Internationals SC Players Called to USA Rosters
Two players with connections to Ohio’s Internationals SC will be traveling to Spain ahead of a series of friendlies for the U.S. U20 and U23 WNT. Dawson is currently in her junior year of high school with one more year as an Internationals SC player, while Ogle is in her junior year at Penn State University.
Youth Soccer News: Internationals SC standouts Sydney Dawson and Emily Ogle both received national team call-ups this week. Dawson is headed to La Manga, Spain with the U.S. U20 WNT, while Ogle got a similar call with the U.S. U23 WNT.
Internationals SC Director of Coaching Keri Sarver was very pleased with the news.
“Having two of our players represent the USA in La Manga, Spain playing against Germany, France, Japan, Norway, and England is extremely exciting for our players and our club,” Sarver said. “Emily’s matriculation through our Youth National Team Program has been outstanding.”
“The way that Ogle embraces the level of dedication required to continue to improve and progress at elite levels is inspiring for all of us at the Internationals. The jump from the U20s to the U23s is a big step in her journey,” said Sarver. “Sydney is just at the early stages of her YNT career and earning this call-up as one of the younger players on the roster is another step forward for her as well.”
The U.S. U20 Women’s National Team will travel to Spain from Feb. 26-March 8 to compete in three games as this age group begins a new cycle with the goal of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in France.
The U.S. will take on the U19 sides from Norway (March 3 at 11:30 a.m. ET), Germany (March 5 at 9 a.m. ET), and France (March 7 at 10 a.m. ET) in La Manga, but will be playing against players from the same birth years. The matches will be available to watch online.
The 24-player U.S. U20 roster is made up of 14 players born in 1998 (which is the age cut-off year for the next U20 Women’s World Cup), nine players born in 1999, and one in 2000.
The roster is a mixture of collegiate and youth club players with 10 already enrolled at the university level.
With Michelle French, who coached the USA at the 2014 and 2016 U20 Women’s World Cups, joining the U.S. Women’s National Team staff as Jill Ellis’ assistant coach, U.S. Women’s Technical Director April Heinrichs will coach the team in Spain — as the process of hiring a new head coach for the U20 WNT progresses.
The U20 WNT will be in La Manga at the same time as the U23 WNT, who will also be playing three matches. The U.S. U23 WNT will take on its counterparts from Japan (March 2), England (March 4), and Norway (March 7). These will be the first international matches of the year for the U.S. U23 WNT.
Seattle Reign head coach Laura Harvey will coach the U23 side that features 17 professionals, four collegiate players and one high school senior. Ogle was among the three players that represented the U.S. at the 2016 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.
Following the trip to La Manga, the next event for the U.S. U23 WNT will see the team compete in the Thorns Spring Invitational from March 26-April 1 in Portland, Oregon. The U.S. will face off against three NWSL teams at Providence Park, playing the Houston Dash on Sunday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m. PT followed by Portland taking on Chicago at 5 p.m. PT. On Wednesday, March 29, Chicago takes on Houston at 5 p.m. PT and the U.S. will face the Thorns at 7:30 p.m. PT. The U.S. closes out the tournament against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, April 1 at 5 p.m. and Portland ends the tournament against Houston at 7:30 p.m. PT.
