Roster: Olivia Moultrie joins U.S. U-20 women's national team camp
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Oct 7, 2021
Olivia Moultrie, who made her NWSL debut for the Portland Thorns 10 weeks before turning 16 on Sept. 17, has been called into the U.S. U-20 women's national team camp despite still eligible for the U-17s. The U-20s are preparing for the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship to determine qualifiers for the 2022 U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica (Aug. 10-28), for which players born in 2002 or later are eligible.
The USA won the 2020 Concacaf U-20 Championship but the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 U-20 World Cup.
As is the case with the U-17 women's camp the preceding week, the U-20 gathering in Chula Vista, California, Oct. 17-24 will be run by U.S. Soccer youth national team coaches Tracey Kevins and Matt Potter.
Moultrie became a professional at 13 and earlier this year successfully challenged in federal court the NWSL's restrictions on minors playing in its league and has made eight NWSL appearances since. She is the only pro on the 28-player roster on which 14 states and 21 youth clubs are represented. Eleven players on the roster hail from California, not including Moultrie, who moved from Southern California to Oregon upon turning pro.
“With international competition right around the corner, we’re really looking forward to seeing our U-20 and U-17 USWNTs get back together on the field,” said USWNT General Manager Kate Markgraf said in a press release. “After scouting players across the country in their club competitions virtually and in-person, and evaluating them at Regional ID Centers, as well as during the last cycles before COVID, these camps are a critical opportunity to bring the player pools together and familiarize them with our staff and each other. It’s an important early step to prepare for qualifying, which is coming up quickly.”
U.S. U-20 women's national team
GOALKEEPERS (3):
Neeku Purcell (OL Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.)
Nona Reason (Indiana Fire; Noblesville, Ind.)
Teagan Wy (SoCal Blues; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (9)
Sydney Cheesman (Colorado Rush; Lafayette, Colo.)
Tessa Dellarose (Pittsburgh Riverhounds; Grindstone, Pa.)
Elise Evans (FC Bay Area Surf; Redwood City, Calif.)
Kayleigh Herr (NC Courage; Cary, N.C.)
Margo Matula (Albion Hurricanes FC; Houston, Tex.)
Molly McDougal (DKSC; Prosper, Tex.)
Evelyn Shores (Tophat; Atlanta, Ga.)
Freya Spiekerkoetter (Mountain View Los Altos; Redwood City, Calif.)
Kolo Suliafu (SoCal Blues; Ontario, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (8):
Maggie Cagle (Phoenix Rising; Phoenix, Ariz.)
Sofia Cook (SoCal Blues; Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Annie Karich (Beach FC; Surfside, Calif.)
Carina Lageyre (Florida United; Cooper City, Fla.)
Devin Lynch (Sockers FC; Naperville, Ill.)
Yuna McCormack (San Jose Earthquakes; Mill Valley, Calif.)
Macaira Midgley (Michigan Hawks; Wolverine Lake, Mich.)
Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns; Wilsonville, Ore.)
FORWARDS (8):
Jill Flammia (Richmond United; Richmond, Va.)
Mia Minestrella (Beach FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.)
Allison Montoya (Mountain View Los Altos; Los Altos, Calif.)
Katherine Rader (Florida United; Stuart, Fla.)
Julia Saunicheva (FC Bay Area Surf; San Jose, Calif.)
Alyssa Thompson (Total Futbol Academy; Studio City, Calif.)
Farrah Walters (Utah Royals FC; Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Amelia White (Fort Wayne United FC; Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Glad this kid is pushing the envelope re: professional age now youger than 18. She has promise but needs lots of technical focus. Last videos I saw of her she had no left foot. It's not too late for her to improve. Hopefully she's getting some regular futsal exposure.
R2, I was watch UNC play Pitt, on espn+. I was impressed with two of their players, Jones, and murphy. Check them out ,sometime....I'm going to review the whole game today.
Enjoy this 19year old back in '72.....What a difference with today's....
Dragan dzajic playing for yugoslavia only 19 years old by ivan pobran. Youtube....
Frank, I've gone back a couple times to see that UNC/Pitt match but it's no longer posted on ESPN+ as far as I can tell. Will try to watch live next time they're scheduled.
Yesterday was great day to referee, as I got to ref a couple skilled little U11 players. One was properly chesting down balls and running the Messi 3 touch/3 step along the baseline that adults struggle to do. The other was good on the ball and really smart for his age. Coach was complaining why he was walking back to the centerline during play and the kid had to tell the coach he was off so couldn't play the through-ball. He was also driving to the endline for proper crosses, all well-delivered. Gives me hope for the future. Both hispanic kids on a hispanic team, buried in a white club. If they were in Europe they'd be whisked off to a proper professional environment to get better training, but I know those coaches and that club. These 2 boys will have to do it (with their families) all on their own. Those academy coaches don't even cover the basics.
ESPN+, should have for you can go back to see older games at least a week ago.
it does have UNC-Boston U. I just watched a little of . Boston was gin I got them a game
That sounded interesting reffing and able to enjoy watching a couple good young players....Amazing those kids other than have seen the possibilities of those two...