W-League Feature
Friday, January 24, 2014
TAMPA, Fla. – The 24-player U.S. Women’s National Team squad for three exhibition games against Canada and Russia was announced by Coach Tom Sermanni on Friday afternoon, with 18 former W-League players set to feature.
Former LA Blues player Sam Mewis, who was part of the side’s run to the 2013 W-League Championship, is joined in the squad by sister Kristie, marking the first time since 1998 that sisters have been called up to the same full national team squad. Sam Mewis is one of five former Blues to earn selection, with Lauren Holiday, Christen Press, Kelley O’Hara and Whitney Engen also called into the squad.
The Seattle Sounders Women and New Jersey Wildcats are also both well represented, with Sydney Leroux leading a contingent for the Sounders that also includes Megan Rapinoe, Hope Solo and Stephanie Cox. The Wildcats alumni, meanwhile, include Heather O’Reilly and Carli Lloyd, while recent No. 1 NWSL SuperDraft selection Crystal Dunn, formerly of the Long Island Rough Riders, is also named.
Other W-League alumni selected for the contests in Frisco, Texas, Boca Raton, Fla. and Atlanta include former Rochester Ravens forward Abby Wambach, who will look to continue to add to her world-record total of 163 international goals. Goalkeeper Jill Loyden, formerly of the Hudson Valley Quickstrike, was also selected alongside Solo, and a pair of NWSL award-winners from 2013 also return to the squad with FC Kansas City’s Becky Sauerbrunn (D.C. United Women) and Erika Tymrak (Bradenton Academics) looking to build on outstanding years.
Rounding out the group is former Northern Virginia Royals defender Ali Krieger and former New Jersey Lady Stallions defender Christie Rampone. The U.S. Women’s National Team will face Canada at Toyota Stadium on January 31 at 8 p.m. CT (Fox Sports 1), and then head to the southeast for a pair of games with Russia on February 8 at FAU Stadium and on February 12 at the Georgia Dome.