USWNT: 2019 ID Camp Player Capsules – Forwards and Midfielders

For the USWNT’s December 2019 identification camp, head coach Vlatko Andonovski has called up six forwards and seven midfielders:

Forwards:

  • Bethany Balcer
  • Madison Haley
  • Ashley Hatch
  • Paige Monaghan
  • Sophia Smith
  • Ally Watt

Midfielders:

  • Danielle Colaprico
  • Vanessa DiBernardo
  • Jordan DiBiasi
  • Sarah Killion
  • Kristie Mewis
  • Brianna Pinto
  • Ashley Sanchez

This article includes basic summary capsules for each of these players, along with highlights and other useful videos, if available.

These capsules are just quick summaries, presenting basic facts and details about each player.  For additional details, such as accolades earned during college and as a professional, links to college team profiles and Wikipedia entries, if available, are provided.  Additionally, for the professional players, links to official NWSL statistics and FBref.com profiles are included.

Also included for each player are highlight videos, profile videos, and/or interview videos, if available.  Finally, links to profile articles for each player, if available, are included under “Further Reading.”

A comparative analysis of the players called into the identification camp and how they may fit into the USWNT, both in the short-term (i.e., CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying and the 2020 Olympics) and the long-term (2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup) should be published by or on December 9th.

Data Notes:

  • Age is as of the start of the identification camp (09-Dec-2019).
  • The “Notable USA Youth Experience” line is only included for players who made an official U-17 and/or U-20 USWNT roster, e.g., a CONCACAF Women’s U-17 or U-20 Championship roster, and/or a FIFA U-17 or U-20 Women’s World Cup roster for the United States.
  • Hometown, date of birth, and height information are pulled mostly from USWNT media guide player pool lists.  Otherwise, NWSL and/or college team profiles were used.
  • For additional player statistics and notes, see the “Overview” article on the identification camp.
  • For midfielders, their most likely (best guess) role/position (“6”, “8”, or “10”) in the USWNT’s current 4-3-3 system, based on how they are and/or were used by their current team and/or youth national teams, are included.

BETHANY BALCER – Forward

Current Team:  Reign FC
Hometown:  Hudsonville, Michigan
Date of Birth:  March 7, 1997  (age:  22.76)
Height:  5’9″
College Team:  Spring Arbor, NAIA (profile), NAIA National Champions in 2015 and 2017, runner-up in 2016
NWSL Draft:  undrafted (2019), signed as free agent
Links:  NWSL Stats, FBref.com, Wikipedia

Notables:

  • NWSL Rookie of the Year (2019)
  • played as an attacking (“10”) midfielder for Spring Arbor

Further Reading:

MADISON HALEY – Forward

Current Team:  Stanford
Hometown:  Dallas, Texas
Date of Birth:  October 25, 1998  (age:  21.12)
Height:  5’7″
Notable USA Youth Experience:  2013* U-17 USWNT
College Team:  Stanford (profile), 2017 NCAA D1 National Champions
College Class Year:  Junior

Notables:

  • Has scored 11 goals and earned 12 assists so far in the 2019 NCAA season, more than doubling her career goals and assists
  • Starting central striker for the U-17 USWNT at the 2013 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship
  • Father is 5x Super Bowl Champion Charles Haley (Wikipedia)

Stanford vs. Utah Highlights (Haley scored twice in the match):

Further Reading:

ASHLEY HATCH – Forward

Current Team:  Washington Spirit
Hometown:  Gilbert, Arizona
Date of Birth:  May 25, 1995  (age:  24.54)
Height:  5’9″
College Team:  BYU (profile)
NWSL Draft:  #2 Pick (2017)
Links:  NWSL Stats, FBref.com, Wikipedia

Notables:

  • NWSL Rookie of the Year (2017)
  • First USWNT cap came while a senior at BYU in 2016

Further Reading:

PAIGE MONAGHAN – Forward

Current Team:  Sky Blue FC
Hometown:  Roxbury Township, New Jersey
Date of Birth:  November 13, 1996  (age:  23.07)
Height:  5’7″
College Team:  Butler (profile)
NWSL Draft:  #10 Pick (2019)
Links:  NWSL Stats, FBref.com, Wikipedia

Notables:

  • a regular call-up to the U-23 USWNT in 2018 and 2019
  • With the U-23s, was originally tested as an outside back, but was moved to her natural forward position
  • Had originally committed to Purdue, but withdrew after head coach Rob Klatte was let go

Further Reading:

SOPHIA SMITH – Forward

Current Team:  Stanford
Hometown:  Fort Collins, Colorado
Date of Birth:  August 10, 2000  (age:  19.33)
Height:  5’6″
Notable USA Youth Experience:  2016 U-17 USWNT, 2018 U-20 USWNT
College Team:  Stanford (profile)
College Class Year:  Sophomore
Links:  Wikipedia

Notables:

  • As a freshman, suffered a season-ending ankle injury in October 2018
  • The December 2019 identification camp is her first USA call-up at any age level since the 2018 U-20 WWC in August 2018

Further Reading:

ALLY (ALLEANDRA) WATT – Forward

Current Team:  Texas A&M
Hometown:  Colorado Springs, Colorado
Date of Birth:  March 12, 1997  (age:  22.74)
Height:  5’8″
Notable USA Youth Experience:  2016 U-20 USWNT
College Team:  Texas A&M (profile)
College Class Year:  Senior

