Last Sunday, the U-23 USWNT roster was announced for their three matches in La Manga, Spain (USSoccer.com). Here is that roster, with basic notes about the players, including some more specific info about their normal playing position(s), along with 2012 or 2011 WPS Draft information, if applicable.
Notes:
- Per a policy initiated by April Heinrichs, the standard formation will either be a 4-3-3 or a 4-3-2-1 (see this SoccerNation.com interview with Randy Waldrum)
- For defenders and midfielders, information about the player’s normal position have been added. This info has been taken from collegiate bio pages, articles about the players, etc., with links to the source.
- Sources for draft info: 2012 WPS Draft results press release, 2011 WPS Draft results press release.
GOALKEEPERS (2):
- Adrianna Franch (Oklahoma State; Salina, Kan.)
- Bianca Henninger (last with Santa Clara; Los Gatos, Calif.) — 2012 WPS Draft: 14th overall, Philadelphia Independence (first GK taken)
Last year, Henninger started four out of six matches for the U-23 team, with Franch getting the other two starts. I expect we’ll see a similar split at La Manga, with Henninger starting two matches while Franch starts the other match.
DEFENDERS (7):
- Natasha Anasi (Duke; Arlington, Texas) — primarily a defensive midfielder, moved to center-back this year to replace Ashley Rape who tore her ACL
- Lauren Barnes (last with Philadelphia Independence; Upland, Calif.) — 2011 WPS Draft: 15th overall, Philadelphia Independence — College: UCLA — primarily a center-back
- Jazmine Hall (Notre Dame; Highland Village, Texas) — primarily an outside back
- Camille Levin (last with Stanford; Newport Coast, Calif.) — 2012 WPS Draft: 4th overall, Sky Blue FC — primarily an outside back, but has played mid and forward
- Toni Pressley (last with Florida State University ; Melbourne, Fla.) — 2012 WPS Draft: 13th overall, Philadelphia Independence — primarily a center-back
- Elli Reed (last with Boston Breakers; Park City, Utah) — 2011 WPS Draft: 8th overall, Boston Breakers — College: Portland — moved from outside-midfielder to outside-back while at Portland
- Kika Toulouse (Ragsved*, Sweden’s Division 1; Arlington, Va.) — College: Virginia — Was with WPSL’s Orange County Waves in 2011 — primarily a center-back
MIDFIELDERS (5):
- Amber Brooks (North Carolina; New Hope, Pa.) — primarily a playmaking center midfielder, also has collegiate experience at outside-mid
- Zakiya Bywaters (UCLA; Las Vegas, Nev.) — primarily outside midfield
- Bianca D’Agostino (last with Boston Breakers; Longmeadow, Mass.) — 2011 WPS Draft: 18th overall, Philadelphia Independence — College: Wake Forest — can play outside mid and center mid
- Sinead Farrelly (last with Philadelphia Independence; Havertown, Pa.) — 2011 WPS Draft: 2nd overall, Philadelphia Independence — has played on the outside, can also play in a center playmaking role
- Taylor Lytle (last with Texas Tech; Las Cruces, N.M.) — apparently an attacking mid-fielder (unable to find anything more specific)
FORWARDS (4):
- Vicki DiMartino (Boston College; Massapequa, N.Y.)
- Stephanie Ochs (last with U. of San Diego; San Diego, Calif.) — 2012 WPS Draft: 3rd overall, Boston Breakers
- Morgan Marlborough (last with Nebraska, transferred to Santa Clara; Lee’s Summit, Mo.)
- Lindsay Taylor (last with Stanford; Los Altos, Calif.) — 2012 WPS Draft: 6th overall, Western New York Flash
The team plays Sweden’s U-23 WNT on Sunday (26-Feb), England’s U-23 WNT on Tuesday (28-Feb), and then Norway’s U-23 WNT on Thursday (1-Mar).
Last year, the U-23 WNT played their Swedish cohorts three times, getting victories in all matches. They split two matches with their Norwegian cohorts: a 3-2 win and a 3-2 loss. And, the team tied the English U-23 WNT, 1-1. (Match reports for those games are available at USSoccer.com.)
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