USWNT returning to Denver in October with 3 Coloradans on training camp roster

U.S. Soccer has announced that the senior women’s team will train in Commerce City, Colorado during the week of October 18th. It is the first time that the squad will work together in seven months. The camp will kick off their plans to prepare for the rescheduled 2020 Summer Olympic Games that are now set to open on July 23-August 8, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

They will train at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, where both the women’s and men’s teams have played multiple times over the past decade.

Vlatko Andonovski’s 27-player roster includes three products from Front Range Colorado youth soccer programs. USWNT veteran and Colorado Rush star Lindsey Horan is back, and two rising players via the Real Colorado Soccer Club—Sophia Smith and Jaelin Howell—have also been invited.

Fan favorite and Colorado native, Mallory Pugh, is recovering from an injury and will not participate. Forward Carli Lloyd and goalkeeper Adrianna Franch are also recuperating. Midfielder Julie Ertz will not attend camp due to a family commitment and forward Megan Rapinoe has opted out.

“We’re looking forward to getting this group together in Colorado and we really like the mix of players as far as age, experience level, and positions,” said Andonovski. “We are very aware that the players also have had different levels of activity over the past few months, so we’ll definitely take that into account as we run this camp. As we finally get back on the field, I know our players and staff are really looking forward to training together again.”

When the team is not at training at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the U.S. team and staff will operate inside a controlled environment at a Denver-area hotel. The entire group will undergo multiple COVID-19 tests before traveling to Denver and will be tested upon arrival, as well as every two days during camp. U.S. Soccer said that there will be no full-team training until the results of all arrival tests are confirmed.

No games are scheduled to be played at Dick’s Sporting Goods during the camp period; however, U.S. Soccer is still working on possible USWNT activity for November.

An enthusiastic Andovoski added, “For this camp, it just did not make sense for the players in Europe to leave their club environments, where they are getting quality training games, as they are just starting to get settled.” He continued, “But this opens up the important opportunity for other players to step up and show if they can contribute to the National Team during our run to the Olympics.”

Andonovski formally replaced women’s Head Coach Jill Ellis in October of 2019 and the team has a record of 10-0-0 under him so far.

USWNT October Training Camp Roster

[Current Club/College; Caps/Goals]

GOALKEEPERS (4): Aubrey Bledsoe (Washington Spirit; 0), Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 3), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 25), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 63)

DEFENDERS (10): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 61/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars; 26/1), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage; 104/24), Naomi Girma (Stanford; 0/0), Sarah Gorden (Chicago Red Stars; 0/0) Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride; 107/1), Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC; 131/2), Margaret Purce (Sky Blue FC; 1/0), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC; 177/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 32/0)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Shea Groom (Houston Dash; 0/0), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 86/19), Morgan Gautrat (Chicago Red Stars; 87/8), Jaelin Howell (Florida State; 0/0), Catarina Macario (Stanford; 0/0), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash; 15/1), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit; 0/0)

FORWARDS (6): Bethany Balcer (OL Reign; 0/0), Mia Fishel (UCLA; 0/0), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 2/0), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Kealia Watt (Chicago Red Stars; 3/1), Lynn Williams (NC Courage; 28/9)