Mallory Pugh leads USA's U-20 Women's World Cup squad

By Mike Woitalla
@MikeWoitalla

Mallory Pugh, the 18-year-old Colorado product who has alreadymade 17 appearances, with four goals and seven assists, for the USA’s full national team under Coach Jill Ellis, is one of 21 players named by Coach Michelle Frenchto the USA’s roster for the 2016 U-20 Women’s World Cup (Nov. 13-Dec. 3) in Papua New Guinea.

Pugh, who played three games and scored once for the USA during its quarterfinal run at lastsummer’s Olympic Games in Brazil, is one of three players, along with goalkeeper Rose Chandler and defender Kaleigh Riehl, on French’s roster who were also part ofFrench’s team the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada. Pugh played in all four U.S. games in Canada, while Chandler and Riehl were reserves. Chandler won the Golden Glove at the ConcacafU-20 qualifying tournament for the 2016 U-20 World Cup.

“Throughout this cycle, we have gone through an extensive process evaluating a number of players in various environments,” French said.”The final World Cup roster is comprised of players who provide great depth and versatility in every position.”

Included in the squad is forward Ashley Sanchez, whoscored three goals and captained the USA at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan, where the USA, coached by B.J. Snow, exited in the first round. Sanchez, the youngest player onFrench’s roster, scored three goals and had five assists at the Concacaf U-20 qualifying tournament and scored the game-winning goal in the championship game against Canada.

At the 2014U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada, the USA fell in a penalty-kick tiebreaker in the quarterfinals to North Korea after a 1-1 tie.

• Five of the U.S. players hail from PennState’s 2015 NCAA national championship team: Kaleigh Riehl, Madeline Elliston, Ellie Jean, Emily Ogle  and Chandler.

• The age cut-off date for this 2016Women’s World Cup is Jan. 1, 1996. Eight of the 21 U.S. players were born in 1996, eight in 1997, four in 1998 (Savannah DeMelo, Brooke Heinsohn, Emily Fox and Pugh) and one in 1999(Sanchez).

• California is best represented with four players, followed by Virginia (3), New Jersey (2) and Colorado (2).

• The USA opens Group C play against FranceNov. 14 before facing New Zealand Nov. 17 and Ghana on Monday.

• In its final warmup games, the U.S. U-20s beat Venezuela 5-1 and 6-2. Pugh scored four goals in the two games.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup team
GOALKEEPERS (3): Rose Chandler (Penn State; Atlanta, Ga.), Brooke Heinsohn (New England FC; Norfolk, Mass.), Casey Murphy (Rutgers; Bridgewater, N.J.).
DEFENDERS(7): Madeline Elliston (Penn State; Omaha, Neb.), Emily Fox (FC Virginia; Ashburn, Va.), Sabrina Flores (Notre Dame; Livingston, N.J.), Ellie Jean (Penn State; Coventry, Conn.), NatalieJacobs (Notre Dame; Coto de Caza, Calif.), Taylor Otto (North Carolina; Apex, N.C.), Kaleigh Riehl (Penn State; Fairfax Station, Va.).
MIDFIELDERS (7): Marley Canales (San DiegoSurf; San Diego, Calif.), Katie Cousins (Tennessee; Forest, Va.), Savannah DeMelo (Beach FC; Bellflower, Calif.), Kelcie Hedge (Washington; Post Falls, Idaho), Emily Ogle (Penn State; Strongsville,Ohio), Courtney Petersen (Virginia; Canton, Mich.), Parker Roberts (Florida; Leawood, Kansas).
FORWARDS (4): Ashley Sanchez (So Cal Blues: Monrovia, Calif.), Mallory Pugh (RealColorado; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Jessie Scarpa (North Carolina; Lakeland, Fla.), Ally Watt (Texas A&M; Colorado Springs, Colo.).

