All 18 players grew up playing multiple US Youth Soccer programs
FRISCO, Texas (July 12, 2016) — All 18 players selected for the 2016 Olympic team by U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis have ties to US Youth Soccer, with most of the players having competed in multiple US Youth Soccer competitive programs.
Each of the 18 players on the Olympic roster participated in US Youth Soccer ODP during their youth careers, while 15 competed in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Two players — Tobin Heath and Christen Press— helped their teams capture coveted US Youth Soccer National Championships, while five players on the team played in National Championship finals.
Once again, the US Youth Soccer National League is represented on the U.S. squad by midfielder Morgan Brian, who was part of the 2015 FIFA World Cup-winning team. Meanwhile, former National League players Samantha Mewis and Emily Sonnett will each travel with the team to Brazil as alternates.
The 2016 United States Olympic roster includes:
- Two players who won US Youth Soccer National Championships
- Five players who were US Youth Soccer National Finalists
- Eight players who competed at the US Youth Soccer National Championships
- 14 players whose teams advanced to US Youth Soccer Regional Championships
- 18 players who participated in the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program
The U.S. will open Group G play on Aug. 3 — two days before the Olympic Opening Ceremony — against New Zealand at 6 p.m. ET in Belo Horizonte. The team will stay in Belo Horizonte to face France at 4 p.m. ET on Aug. 6 and finish group play against Colombia at 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 9 in Manaus.
The U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team has advanced to the gold medal game of every Olympic women’s soccer tournament that has been contested. The USA won the inaugural gold medal in 1996 in Athens, Ga., won silver in 2000 in Sydney, Australia, and will be going for its fourth straight gold medal after standing atop the podium in Athens, Greece in 2004, in Beijing in 2008 and in London in 2012.
2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): *Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), *Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)
DEFENDERS (6): *^Whitney Engen (Boston Breakers), *^Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), *Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC), *^Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), *^Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), *^Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)
MIDFIELDERS (6): *^#Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), *^Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), *^Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), *^Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), *^Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), *^Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)
FORWARDS (4): *^Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), *Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), *^Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), *^Mallory Pugh (Real Colorado)
* = US Youth Soccer ODP
^ = US Youth Soccer NCS
# = US Youth Soccer National League