Youth USWNTs: Goalkeeper Identification Camp To Be Held Next Weekend

From December 7th to the 10th, U.S. Soccer will hold, apparently for the first time, an identification camp solely for goalkeepers as the federation begins the 2014 cycles for the Under-20 and Under-17 Women’s National Teams (USSoccer.com). Sixteen goalkeepers — ten for the U-20 WNT and six for the U-17 WNT — were called up and will be evaluated by USWNT Technical Director April Heinrichs plus a staff of four goalkeeper coaches: former USWNT goalkeeper coach Phil Wheddon, USWNT alumna goalkeeper Siri Mullinix (2000 Olympics), former U.S. U-20 MNT and MLS goalkeeper Clint Baumstark, and former WPS goalkeeper coach Nathan Kipp. This ID camp will be held at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California.

The U.S. Soccer press release only includes a list of the sixteen goalkeepers in alphabetical order, without even a breakdown by age group. This post includes such a breakdown, along with birthdates and heights where available, plus the usual club/college information and hometown. Additionally, college commitment details are included for the 2013 high school graduates.

Notably absent from the list of goalkeepers is probable front-runner for the starting U-20 spot, Jane Campbell (b. 1995), who is likely among some of the unnamed “talented goalkeepers in these age groups who have already been identified” and thus not invited. However, among the allegedly yet to be identified goalkeepers are two other members of the USA’s 2012 U-17 WWC squad: Cassie Miller, who played in handful of late tune-up matches  — including a friendly against the full national team of Slovenia(!) — while Campbell recovered from a minor injury, plus third ‘keeper Morgan Stearns.

2014 U-20 WNT Goalkeeper Candidates
(sorted by school year, then alphabetically)

PLAYER                 D.O.B.        HEIGHT   COLLEGE
Brown, Jordan          22-Jan-1994    5'07"   Texas Tech (Freshman)
Casey, Caroline        27-May-1994    5'08"   William & Mary (Freshman)
McVicker, Jillian      ??-???-1994    5'09"   Ohio State (Freshman)
Simmons, Jaime         03-Feb-1994    5'08"   UNC-Greensboro (Freshman)
Tostanoski, Andi       29-Aug-1994    5'09"   Santa Clara (Freshman)
Brown, Paige           01-Dec-1994    5'07"   Louisville (verbal 2013)
Little, Kaela          16-Oct-1994    5'09"   Notre Dame (verbal 2013)
Miller, Cassie         28-Apr-1995    6'00"   Florida State (verbal 2013)
Stearns, Morgan        19-Jan-1995    5'10"   Virginia (verbal 2013)
Wheatley, Claire       14-Feb-1995    5'09"   Illinois (verbal 2013)

Besides Jane Campbell, another notable absence is UCLA sophomore Katelyn Rowland (b. 16-Mar-1994; 5’11”) who already has started 40 matches in her two seasons for the Bruins (UCLA 2012 statistics). Rowland had been called into four U-18 WNT camps this cycle, including both ’94 camps this year (January and May).

For the 2014 U-20 WNT cycle, finding a third U-20 goalkeeper is less important than the just concluded 2012 cycle due to the fact that the scheduling of the next youth Women’s World Cups, with the U-17 WWC in April and the U-20 WWC in July, should allow federations to use their 2014 U-17 players in both tournaments, since an age-based cup-tying rule will not apply. So, assuming the USA should qualify for the 2014 U-20 WWC, regardless of whether the U-17s qualify for their tournament, the USA’s U-20 WWC squad can just take the starting U-17 WNT goalkeeper, along with the two ‘keepers from qualifying.

Also absent from the above list are any candidates with 1996 birthdays, such as Emily Boyd (b. 25-Jul-1996; ECNL profile) and Alexis Bryant (b. 4-Jan-1996; ECNL profile), who have both been called into multiple recent youth USWNT camps. Although the ’96 birthdays are much more likely to candidates for the 2016 U-20 WWC cycle. And their absence is probably a result of the doughnut-hole effect of the new emphasis on involving younger players earlier in U-17 cycles rather than focusing mostly on teams of birthyear cohorts.

2014 U-17 WNT Goalkeeper Candidates

PLAYER                 D.O.B.        HEIGHT   CLUB
Cunningham, Jaelyn     ??-???-1998      ???   Pride SC [Ohio]
Krzeczowski, Mikayla   03-Feb-1998     5'6"   Concord Fire (ECNL)
Leshnak, Samantha      21-Apr-1997      ???   Ohio Elite (ECNL)
Lowder, Melissa        21-Jan-1997     5'7"   DMCV Sharks Elite
Romines, Veronica      29-Aug-1997     5'7"   San Diego Surf (ECNL)
Tompkins, Jalen        14-Feb-1997     5'6"   Sereno SC (ECNL)

Of the six U-17 candidates “chosen by U.S. Soccer Director of Development Jill Ellis” to be called up, both Melissa Lowder and Jalen Tompkins have been named  to all three ’97/’98 U-15 WNT camps this year (February, June, and October), making them the presumptive front-runners for the starting and primary back-up ‘keeper positions. So, it would seem that no notable U-17 candidates had not been invited.

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Additional Source Profiles Links

U-20 Candidates:

U-17 Candidates:

Note: When sources have conflicting height information, the more generous (read: taller) height has been included),