U.S. U-20 Women’s World CupHistory
Year U.S. finish (U.S. coach)
2014 Quarterfinals (Michelle French)
2012 Champion (Steve Swanson)
2010 Quarterfinals (Jill Ellis)
2008 Champion (Tony DiCicco)
2006 Fourth Place (Tim Schulz)
2004 Third place (MarkKrikorian)
2002 Champion (Tracey Leone)

Roster: U.S. U-18 women in Northern Ireland

U.S. Soccer Women’s Technical Director April Heinrichs has taken a 20-player squad — eight 1999s and 12 born in 1998 — to Northern Ireland October 13-24 for the 2016 Women’s International Cup, at which the team will face England (Oct.18), France (Oct. 20) and host Northern Ireland Oct. 23.

U.S. U-18 women’s national team
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brooke Heinsohn (NewEngland FC; Norfolk, Mass.), Mandy McGlynn (Virginia Tech; Jacksonville, Fla.).
DEFENDERS (6): Kerry Abello (Eclipse Select; Batavia, Ill.), Sydney Dawson (Internationals SC;Akron, Ohio), Julie Doyle (San Diego Surf; Laguna Nigel, Calif.), Joanna Harber (Eastside FC; Bellevue, Wash.), Mia Palmer (Crossfire; Portland, Ore.), Karlie Paschall (Tennessee Soccer Club;Brentwood, Tenn.).
MIDFIELDERS (6): Haley Berg (Solar; Celina, Texas), Sam Coffey (New York SC; Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.), Arlie Jones (San Diego Surf; Las Vegas, Nev.), Shea Moyer(FC Revolution; Wyomissing, Penn.), Viviana Villacorta (Beach FC; Lawndale, Calif.), Sofia Weiner (Colorado Rush; Evergreen, Colo.).
FORWARDS (6): Amirah Ali (PDA; Voorhees,N.J.), Belle Briede (Tophat SC; Alpharetta, Ga.), Kirsten Davis (St. Louis Gallagher; Chesterfield, Mo.), Mireya Grey (Crossfire; Seattle, Wash.), Tara McKeown (San Diego Surf; Newbury Park, Calif.),Kelsey Turnbow (SC Del Sol; Scottsdale, Ariz.).

U-17 Women’sWorld Cup semis …

Florida State’s Deyna Castellanos scored both goals as Venezuela returned to the semifinals at the U-17 Women’s World Cup with a 2-1 win overMexico, the last Concacaf team alive in the tournament following the first-round elimination of the USA and Canada. In Monday’s semifinals, Venezuela faces North Korea, which won the inaugural U-17Women’s World Cup in 2008, and Spain meets defending champ Japan.

• Under-17 Women’s World Cup: Results & Schedule

Four clubs added to Girls Development Academy; six regional divisions set

U.S. Soccer has announcedthe addition of four clubs to the Girls Development Academy, which kicks off in the fall of 2017: San Diego’s Albion SC, the Los Angeles Galaxy, the San Jose Earthquakes, and Georgia’s ClubUnited Futbol Academy. U.S. Soccer has also announced the breakdown of the six regional divisions.

Four clubs — Northern California’s Mustang, New Jersey’s Match Fit Academy,Arizona’s Sereno SC and Florida’s Jacksonville Armada Youth Academy (JFC) — that were included in U.S. Soccer’s August announcement of 74 clubs are no longer slated to participate. The 74clubs, which will field teams in U-14/15, U-16/17 and U-18/19 competition, include nine NWSL clubs.

