On Friday, U.S. Soccer announced that the Under-17 United States Women’s National Team will be holding a camp in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, from January 5th to 15th, 2020. Head coach Tracey Kevins has called in 28 players, 24 of whom attended the last U-17 USWNT camp, which was held in November 2019.
External Link: U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Kicks Off 2020 With Training Camp In Florida (U.S. Soccer)
Of the four remaining players who did not attend the November 2019 camp, two are regular U-17 call-ups: Defenders Baleigh Bruster and Andrea Kitahata. The other two players are both attending their first U-17 USWNT camp: Goalkeeper Azul Alvarez and quasi-professional midfielder Olivia Moultrie.
Three first-time attendees from the November 2019 camp are returning for their second YNT camp: Defenders Allyson Brown and Kolo Suliafu plus forward Drew Coomans.
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Welcome Back Azul Alvarez? Of the last two names, the more intriguing selection is dual national Azul Alvarez, who attended the first three USA U-15 camps of 2017 (and a U-14 camp in 2016) before becoming a core member of Mexico’s U-15 GNT and U-17 WNT.
Twice Alvarez has faced a USA youth national team: As a goalkeeper for Mexico’s U-15 GNT, Alvarez faced the USA’s U-14 GNT in the final of the 2018 CONCACAF Under-15 Girls Championship. And, at the start of the current U-17 cycle, Alvarez played against the U-17 USWNT in an UEFA developmental tournament held in Portugal. The USA won both matches.
Alvarez last attended a Mexico U-17 WNT camp in September 2019 (miseleccion.mx), but curiously did not attend their most recent camp, which was held in late November and early December 2019 (miseleccion.mx). Per TopDrawerSoccer, she is an Arizona State commit.
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Notable Absences: From the last roster, two exclusions stand out: Defender Courtney Boone, who attended four U-17 camps in 2019, and 2004-born center back alternate Elise Evans. Additionally, midfielder Emma Egizii and forward Arianna Manrique are both missing their second-straight U-17 camp after each attended three U-17 camps in 2019.
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This is the U-17 USWNT’s second-to-last camp prior to CONCACAF qualifying for the 2020 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup. In February, the team will play their England counterparts in two friendlies.
USWNT alumna Heather O’Reilly, who recently retired from professional soccer, will be assisting Kevins at this camp.
U-17 USWNT ROSTER FOR JANUARY 2020 CAMP
^First U-17 USWNT call-up
*Did not attend the last U-17 USWNT camp
Players not born in 2003 are color-coded (Indigo Blue for 2004; Olive for 2005)
GOALKEEPERS (4):
Nadia Cooper (Challenge SC; Katy, Texas)
Haley Craig (Michigan Jaguars; Dexter, Mich.)
Azul Alvarez (Lonestar SC; Round Rock, Texas)^
Neeku Purcell (Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.)
DEFENDERS (9):
Allyson Brown (Sockers FC; Wheaton, Ill.)
Baleigh Bruster (Tophat; Smyrna, Ga.)*
Andrea Kitahata (San Jose Earthquakes; Hillsborough, Calif.)*
Aidan McConnell (Michigan Hawks; Dexter, Mich.)
Madeline Mooney (Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.)
Ayooluwa Oke (Tophat; Atlanta, Ga.)
Shea O’Malley (NC Courage; Cary, N.C.)
Lilly Reale (South Shore Select; Hingham, Mass.)
Kolo Suliafu (SoCal Blues SC; Victorville, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (8):
Tatiana Fung (Legends FC; Fullerton, Calif.)
Annie Karich (Beach FC; Surfside, Calif.)
Devin Lynch (Sockers FC; Naperville, Ill.)
Alexis Missimo (Solar SC; Southlake, Texas)
Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; Wilsonville, Ore.) – 2005^
Bella Sember (Metropolitan Oval; Centerport N.Y.)
Jaedyn Shaw (Solar SC; Frisco, Texas) – 2004
Jillian Shimkin (Sky Blue-NYSC; Rockville Centre, N.Y.)
FORWARDS (7):
Trinity Byars (Solar SC; Richardson, TX)
Drew Coomans (Beach FC; Long Beach, Calif.)
Simone Jackson (Beach FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.)
Karlie Lema (MVLA; Morgan Hill, Calif.)
Allyson Sentnor (South Shore Select; Hanson, Mass.) – 2004
Alyssa Thompson (Real So Cal; Studio City, Calif.) – 2004
Amelia White (Fort Wayne United FC; Fort Wayne, Ind.)
For additional coverage of this U-17 USWNT cycle, see:
Women's Soccer Express 