Savannah DeMelo will receive an opportunity to earn her first cap with the USWNT. (EM Dash – USA TODAY Sports)
Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo will replace Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman on the 23-player U.S. women’s national team roster for the upcoming friendly matches vs. Nigeria, the team announced on Monday.
Rodman will not attend training camp due to a family commitment, which gives DeMelo a chance to earn her first senior team cap. DeMelo has had solid rookie campaign in the National Women’s Soccer League after being selected fourth overall out of the University of Southern California in the 2022 NWSL Draft.
The USA will square off with the Super Falcons on Sept. 3 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas (Kickoff at 1:30 p.m. ET, FOX) and again Sept. 6 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. (6 p.m. ET on ESPN2).
DeMelo has three goals and one assist in 17 regular season appearances, all starts, and her 1,520 minutes played lead all NWSL rookies. The 24-year-old was named the NWSL’s rookie of the month for July.
She was a member of U.S. teams at the 2016 and 2018 Under-20 Women’s World Cups. At the 2018 U-20 World Cup, she led the USA in scoring with four goals, a total that included a hat trick against Paraguay and a single score against Spain. DeMelo is tied for fourth all-time in caps at the U-19/U-20 level with 38 games played. She also has experience with the U.S. women’s youth national teams at the U-14, U-15 and U-18 levels.
The roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
DEFENDERS (6): Alana Cook (OL Reign), Emily Fox (Racing Louisville FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Hailie Mace (Kansas City Current); Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC) Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave FC), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)
FORWARDS (6): Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Mallory Pugh (Chicago Red Stars), Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC)
