including Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson, are being given a well-deserved rest following the NWSL season.
Unfortunately, midfielder Rose Lavelle will also be absent as she recovers from recent ankle surgery. Despite these absences, the camp will see 11 of the 22 members of the 2024 gold medal-winning Olympic Team in attendance. This provides a golden opportunity for 13 players with three or fewer caps, including six uncapped players, to gain invaluable experience in the USWNT environment.
Running concurrently with the main camp is a 24-player “futures camp” aimed at nurturing younger prospects. This roster, which will be announced on Wednesday, consists of players eligible for the U.S. Under-23 WNT. Hayes emphasized the importance of creating a player-centric and female athlete-centric environment, stating, “We want to continue to foster an environment and culture on the National Team that is player-centric and female athlete-centric and helps the players maximize their abilities.”
Hayes is eager to get on the field with both groups, saying, “I’m really looking forward to getting on the field with these players and the players in the Futures Camp to get in a solid week of training with both groups without having to make adjustments for the impact that a match would have on our loading and training plan. I can’t wait.”
This camp marks the first since veteran goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher announced her retirement in November. Leading the goalkeeping contingent is North Carolina Courage’s Casey Murphy, who has 20 international appearances to her name.
Returning to the camp after missing all the fall games, Crystal Dunn is the most capped player on the roster with 155 appearances for the USWNT. She is followed by defender Emily Sonnett with 103 caps and forward Seattle Reign’s Lynn Williams with 75.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position
- Goalkeepers: Angelina Anderson (Angel City FC; 0), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 0), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 1), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 20)
- Defenders: Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 65/3), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 155/25), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 44/2), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC; 1/0), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 0/0), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 18/2), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 2/0), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 103/2), Ryan Williams (North Carolina Courage; 0/0)
- Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 28/1), Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC; 7/0), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 3/0), Nealy Martin (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 0/0), Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage; 28/3), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 2/0), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 21/8)
- Forwards: Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 22/5), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 3/1), Ella Stevens (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 0/0), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 13/1), Morgan Weaver (Portland Thorns FC; 2/0), Lynn Williams (Seattle Reign FC; 75/21)
Originally Written by: Jeff Carlisle
