The Compass Minerals National Performance Center in Kansas City, Kansas, will host a training camp for the U.S. U-17 Women’s Youth National Team from April 30-May 5.
24 players have been called up by U.S. head coach Katie Schoepfer for the competition; 14 of them were on the roster for the 2024 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship in February of last year, which the USA won by winning all five games in Mexico, including a 4-0 victory over the host nation in the championship game and a 7-1 victory over Haiti in the semifinal to earn a spot in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Four of those players are in the NWSL right now, so they won’t be coming to camp. The U-17 qualifying tournament featured Melanie Barcenas of San Diego Wave FC and Alex Pfeiffer of Kansas City Current on their professional rosters.
Meanwhile, team captain Kennedy Fuller, who won the Golden Ball as the competition’s best player with eight goals in Mexico, and midfielder Kimmi Ascanio, who scored four goals in Mexico, have since signed with Angel City FC and the Wave, respectively.
Goalkeeper Carson Proctor (FC Prime), defenders Anna Babcock (Crossfire Premier) and Alexis Smith (Ohio Premier), and midfielders Sofia Atehortua (IMG Academy) and Kennedy Ring (World Class FC) are the five players receiving their first U-17 WYNT call-ups this cycle.
For this age group, this is the first training camp since the U.S. The U-17 team made it to the World Cup, which is scheduled for October 16–November. 3 in the Republic of the Congo.
The 18 different youth clubs represented on the roster are home to five players from Dallas, three from FC Dallas, two from Solar SC, and two from Players Development Academy in New Jersey.
Thirteen different states are home to the players.
Goalkeepers (3): Wicki Dunlap (North Carolina Courage; Raleigh, N.C.), Olivia Geller (FC Dallas; Southlake, Texas), Carson Proctor (FC Prime; Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)
Defenders (9): Trinity Armstrong (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas), Anna Babcock (Crossfire Premier; Sedro-Woolley, Wash.), Lexi Coughlin (Legends FC; Corona, Calif.), Kiara Gilmore (FC Dallas; Allen, Texas), Jordyn Hardeman (Solar SC; Midlothian, Texas), Daya King (Legends FC; Moreno Valley, Calif.), Katie Scott (Internationals SC; Fairview, Penn.), Alexis Smith (Ohio Premier; Dublin, Ohio), Jocelyn Travers (FC Bay Area Surf; Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Midfielders (7): Sofia Atehortua (IMG Academy; Trumbull, Conn.), Riley Cross (PDA; Chatham, N.J.), Ainsley McCammon (Solar SC; Bedford, Texas), Y-Lan Nguyen (VDA; Fairfax, Va.), Karina Peat (Wilmington Hammerheads Youth FC; Wilmington, N.C.), Kennedy Ring (World Class FC; East Greenbush, N.Y.), Lena Tusche (PDA; Montville, N.J.)
Forwards (5): Ryder Ajeto (Pateadores SC; Henderson, Nev.), Carrie Helfrich (Virginia Union FC; McLean, Va.), Jaida McGrew (Charlotte SA; Charlotte, N.C.), Leena Powell (Tudela FC; Culver City, Calif.), Mya Townes (TSJ FC Virginia; Aldie, Va.)
