From August 18th to the 23rd, the United States Under-17 Women’s Youth National team is holding their final training camp before head coach Katie Schoepfer selects the USA’s roster for the 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, which runs from October 16th to November 3rd.
For this camp, which is being held in Chula Vista, California, 24 players were called in, of which 20 have 2007 birth years, while the remaining 4 players were born in 2008.
Notably, no NWSL U-18 players are in attendance at this camp. Reading between the lines of the U.S. Soccer press release, it appears that four NWSL players and two NCAA players have excused absences so that they can remain with their teams. Those six players are Kimmi Ascanio and Melanie Barcenas, both of the San Diego Wave; Kennedy Fuller of Angel City; Ainsley McCammon of the Seattle Reign; Trinity Armstrong, who is a freshman at UNC (profile); and Katie Scott, who is a freshman at Penn State (profile).
Of the 24 players at this camp, 21 play for youth clubs, while two are collegiate rookies, and one player, goalkeeper Molly Vapensky has an academy contract with the USL Super League’s Carolina Ascent FC (July 3 press release). Vapensky is a verbal commit to play at Duke University, starting in 2025 (x.com post). The two collegiate players are both forwards: Mary Long of Duke (profile) and Maddie Paleski of Alabama (profile). Long is the daughter of Kansas City Current majority owners Chris and Angie Long (KC Star).
Kansas City Current forward Alex Pfeiffer suffered a season-ending knee injury (ACL and meniscus) at the end of June , and thus is not available for selection. (July 4th KCC press release)
Training Camp Roster
Goalkeepers (3):
- Dunlap, Wicki (North Carolina FC; Raleigh, N.C.)
- O’Steen, Evan (Solar SC; Grapevine, Texas)***
- Vapensky, Molly (Carolina Ascent FC*; Evanston, Ill.)
Defenders (7):
- Babcock, Anna (Crossfire Premier SC; Sedro-Woolley, Wash.)
- Bello, Edra (San Diego Surf SC; San Diego, Calif.)
- Coughlin, Lexi (Legends FC; Corona, Calif.)
- Gilmore, Kiara (FC Dallas; Allen, Texas)
- Hardeman, Jordyn (Solar SC; Midlothian, Texas)
- King, Daya (Legends FC; Moreno Valley, Calif.)
- Travers, Jocelyn (Bay Area Surf SC; Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Midfielders (6):
- Antonucci, Scottie (Legends FC; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)***
- Atehortua, Sofia (IMG Academy; Trumbull, Conn.)
- Cross, Riley (Players Development Academy; Chatham, N.J.)
- Nguyen, Y-Lan (Virginia Development Academy; Fairfax, Va.)
- Rodriguez, Jaiden (San Diego Surf SC; San Diego, Calif.)***
- Thompson, Paige (Mountain View Los Altos SC; Walnut Creek, Calif.)
Forwards (8):
- Ajeto, Ryder (Legends FC; Henderson, Nev.)
- Helfrich, Carrie (Virginia Union FC; McLean, Va.)
- Johnson, Micayla (Michigan Hawks; Troy, Mich.)***
- Long, Mary (Duke**; Mission Hills, Kan.)
- Oder, Avery (Beach FC; Calabasas, Calif.)
- Padelski, Maddie (Alabama**; Nolensville, Tenn.)
- Powell, Leena (Tudela FC; Culver City, Calif.)
- Townes, Mya (The St. James Football Club; Aldie, Va.)
*USL Super League team
**NCAA team
***2008 birth year
Roster Press Release: U.S. U-17 Women’s Youth National Team Will Come Together for Final Training Camp Before Roster is Chosen for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
Women's Soccer Express 