Good young talent among 27 named to October USWNT training camp

Vlatko Andonovski has named 27 players to his October training camp roster, to be held from October 18-28 in Commerce City, Colorado.

GOALKEEPERS (4): Aubrey Bledsoe (Washington Spirit; 0), Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 3), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 25), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 63)

DEFENDERS (10): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 61/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars; 26/1), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage; 104/24), Naomi Girma (Stanford; 0/0), Sarah Gorden (Chicago Red Stars; 0/0) Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride; 107/1), Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC; 131/2), Margaret Purce (Sky Blue FC; 1/0), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC; 177/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 32/0)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Shea Groom (Houston Dash; 0/0), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 86/19), Morgan Gautrat (Chicago Red Stars; 87/8), Jaelin Howell (Florida State; 0/0), Catarina Macario (Stanford; 0/0), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash; 15/1), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit; 0/0)

FORWARDS (6): Bethany Balcer (OL Reign; 0/0), Mia Fishel (UCLA; 0/0), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 2/0), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Kealia Watt (Chicago Red Stars; 3/1), Lynn Williams (NC Courage; 28/9)

With several USWNT core roster members staying overseas for this camp - understandable given the logistics that accompany international travel these days - as well as the lack of upcoming international soccer, this camp has given Andonovski plenty of opportunity to look at new and fringe players. Perhaps the most notable name among the call ups is phenom Catarina Macario, a player who some fans and media worried might get tipped for Brazil instead of the United States, though Macario herself has said that she wants to play for the US. Double MAC Hermann trophy winner Macario has been lighting up the field for Stanford and the US youth teams, and has had many an NWSL fan frantically keeping track of who gets first draft pick the year she graduates.

Also of note: defender Naomi Girma and the return of midfielder Kristie Mewis. Mewis was once en route to becoming a regular senior team player at one point, but faded out of the scene around 2013. Now, seven years later and after a stellar year in NWSL (albeit a strange one that invokes plenty of caveats), Mewis has earned a second bite at the apple under a new head coach. It’s not totally fair to lay all of this at the feet of 2020, since Mewis has made herself a very necessary component of the Houston Dash’s midfield. It’s always nice to see good club play rewarded, particularly for someone like Mewis who has been bounced around from club to club before finding a home in Houston. And speaking of rewarding good club play, Sarah Gorden, Shea Groom, and Bethany Balcer will all have a shot at impressing Andonovski too.

The team won’t be playing any games during this camp, though it would be great if they could follow in England’s footsteps and livestream an intersquad scrimmage.

Who are you excited to see come into this camp?