W-League Feature
Thursday, December 26, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – The U.S. Women’s U20 squad that will compete at CONCACAF qualifying for a place at the 2014 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup this summer has been announced, with W-League standouts Lindsay Horan and Savannah Jordan leading Michelle French’s squad as it heads to the Cayman Islands to try and earn a place in Canada next summer.
Both Horan and Jordan are former All-League selections, with Horan the lone professional player in the squad. The Paris St. Germain forward, who starred for the Colorado Rush in both the youth ranks and W-League, has continued to shine since turning professional, earning selection to the full U.S. Women’s National Team earlier this year.
The Atlanta Silverbacks’ Jordan, meanwhile, is coming off a standout freshman season at the University of Florida that saw her earn TopDrawerSoccer.com Rookie of the Year and SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Jordan had 22 goals for the Gators this fall, following up a summer that saw her score eight goals in 10 regular-season games for the Silverbacks.
Overall, six members of the squad, and one former W-20 player, are included in French’s squad. Jordan’s Atlanta teammate, Jane Campbell, was one of two goalkeeper selected after featuring for the Silverbacks last summer before posting a 0.72 goals-against average in 18 starts for Stanford this fall.
A pair of Washington Spirit Reserves teammates were also selected, with defender Brittany Basinger (Penn State) and midfielder Andi Sullivan, the only high school player in the squad, both being selected. Basinger’s teammate at Penn State Mallory Weber was also named in the midfield contingent, with the Colorado Force’s midfielder being named after helping her side reach the final of the W-20 Championship this past summer.
The Pali Blues’ Makenzy Doniak rounded out the selections to the squad after starring for the University of Virginia this fall. The United States opens the tournament on Thursday, January 9 against Costa Rica, with games against Jamaica and Guatemala to follow. Three teams from CONCACAF will reach the World Cup, set to be held in Canada in August.