Hayes' First USWNT Roster
Emma Hayes has etched her name in WSL history with five consecutive title wins with Chelsea. As the legendary manager ends her tenure in England, will she be able to replicate her successes with the USWNT? Her first step in her new position was to create a roster that she saw fit to win trophies; here is who she chose.
Old USWNT Faces
The three goalkeepers she chose were Jane Campbell, Aubrey Kingsbury, and Casey Murphy. All three keepers play in the NWSL and Kingsbury and Murphy’s teams are currently in contention for the playoffs. AD Franch might have been a good contender for this position, and her KC Current is still undefeated this season and in a title fight. However, she has not received USWNT playing time since spring of 2023.
The defenders that were called up are as follows; Tierna Davidson, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Casey Krueger, Jenna Nighswonger, and Emily Sonnett. These are familiar players that have played in the last few camps. All players have had or are having successful seasons for their respective clubs, and their “no-nonsense defending” tactics are something to look forward to during this camp.
The midfielders called up are Korbin Albert, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, and Lily Yohannes. It is great to see Yohannes get called up more, as she has proven herself with Ajax in The Netherlands. Horan is also set to win the UWCL this upcoming weekend, which would fill her closet with another trophy. Coffey and Lavelle are performing well in the NWSL with game-deciding goals from both midfielders.
Lastly, the forwards are Crystal Dunn, Catarina Macario, Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman, Jaedyn Shaw, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson. For the first time in a while, Dunn is named as a forward instead of a midfielder, which fans are excited to see. Rodman and Smith have been killing it with their teams and this powerhouse duo is a sight to see. Fans have been questioning Morgan’s call-up, however she is a large contributor to the social structure of this team.
New USWNT faces
Two players who have gotten their first-ever senior call-up to the USWNT are 27-year-old Sam Staab and 21-year-old Hal Hershfelt. Staab is a defender for the Chicago Red Stars and was a 2023 NWSL Defender of the Year finalist during her time with the Washington Spirit. Hershfelt is a midfielder with the Spirit and already has a goal with the team. She is also likely to become a Rookie of the Year finalist.
Who is Missing?
Many fans are upset about the absence of Lynn Williams, and I must admit that I am as well. She has recently passed Australian forward Sam Kerr as the highest-scoring player in the NWSL with 79 goals. She has been having a good season with the Gotham ever since coming back from her injury, and she should have been considered. However, with so many stellar American forwards, it must have been a hard decision for Hayes to have made.
Alyssa Naeher, the American Hero, is not on this roster due to injury. Many fans wanted her there to at least be in on plans for the future of this team. What I believe Hayes is doing is scouting her options for other goalies. She must know that Naeher is an amazing goalie, and when she is healthy, she will be back on the roster.
Olivia Moultrie and Croix Bethune are two midfielders who did not make the roster, but they will be attending training camp. Olivia Moultrie has been making a name for herself in the NWSL as well as the USWNT. Croix Bethune has also been a creative addition to the Washington Spirit’s midfield.
While many criticisms have been thrown at the roster Hayes has made, we must remember that she has many years of winning experience and might have what it takes to turn this team back into an international, gold-medal-winning team.
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