Julie Ertz will make her first USWNT appearance in 18 months. (USA TODAY Sports)
U.S. women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski Tuesday named a 26-player roster for the USA’s training camp ahead of its April friendly matches against the Republic of Ireland.
The USA and Ireland, both of whom are gearing up for the Women’s World Cup, will meet on Saturday, April 8 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas (2:30 p.m. ET on TNT, Universo and Peacock) before finishing the two-leg set on Tuesday, April 11 at CITYPARK in St. Louis, Mo. (7:30 p.m. ET on HBO Max, Universo and Peacock).
These will be the final international matches for the USWNT players before Andonovski and his staff choose the USA’s 23-player World Cup roster in early summer, but players will still have quite a few club games to state their cases for roster spots.
Called up for the training camp are several players who are making the return to a USWNT roster after extended absences. Two-time World Cup champion Julie Ertz returns for her first action since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and after giving birth to her first child, a son, in August of last year. Olympian Casey Krueger also returns after giving birth to her first child, also a boy, in July 2022, and is in her first USWNT camp since October 2021.
Forward Sophia Smith, the 2022 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year and 2022 NWSL MVP, returns after missing the first two USWNT events of the year due to injury.
Veteran defender and two-time World Cup winner Kelley O’Hara also returns from injury after not playing for the USA since last summer. Her most recent appearance was in the Concacaf W Championship in the final group match vs. Mexico on July 11.
Fellow World Cup champion defender Tierna Davidson trained with the USWNT before the 2023 SheBelieves Cup in her first action since recovering from ACL surgery but now will be competing for a roster spot for the two matches against the Irish. If Davidson sees action, it will be her first appearance for the USA since the 2022 SheBelieves Cup.
Megan Rapinoe, who is recovering from an injury, was not named to the roster.
Andonovski will name 23 players to suit up for each match.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals) — April Friendlies vs. Republic of Ireland
GOALKEEPERS (3): Adrianna Franch (Kansas City Current; 10), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 13), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 89)
DEFENDERS (10): Alana Cook (OL Reign; 23/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars; 48/1), Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage; 27/0), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC; 130/24), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 14/0), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign; 28/0), Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars; 37/0), Kelley O’Hara (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 156/3), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC; 214/0), Emily Sonnett (OL Reign; 73/1)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Julie Ertz (Unattached; 116/20), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 126/26), Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave FC; 12/2), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign; 87/24), Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 50/7), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit; 22/3), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 42/3)
FORWARDS (6): Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 17/5), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC; 204/121), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 15/2), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 27/12), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars; 87/32), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 52/15)
