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Announced roster for USWNT camp marks return of Rodriguez, LePeilbet

Amy Rodriguez

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By CAITLIN MURRAY

The U.S. Women’s National Team roster for the team’s December camp was released Monday with call-ups of some long-absent players and new additions.

The camp running from Dec. 3 to Dec. 15 in Carson, Calif. will see the return of defender Amy LePeilbet, who has been recovering since surgery on her left ACL in January, and forward Amy Rodriguez, who had been on hiatus for a pregnancy she announced that same month.

LePeilbet will join the camp for one week so USWNT staff can evaluate her progress. After giving birth in August, Rodriguez started training to return to the National Women’s Soccer League next season.

Goalkeeper Brittany Cameron gets her first-ever call-up to train with the national team. It seems deserved for Cameron, 26, who found herself holding onto the starting spot for Sky Blue FC this year ahead of U.S. national team backup Jill Loyden during the NWSL regular season. Cameron was a key piece of the team’s long unbeaten streak and ranked second in shutouts in NWSL play.

Goalkeeper Abby Smith, a sophomore at the University of Texas, joins Cameron in getting her first senior national team call-up, too.

Ashlyn Harris, longtime backup U.S. goalkeeper and starter for Washington Spirit, will be out for as long as six weeks to due minor surgery, U.S. Soccer announced Monday.

Of note is that Tyresö FF players Christen Press, Meghan Klingenberg and Whitney Engen are identified as being unattached, signaling that negotiations with U.S. Soccer to woo them to the federation-backed NWSL must be ratcheting up. Tyresö, of Sweden’s top professional women’s league, is still in the middle of a Champion’s League run.

Press and Klingenberg are still deciding when to join NWSL, if they do. Engen is apparently already set for NWSL next year though – the manager for Liverpool Ladies told a local newspaper last month that Engen, who had played for Liverpool, would be subsidized to play in the U.S.

Megan Rapinoe was not cleared to leave her French club, Olympique Lyonnais, for the camp.

December’s two-week camp will be the national team’s longest training stint since Tom Sermanni took over as head coach last January. The U.S. play their next match Jan. 31 in Frisco, Texas for a friendly against Canada.

Here is the full roster for the two-week camp:

GOALKEEPERS (7): Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City), Brittany Cameron (Sky Blue FC), Adrianna Franch (WNY Flash), Jill Loyden (Sky Blue FC), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), Abby Smith (Texas), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)

DEFENDERS (10): Rachel Buehler (Portland Thorns FC), Stephanie Cox (Seattle Reign FC), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina), Whitney Engen (unattached), Meghan Klingenberg (unattached), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Amy LePeilbet (Chicago Red Stars), Kristie Mewis (Boston Breakers), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Yael Averbuch (unattached), Morgan Brian (Virginia), Amber Brooks (Bayern Munich), Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Julie Johnston (Santa Clara), Carli Lloyd (WNY Flash), Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), Erika Tymrak (Bayern Munich)

FORWARDS (6): Sarah Hagen (Bayern Munich), Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (unattached), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach (WNY Flash)

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What do you think of this roster list? Do you see any of the new players making a good impression? What kind of team do you feel Sermanni is molding?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

    • The GK’s have a pre-camp training for 3 days prior to the actual camp, where Paul Rodgers, and veteran GK coaches will choose which 3 to actually attend the two week camp. Kind of like a tryout before the tryout.

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  1. Glad to see Julie Johnston back in the mix. Would love to see her at DM some come next year. Interesting that Cox is there but Robinson is not. For a position everyone assumes set, they sure have called in a lot of GK the two months.

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  2. I feel bad for Ashlyn Harris, she should be there! And what is going on with Tobin Heath’s foot? It seems like such a mystery. Oh and any news on Kelley O’hara.

    I’m glad to see to see both Amy’s back.

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    • Kelley O’ Hara trained with the team for their last few friendlies I believe. She is training to stay in shape obviously, but I guess she wasn’t be chosen for this particular camp. To be honest I think O’Hara will have a position in the years to some whether she is invited to this camp or not. Over the years she has sold herself as a valuable aspect to the USWNT backline and tram collectively. And that is what Coach Tom Sermanni is left to think about.

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    • This camp is her chance to do just that. She and Hagen r looking to make an impression and give Sermanni reason to keep calling them in next year and likely why he should carry five forwards on his WWC roster.

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    • Should? What do you mean by saying she “should” or “shouldn’t” be called up for this. or any other camp?

      Sermanni wants to see her in camp for a couple of weeks. That’s why she’s there.

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      • Fair enough, I guess, although that would then mean that Natasha Kai and probably quite a number others ought to be called in, as well (which would make more sense than half a dozen keepers)…

      • Well, let’s remember that A-rod has been under contract to the USSF for a few years now. She has been paid all year, so he does owe it to her (and the fed) to give her a look.

  3. I agree that Chalupny should be given a look. That being said, there is such a deep bench with the WNT. Between the veterans and the newcomers, the level of talent is incredible. We’re overdue for a WC title and hopefully it comes in 2015. GO WNT!

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      • “Paternalism” in the sense that the soccer suits are keeping out of the player pool “for her own good”. I have no idea if she is good enough to make the team but she is over 18 and should be able to weigh the risks and rewards herself.

      • Well but that’s not how it works. Ask the NFL.

        Not saying the doctor in question is right, mind you. But even Chalupny herself has said that she gets that they’re doing their job and trying to protect players.

        Anyway I asked about the word choice because it left open a sexist connotation, you know. So thanks for clarifying on that point.

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