(Note: This is part of a series of posts which profiles the current U-17 USWNT.)
The United States Under-17 Women’s National Team will be taking six midfielders to Guatemala for the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship: Morgan Andrews of Milford, New Hampshire (Boston College, verbal); Joanna “Jo” Boyles of Raleigh, North Carolina (UNC, verbal); Lauren Kaskie of Las Vegas, Nevada (UCLA, verbal); Toni Payne of Birmingham, Alabama (Notre Dame, verbal); Sarah Robinson of Los Altos, California (Stanford, verbal); and Morgan Stanton of Lakewood, Colorado (Santa Clara, verbal).
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MORGAN ANDREWS
D.O.B.: March 25, 1995
Height: 5’9″
Hometown: Milford, New Hampshire
Club Team: FC Stars of Massachusetts (ECNL) / N.E. Mutiny (2012, WPSL Elite)
College: Boston College (verbal, 2013)
Specific U-17 USWNT Position: Holding Midfielder (starting)
Annoying Announcer Factoid: Is the place kicker for her school’s football team
Notes & Notables: Where to start… Is the captain of the team. Had been a centerback for the U-17 WNT up until the February 2012 camp (at the latest). Was moved back to her natural position as a midfielder… Is the current NSCAA Girls Youth Player of the Year… Is the Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year for New Hampshire, two years running… Also ran indoor and outdoor track for her high school… Was her high school team’s place kicker during the 2011 season. Named to the state’s all-star first team in football… A regular in the USWNT youth system since U-14 ID camp in 2009. Was the only player immediately invited to a U-15 camp the next month… Part of a select ECNL (94/95) team that traveled to England in August 2011.
Further Viewing:
Local TV feature (January 2012):
Local sports website interview (August 2011)
Further Reading: “Andrews a national treasure” (NashuaTelegraph.com, April 2011); Andrews helps Milford girls soccer get first win over Bedford (nh-highschoolsports.com, September 2011); “Morgan Andrews Steps Up Her Game” (USSoccer.com, October 2011); Andrews Brings National Spotlight to Milford Soccer (NashuaTelegraph.com, September 2011); Milford’s Morgan Andrews still determined to represent US women’s soccer at Olympics (NashuaTelegraph.com, April 2012).
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JOANNA “JO” BOYLES
D.O.B.: November 13, 1995
Height: 5’8″
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Club Team: CASL Chelsea Ladies (ECNL)
College: UNC (verbal, 2013)
Specific U-17 USWNT Position: Midfielder (substitute)
Annoying Announcer Factoid: Her “wearing the USA crest gives me the chills” quote
Notes & Notables: Was the only player to attend all U-17 camps so far in this cycle who was not part of the 18-player La Manga roster… Has been a regular in USWNT youth camps since U-14 ID camp in 2009… One of four players on the team who participated in the 2010 U-16 Nordic Cup, which the USA won. Boyles scored a goal in that tournament.
Further Reading and Viewing: Soccer America profile; TopDrawerSoccer.com interview (video).
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LAUREN KASKIE
D.O.B.: September 18, 1995
Height: 5’5″
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Club Team: Neusport/Heat FC (ECNL)
College: UCLA (verbal, 2013)
Specific U-17 USWNT Position: Attacking Midfielder (starting, probably), Left Fullback (back-up)
Annoying Announcer Factoid: She’s from Las Vegas
Notes & Notables: Left footed… Is the Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year for Nevada (2011)… Has a recruiting website, which is now behind a password wall… Has been a regular in the WNT since U-14 ID camp in 2009. Was not at two U-17 camps late last year due to a minor injury (TopDrawerSoccer.com, see the photo caption.)
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ANTOINETTE “TONI” PAYNE
D.O.B.: April 22, 1995
Height: 5’3″
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Club Team: Concorde Fire (ECNL)
College: Notre Dame (verbal, 2013)
Specific U-17 USWNT Position: Attacking Midfielder (substitute)
Annoying Announcer Factoid: Her father is from Nigeria
Notes & Notables: Also plays high school soccer… Was with a local Birmingham club before transferring to Concorde Fire, which is in Georgia… Part of a select ECNL (94/95) team that traveled to England in August 2011.
Further Viewing: Local TV News Segment (March 2012). (NEW) Local news article with quotes by Montoya about Payne.
Highlight: Goal scored during a select ECNL match in England
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SARAH ROBINSON
D.O.B.: April 28, 1996 (The USWNT defeated France 8:2 on that day, in Indianapolis)
Height: 5’2″
Hometown: Los Altos, California
Club Team: MVLA Lightning
College: Stanford (verbal, 2013)
Specific U-17 USWNT Position: Attacking Midfielder (substitute, probably)
Annoying Announcer Factoid: Is the youngest player on the roster.
Notes & Notables: The only player with a ’96 birthday… Also runs cross-country. Finished 3rd in her state last year. Finished 4th in the Footlocker regionals (West, 2011). Did not compete nationally due to U-17 WNT camp… One of the two shortest players on the roster… Her club team is coached by Montoya and his wife… Was invited to the 2009 U-14 ID camp. Next youth WNT camp was March 2011 U-15 camp. A U-17 regular since the October 2011 camp.
Further Viewing: Two interviews…
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MORGAN STANTON
D.O.B.: February 4, 1995
Height: 5’2″
Hometown: Greenwood, Colorado
Club Team: Colorado Rush (ECNL, W-League)
College: Santa Clara (verbal, 2013)
Specific U-17 USWNT Position: Attacking Midfielder (starting, probably)
Annoying Announcer Factoid: Has played on a boys club team (U-15, 2010)
Notes & Notables: Is one of the two shortest players on the roster… Also plays high school soccer… A U-17 regular since March 2011 (the second camp of this cycle). Also attended the 2009 U-14 ID camp and U-15 camps in 2010.
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