On Monday, January 27th, the United States Under-16 Women’s Youth National Team will gather in Mesa, Arizona, for a camp that runs through Monday, February 3rd, and which will be held concurrently with a U-17 USWYNT camp.
Of the 24 players called into this camp, just 12 return from the first U-16 camp of this cycle, which was held last November. Among the 12 returning players are seven members of the USA’s squad for the 2024 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship, including forward KK Ream, who recently signed a professional contract with the Utah Royals.
Four additional players from U-15 championship squad, including 2024 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year, Maddie DiMaria, are attending their first U-16 camp this cycle. Meanwhile, three members of the U-15 championship squad who attended the previous U-16 camp are not attending this present camp. Among those three is Gotham FC professional Mak Whitham, who has a 2010 birth year.
Five players will apparently be attending their first United States youth national team camp. Two other players have only attended a U-14 Talent ID mini-camp.
All but one player in this camp has a 2009 birth year. The lone exception is midfielder Loradana Paletta, who has a 2011 birth year and was the youngest member of the US U-15 USWYNT at the Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship in 2024.
Except for Paletta, all other players at this camp, as well as Whitham, are eligible for the 2025 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Qualifiers, which will determine the four teams that will represent Concacaf at the 2025 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup. Under the competition’s regulations (PDF), only players from U-15 to U-17 birth years (i.e., 2008, 2009, and 2010) are allowed to be included on a roster. The three-year birth year range is the same as used by FIFA for recent U-17 WWCs and is not expected to change for the 2025 edition. (The official regulations for the 2025 U-17 WWC have not yet publicly published.)
The concurrent U-17 USWYNT camp’s roster only includes players with 2008 birth years, so there is a good chance that at least a few players from this U-16 camp will be called into future U-17 camps this cycle.
In U.S. Soccer’s press release, Ciara Crinion, who was the U-15 USWYNT head coach last year, is listed as the head coach for this U-16 camp. The November 2024 camp was helmed by Patchy Toledo, who has served as U-16 USWYNT head coach since August 2022. U.S. Soccer has not officially announced any changes among the women’s youth coaches in the last few months, so it is unclear if Crinion serving as U-16 head coach is temporary, permanent, or an error in the press release.
Both this camp and the U-17 USWYNT camp were originally planned to be held in Chula Vista, California, but were moved to Mesa, Arizona, due to wildfires (USYNT x.com post).
Alphabetical Roster, By Position
Parenthetical Key: Club; Expected High School Graduation Year; Hometown
Goalkeepers (3):
- McNeal, Ella (St. Louis Scott Gallagher; 2027; Manchester, Mo.)
- Volpp, Brooke (San Diego Surf SC; 2028; Encinitas, Calif.)
- Zillman, Malia (Rockford Raptors FC; 2027; Waunakee, Wisc.)*
Defenders (8):
- Brewer, Meila (Kansas City Athletics; 2027; Overland Park, Ks.)
- Castellanos, Lizette (Albion SC San Diego; 2028; Chula Vista, Calif.)
- Fraser, Delaney (Lamorinda SC; 2027; Concord, Calif.)
- Hansen, Kendra (Pateadores SC; 2028; Tustin, Calif.)
- Lawless-Felarca, Rachel (Sting Dallas Royal; 2027; Dallas, Texas)*
- Sistek, Piper (San Diego Surf SC; 2027; Carlsbad, Calif.)
- Vann, Brooklyn (Cincinnati United SC; 2027; Middletown, Ohio)*
- Vera, Elena (Davis Legacy SC; 2027; Fairfield, Calif.)
Midfielders (7):
- Buehler, Karis (Slammers FC HB Køge; 2028; Fullerton, Calif.)
- Corona, Mia (Legends FC; 2027; Cypress, Calif.)
- Kopmeyer, Bridget (Internationals SC; 2028; Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)*
- Morrell, Taylor (Virginia Dev. Acad.; 2027; Leesburg, Va.)
- Murray, Grace (Beach FC; 2027; Redondo Beach, Calif.)
- Paletta, Loradana (New York City FC; n/a; Syosset, N.Y.)
- Swann, Caroline (Solar SC; 2027; Dallas, Texas)
Forwards (6):
- DiMaria, Maddie (St. Louis Scott Gallagher; 2027; Fenton, Mo.)
- Helwig, Lilah (FC Delco; 2028; Frackville, Pa.)*
- Kersh, Bristol (TopHat SC; 2027; Flowery Branch, Ga.)
- Moore, Rhea (San Juan SC; 2027; Sacramento, Calif.)
- Ream, KK (Utah Royals – NWSL; 2027; Herriman, Utah)
- Reyna, Carolina (Sting Austin; 2028; Austin, Texas)
*Apparent first-time call-ups
High school graduation years are sourced from the player’s social media or sites such as Top Drawer Soccer.
Notables
2024 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship Squad
In total, 11 of the 18 players from the U-15 USWYNT that won the 2024 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship, have been called into this current camp.
From the November 2024 camp, seven members of the USA’s U-15 Championship squad return:
- Defenders: Meila Brewer, Elena Vera
- Midfielders: Mia Corona, Loradana Paletta, Caroline Swann
- Forwards: KK Ream, Carolina Reyna
Four of the squad members are attending their first U-16 camp this cycle:
- Goalkeeper: Ella McNeal
- Midfielder: Taylor Morell
- Forwards: Maddie DiMaria, Bristol Kersh*
*For the U-15 Championship, Kersh was listed as a defender.
Three players from the U-15 Championship squad who attended the November 2024 camp are not attending this current camp: Defender Chloe Miller, midfielder Deus Stanislaus, and Gotham FC forward Mak Whitham.
Returnees from the November 2024 Camp:
Half of the 24 players named to the November 2024 U-16 USWYNT camp roster will be attending this camp:
- Goalkeeper: Brooke Volpp
- Defenders: Meila Brewer, Kendra Hansen*, Elena Vera
- Midfielders: Karis Buehler, Mia Corona, Grace Murray, Loradana Paletta, Caroline Swann
- Forwards: Rhea Moore, KK Ream, Carolina Reyna
*Hansen was listed as a forward on the previous camp roster.
First-Timers
The five apparent first-timers, who have not been listed on any previous public United States youth camp roster, are goalkeeper Malia Zillman; defenders Rachel Lawless-Felarca and Brooklyn Vann; midfielder Bridget Kopmeyer, and forward Lilah Helwig.
Two additional players are attending their first youth camp since a U-14 Talent ID camp in February 2023: Defenders Lizette Castellanos and Piper Sistek.
Miscellany
Defender Delaney Fraser has recovered from an ACL injury suffered in January 2024 (Instagram). Her primary position is center-back. In 2023, she attended two U-14 camps and one U-15 camp.
Kendra Hansen has one of the more unique multi-sport combinations: In addition to playing soccer for her high school, she also plays flag football (Mater Dei student newspaper article).
U.S. Soccer press release: “U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team and U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Teams to Open 2025 with Concurrent Training Camps in San Diego” (21-Jan-2025)
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