U.S. U-16 USGNT Kicks Off 2020 with Florida Training Camp

CHICAGO (Jan. 21, 2020)—The U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Team will start 2020 with a 28-player training camp at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. running from Jan. 24-29.

Former professional player Katie Schoepfer, who played in the WPS and NWSL and for the U.S. Under-23 WNT, will lead the camp and has called up 26 players born in 2004 and two born in 2005. Eleven players helped the USA win the 2019 Conacaf Girls U-15 Championship last August: goalkeepers Nona Reason and Teagan Wy, defenders Elise Evans, Evelyn Shores, Maggie Tatiano and Gisele Thompson, midfielders Maggie Cagle, Sofia Cook and Yuna McCormack as well as forwards Allison Montoya and Katherine Rader. Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2003, are age-eligible for the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Former U.S. WNT goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, who earned 54 caps for the USA between 2004-2013, will be an assistant coach under Schoepfer for the camp.

Five players on the roster helped lead the San Jose Earthquakes to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-15 Championship last season. McCormack won the Golden Ball as the postseason’s best player. Reason took home the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper in the postseason for San Diego Surf.

U-16 USGNT Roster by Position (Club; Hometown)

GOALKEEPERS (4): Mackenzie Gress (STA Development Academy; Lyndhurst, N.J.), Claire Heddings (Cedar Stars Academy – Monmouth; New York, N.Y.), Nona Reason (San Diego Surf; San Clemente, Calif.), Teagan Wy (OC Surf SC; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)          

DEFENDERS (9): Taylor Bloom (Beach FC; Huntington Beach, Calif.), Sydney Cheesman (Colorado Rush; Lafayette, Colo.), Tessa Dellarose (Pittsburgh Riverhounds; Grindstone, Penn.), Elise Evans (San Jose Earthquakes; Redwood City, Calif.), Kayleigh Herr (NC Courage; Cary, N.C.), Kathryn Kelly (San Jose Earthquakes; Belmont, Calif.), Evelyn Shores (Tophat; Atlanta, Ga.), Maggie Taitano (San Diego Surf; Carlsbad, Calif.), Gisele Thompson (Real So Cal; Studio City, Calif.)    

MIDFIELDERS (8): Sydney Becerra (Solar SC; Lewisville, Texas), Maggie Cagle (Phoenix Rising; Phoenix, Ariz.), Sofia Cook (LA Galaxy; Huntington Beach, Calif.), Jill Flammia (Richmond United; Manakin-Sabot, Va.), Jennie Immethun (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Ally Lemos (Legends FC; Glendora, Calif.), Peyton Marcisz (San Jose Earthquakes; San Mateo, Calif.) Yuna McCormack (San Jose Earthquakes; Mill Valley, Calif.)

FORWARDS (7): Tyler Isgrig (Solar SC; Arlington, Texas), Lumi Kostmayer (Sky Blue – NYSC; Southbury, Conn.), Mia Minestrella (Beach FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.), Allison Montoya (MVLA SC; Los Altos, Calif.), Katherine Rader (Weston FC; Stuart, Fla.), Cate Shepherd (Baltimore Armour; Baldwin, Md.), Ava Uribe (Reign Academy; Sammamish, Wash.)                                                                                                  

The U-16 GNT was re-instituted in 2015. Prior to that year, U.S. Soccer had not had programming at the U-16 level since 2007. When FIFA instituted a world championship at the U-17 level for 2008, the U-16 age group was absorbed into the U-17s. In 2015, as part of an overall commitment to player development, new programs at the U-16 and U-19 level were restarted, and U.S. Soccer now has a full slate of Youth National Teams for both its men's and women's programs at the U-14, U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19, U-20 and U-23 levels.

Those additions created two separate programming tracks for even-birth-year players and odd-birth-year players, allowing for a more consistent approach toward development and additional opportunities for players to participate in National Team events and matches.