CHICAGO (Nov. 17, 2021) -- New U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team head coach Natalia Astrain will lead her first training camp from Nov. 17-24 at the Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. It’s the second training camp for the U-17 USWNT this fall as the team jump starts its World Cup cycle and preparations for the 2022 Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship, set for April 23-May 8 in the Dominican Republic.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Abigail Gundry (NC Courage; Wake Forest, N.C.), Victoria Safradin (Internationals SC; Eastlake, Ohio), Kealey Titmuss (Nationals; Grand Blanc, Mich.)
DEFENDERS (9): Jasmine Aikey (Mountain View Los Altos; Palo Alto, Calif.), Alyssa Gonzalez (San Diego Surf; Lemon Grove, Calif.), Savannah King (LAFC SoCal Youth; West Hills, Calif.), Cambry Patrick (Solar SC; Allen, Tex.), Cameron Roller (Solar SC; Sherman, Tex.), Keegan Schmeiser (FC United Soccer Club; Bolingbrook, Ill.), Samantha Smith (Boise Thorns FC; Boise, Idaho), Maggie Taitano (San Diego Surf; Carlsbad, Calif.), Gisele Thompson (Total Futbol Academy; Studio City, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Mia Bhuta (Internationals SC; Pittsburgh, Pa.), Anna Castenfelt (Utah Royals FC - Arizona; Paradisei Valley, Ariz.), Shae Harvey (Slammers FC HB Koge; Hermosa Beach, Calif.), Claire Hutton (World Class FC; Bethlehem, N.Y.), Riley Jackson (Concorde Fire; Roswell, Ga.), Charlotte Kohler (Mountain View Los Altos; Woodside, Calif.), Lauren Martinho (NC Courage; Cary, N.C.), Amalia Villarreal (Michigan Jaguars FC; Lansing, Mich.)
FORWARDS (8): Melanie Barcenas (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.), Onyeka Gamero (Beach FC; Cerritos, Calif.), Erica Grilione (Davis Legacy; Roseville, Calif.), Nicollette Kiorpes (NEFC; Worcester, Mass.), Madison Krakower (Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth; Wayne, N.J.), Mia Oliaro (NC Courage; Chapel Hill, N.C.), Melina Rebimbas (Players Development Academy; Warren, N.J.), Taylor Suarez (Charlotte Soccer Academy; Charlotte, N.C.)
The event will be held in accordance with U.S. Soccer’s comprehensive Return to Play protocols. U.S. Soccer is requiring all staff and players be fully vaccinated in order to attend YNT training camps. As a leader in the sport, the health and safety of all participants is the top priority for the Federation.
Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2005, are age-eligible for next spring’s Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship. The 28-player roster features 23 players born in 2005, four born in 2006 and one born in 2007 -- San Diego Surf forward Melanie Barcenas. Twenty-two players return from the team’s October training camp, while six players make their U-17 USWNT debut: defender Savannah King, midfielders Anna Castenfelt and Charlotte Kohler as well as forwards Erica Grilione, Madison Krakower and Taylor Suarez. The roster is made up of players from 13 states and 21 youth clubs, with the most, 10 coming from California and three players each from the NC Courage and the San Diego Surf.
The 2022 Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship will qualify three teams to the 2022 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in India. The U-17s are preparing for their first World Cup qualifying tournament since 2018 after the 2020 edition, scheduled for March of that year, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two players on the U-17 roster took home a regional title at the 2018 Concacaf U-15 Girls’ Championship - defenders Maggie Taitano and Gisele Thompson. While that tournament featured mostly 2003-birth year players, the USA brought a younger squad composed of players born in 2004 and 2005. Taitano and Thompson were among the team’s youngest players.