Former BYU Cougar Ashley Hatch was called up to the U.S. women’s national team Monday in the first roster released since Emma Hayes was named head coach.
This is Hatch’s third consecutive call-up following her World Cup roster snub. She played in the team’s match against Colombia in Sandy, Utah, in October and against South Africa in September.
Only 13 of the 26 players called up were on the U.S.’s World Cup roster this summer, and only six have appeared in 50 or more national team matches.
What did interim coach Twila Kilgore say about the roster?
The roster was assembled in accordance with the plan put together by U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker, Hayes and interim head coach Twila Kilgore, who will stay on Hayes’ staff as an assistant coach, U.S. Soccer said in its press release.
“As we move forward with the next steps, we need more opportunities to see players from our pool in our unique National Team environment, in both training and games, so we can evaluate if and how they might contribute moving forward to the Olympics,” Kilgore said in the press release.
During a press conference Monday, Kilgore elaborated on what she wants to see from players during this call-up.
“It’s a great opportunity for each of them to show us why they’re here, that they want to win, that they’re going to be brave, that they’re going to be creative, that they’re going to be themselves, that they can take on information quickly and apply it in a game which is really important at the international level,” she said.
One of the young players that will be given an opportunity in December is Latter-day Saint teen Olivia Moultrie. She was named to the USWNT roster for its October matches in Sandy and San Diego but didn’t play in either.
Why were USWNT veterans left off the roster?
Some notable roster absences include Alyssa Naeher, Becky Sauerbrunn, Crystal Dunn and Alex Morgan. During the press conference, Kilgore emphasized that players left off the December roster are still in the player pool and not out of the mix for the Olympics.
“I’m very confident that both Emma and I know what the players that are not called into camp are capable of doing and what their value is, and we simply wanted to use this roster to get more players in to look at them and get some evaluations in a quicker period of time, whether that’s in the environment, in training or in games,” she said.
Who is on the USWNT December roster?
Goalkeepers:
- Jane Campbell.
- Aubrey Kingsbury.
- Casey Murphy.
Defenders:
- Alana Cook.
- Abby Dahlkemper.
- Tierna Davidson.
- Emily Fox.
- Naomi Girma.
- Casey Krueger.
- M.A. Vignola.
Midfielders:
- Korbin Albert.
- Sam Coffey.
- Savannah DeMelo.
- Lindsey Horan.
- Rose Lavelle.
- Olivia Moultrie.
- Jenna Nighswonger.
- Emily Sonnett.
Forwards:
- Mia Fishel.
- Ashley Hatch.
- Midge Purce.
- Trinity Rodman.
- Jaedyn Shaw.
- Sophia Smith.
- Alyssa Thompson.
- Lynn Williams.