Notables:

  • State high school track champion at the 100m and 200m distances in both 2012 and 2014 (Class 5)

Further Reading:

DANIELLE COLAPRICO – Midfielder (“10”)

Current Team:  Chicago Red Stars
Hometown:  Freehold, New Jersey
Date of Birth:  September 6, 1993  (age:  26.26)
Height:  5’2″ (also reported as 5’3″)
College Team:  Virginia (profile)
NWSL Draft:  #9 Pick (2015)
Links:  NWSL Stats, FBref.com, Wikipedia

Notables:

  • earned her first senior USWNT cap in November 2018
  • NWSL Rookie of the Year (2015)
  • career assists leader at Virginia (44)

Further Reading:

VANESSA DiBERNARDO – Midfielder (“10”)

Current Team:  Chicago Red Stars
Hometown:  Naperville, Illinois
Date of Birth:  May 15, 1992  (age:  27.57)
Height:  5’3″ (also reported as 5’4″)
Notable USA Youth Experience:  2012 U-20 USWNT
College Team:  Illinois (profile)
NWSL Draft:  #4 Pick (2014)
Links:  NWSL Stats, FBref.com, Wikipedia

Notables:

  • A member of the 2012 U-20 USWNT that won the U-20 WWC, scored a goal from well outside the box against Korea DPR (YouTube)**
  • Started all six matches for the USA in the 2012 U-20 WWC
  • Father Angelo DiBernardo was a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team (1979-1985) and won the Hermann Trophy in 1977 (Wikipedia)

**FIFA does not allow embedding of their YouTube videos.

Further Reading:

JORDAN DiBIASI – Midfielder (“10”)

Current Team:  Washington Spirit
Hometown:  Littleton, Colorado
Date of Birth:  October 28, 1996  (age:  23.11)
Height:  5’6″
College Team:  Stanford (profile), 2017 NCAA D1 National Champions
NWSL Draft:  #3 Pick (2019)
Links:  NWSL Stats, FBref.com, Wikipedia

Notables:

Further Reading:

SARAH KILLION – Midfielder (“6” or “8”)

Current Team:  Sky Blue FC
Hometown:  Fort Wayne, Indiana
Date of Birth:  July 27, 1992  (age:  27.37)
Height:  5’8″
Notable USA Youth Experience:  2012 U-20 USWNT
College Team:  UCLA (profile), 2013 NCAA D1 Champions
NWSL Draft:  #2 Pick (2015)
Links:  NWSL Stats, FBref.com, Wikipedia

Notables:

  • A core member of the 2012 U-20 USWNT that won the FIFA U-20 WWC
  • Started every match for the USA, as the holding/defensive midfielder (“6”) in the 2012 U-20 WWC, playing almost every minute. (She was only subbed out once:  In the final, during the 89th minute.)

(Additionally, Killion has been featured in a number of local television stories, going back over ten years.  – YouTube search link)

Further Reading: 

KRISTIE MEWIS – Midfielder (“10”)

Current Team:  Houston Dash
Hometown:  Hanson, Massachusetts
Date of Birth:  February 25, 1991  (age:  28.79)
Height:  5’7″
Notable USA Youth Experience:  2010 U-20 USWNT, 2008 U-17 USWNT
College Team:  Boston College (profile)
NWSL Draft:  #3 (2013)
Links:  NWSL Stats, FBref.com, Wikipedia

Notables:

  • Suffered a torn ACL in May 2018 (HoustonDynamo.com)
  • Bronze Ball winner at 2008 U-17 WWC
  • Only player on the ID camp roster with a senior USWNT goal (15-Jun-2013, vs. Korea Republic)

BRIANNA PINTO – Midfielder (“10” or “8”)

Current Team:  North Carolina (UNC)
Hometown:  Durham, North Carolina
Date of Birth:  May 24, 2000  (age:  19.54)
Height:  5’5″
Notable USA Youth Experience:  2016 U-17 USWNT, 2018 U-20 USWNT
College Team:  North Carolina (profile)
College Class Year:  Sophomore

Notables:

  • First called into a USWNT camp in March 2017, as a 16-year-old
  • Father, Hassan Pinto, was a member of the U-18 USMNT in the late 1980s, and later played for UNC’s men’s soccer team

Further Reading:

ASHLEY SANCHEZ – Midfielder (“10”) or Winger

Current Team:  UCLA
Hometown:  Monrovia, California
Date of Birth:  March 16, 1999  (age:  20.73)
Height:  5’3″ (also reported as 5’4″)
Notable USA Youth Experience:  2016 U-17 USWNT, 2018 U-20 USWNT
College Team:  UCLA (profile)
College Class Year:  Junior
Links:  Wikipedia

Notables:

  • Previously called up into the USWNT camp in March 2016, just days after turning 17
  • Flag-bearer for the USA at the 2019 Summer World University Games (the UCLA women’s soccer team was chosen to represent the USA) (usateam.org)

Further Reading:

For more summary capsules of players chosen for the December 2019 USWNT identification camp, see:  USWNT: 2019 ID Camp Player Capsules – Defenders and Goalkeepers.

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