Roster: U.S. U-20 women head to final pre-World Cup camp

• by Mike Woitalla  @MikeWoitalla, Jun 21, 2018

Coach Jitka Klimkovahas called in 24 players for a June 25-July 12 training camp in Portland, Oregon, ahead of choosing a 21-player roster for the U-20 Women’s World Cup (Aug. 5-24).

The gathering will include two friendlies against Brazil, which has also qualified for the U-20 World Cup and which beat the USA, 2-0, at the Women's Nike Friendlies in December of 2017.

• The roster is comprised of 19 collegians and five youth club players who are entering college in the fall: defender Naomi Girma (California Thorns), midfielders Jaelin Howell (Real Colorado), Brianna Pinto (NTH Tophat) and forwards Sophia Smith (Real Colorado) and Penelope Hocking (So Cal Blues).

• Best represented with four players are UCLA (Karina Rodriguez, Ashley Sanchez, Delanie Sheehan and Viviana Villacorta) and the University of Virginia (Laurel Ivory, Zoe Morse, Alexa Spaanstra and Taryn Torres).

U.S. U-20 women's national team
GOALKEEPERS (3): Hillary Beall (Michigan; Laguna Beach, Calif.), Laurel Ivory (Virginia; Surfside, Fla.), Amanda McGlynn (Virginia Tech; Jacksonville, Fla.).
DEFENDERS (9): Emily Fox (North Carolina; Chapel Hill, N.C.), Naomi Girma (California Thorns FC; San Jose, Calif.), Samantha Hiatt (Stanford; Newcastle, Wash.), Tara McKeown (USC; Newbury Park, Calif.), Taylor Mitchell (Duke; Tarzana, Calif.), Zoe Morse (Virginia; East Lansing, Mich.), Kiara Pickett (Stanford; Santa Barbara, Calif.), Isabel Rodriguez (Ohio State; Canton, Mich.), Karina Rodriguez (UCLA; Torrance, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Savannah DeMelo (USC; Bellflower, Calif.), Jaelin Howell (Real Colorado; Windsor, Colo.), Brianna Pinto (NTH Tophat; Durham, NC), Delanie Sheehan (UCLA; Brentwood, Calif.), Viviana Villacorta (UCLA; Lawndale, Calif.)
FORWARDS (7): Erin Gilroy (Tennessee; Bellmore, N.Y.), Penelope Hocking (So Cal Blues; Anaheim, Calif.), Abigail Kim (California; Vashon, Wash.), Ashley Sanchez (UCLA; Monrovia, Calif.), Sophia Smith (Real Colorado; Windsor, Colo.), Alexa Spaanstra (Virginia; Brighton, Mich.), Taryn Torres (Virginia; Frisco, Texas).