NORTHEAST
Boston Breakers (Watertown, Mass.),Cedar Stars-Monmouth (Tinton Falls, N.J.), East Meadow SC (East Meadow, N.Y.), FC Fury NY (Bay Shore, N.Y.), FC Stars (Acton, Mass.), FC Virginia (Chantilly, Va.), Oakwood Soccer Club (Glastonbury,Conn.), PA Classics (Manheim, Pa.), Penn Fusion Soccer Academy (Westtown, Pa.), Sky Blue-PDA (Bernardsville, N.J.), Virginia Development Academy (Woodbridge, Va.), Washington Spirit Maryland (Boyds,Md.), Washington Spirit Virginia (Fairfax, Va.), World Class FC (Orangeburg, N.Y.).
SOUTHEAST
Boca United FC (Boca Raton, Fla.), Capital Area RailHawks(Raleigh, N.C.), Charlotte Soccer Academy (Matthews, N.C.), Concorde Fire (Atlanta, Ga.), IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), NTH Tophat (Marietta, Ga.), Orlando Pride (Orlando, Fla.), United FutbolAcademy (Cumming, Ga.), United Soccer Alliance (Jacksonville, Fla.), West Florida Flames (Brandon, Fla.), Weston FC (Weston, Fla.).
MID-AMERICA
Cincinnati Development Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio), Eclipse Select Soccer Club (Oak Brook, Ill.), Empire United Soccer Academy (West Henrietta, N.Y.), FC United (Northfield, Ill.), Indiana FireAcademy (Westfield, Ind.), Michigan Hawks (Wixom, Mich.), Midwest United FC (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Nationals (Pontiac, Mich.), Shattuck-St. Mary’s Rev SC (Faribault, Minn.), Sockers FC Chicago(Palatine, Ill.), Western New York Flash (Elma, N.Y.).
FRONTIER
Colorado Rush (Littleton, Co.), Dallas Texans Soccer Club (Plano, Texas), FC Dallas(Frisco, Texas), FC Kansas City (Prairie Village, Kan.), Houston Dash (Houston, Texas), Houston United DA (Spring, Texas), Lonestar Soccer Club (Austin, Texas), Real Colorado (Centennial, Co.), SolarSoccer Club (Allen, Texas), SPORTING Blue Valley (Overland Park, Kan.), Sting Soccer Club (Addison, Texas), Texas Rush Soccer Club (The Woodlands, Texas), TSC Hurricane (Jenks, Okla.).
NORTHWEST
Burlingame Soccer Club (Burlingame, Calif.), California Storm (Sacramento, Calif.), Crossfire Premier (Redmond, Wash.), De Anza Force (Campbell, Calif.),Eastside FC (Issaquah, Wash.), La Roca Futbol Club (Kaysville, Utah), Lamorinda Soccer Club (Moraga, Calif.), Portland Thorns (Portland, Ore.), PSV Union Football Club (Palo Alto, Calif.), San JoseEarthquakes (San Jose, Calif.), Seattle Reign (Seattle, Wash.)
SOUTHWEST
Albion SC (San Diego, Calif.), Beach Futbol Club (Torrance, Calif.), EaglesSoccer Club (Camarillo, Calif.), LA Galaxy (Carson, Calif.), LA Galaxy San Diego (Carlsbad, Calif.), LAFC Slammers (Costa Mesa, Calif.), Legends FC (Chino, Calif.), Los Angeles Premier Futbol Club (LaCanada Flintridge, Calif.), Pateadores (Costa Mesa, Calif.), Real So Cal (Woodland Hills, Calif.), San Diego Surf Soccer Club (Del Mar, Calif.), SC del Sol (Phoenix, Ariz.), So Cal Blues (LagunaHills, Calif.), West Coast Futbol Club (Laguna Hills, Calif.).

• LA Galaxy launches girls academy program

Match Fit Academy explains declining Girls DA

New Jersey club Match Fit Academyposted a statement, headlined “Match Fit Academy All In with ECNL” on its Web site explaining why it’s declined aninvitation to be part of U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy:

“The MFAFC ownership and staff feel that the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) has provided our players with a league that is thebest female youth league in the world. … After discussing our current structure and future plans, at length, we feel that it would be very difficult for our club, or any club for that matter,to have the resources to compete in both leagues at the highest level. In addition there would be a continual internal conflict within the club about where players should be playing. …”

It listed among its reasons that “Condensing our ECNL teams from 6 to 3 DA teams, and then not having a quality league to provide for the remaining players, would hurt our club. … The DAsaturated the North East by adding too many clubs. Not only does this hurt our player pool it additionally diluted the standard of the DA. … We feel our players should have the choice play highschool soccer and other [high school] sports.”