U.S. U17 WNT heads to North Carolina

by U.S. Soccer

July 5, 2016

The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team will come together in Raleigh, N.C. for a training camp running from July 6-13 as preparations for the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup continue.

U.S. head coach B.J. Snow has called up 26 players, 19 of whom were on the squad that in mid-March won the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship played in Grenada while earning a berth to the upcoming World Cup.

The U.S. team is coming off a highly successful trip to Switzerland, where it won two matches against the Switzerland U-19 WNT. Civana Kuhlmann scored twice in the first game, a 3-2 victory, with Taryn Torres adding the other score, and Frankie Tagliaferri and Rachel Jones both scored in the second game, a 2-1 U.S. win.

The players on the roster come from three birth years with 15 being born in 1999, which is the age-cut for participation in this fall’s World Cup. Seven players were born in 2000, while four were born in 2001, including three who were on the qualifying squad: defenders Kennedy Wesley and Kate Wiesner and forward Jordan Canniff.

The U-17s are undefeated in 10 international games this year and defeated Mexico 2-1 in the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship Final on goals from Ashley Sanchez (who will be playing with the U.S. U-20 WNT in the next few months) and Civana Kuhlmann. The USA earned its berth to the U-17 Women’s World Cup by winning it’s CONCACAF qualifying semifinal 5-0 against Canada.

At the end of May, the USA learned its group opponents at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, taking place at four stadiums in Jordan from Sept. 30-Oct. 21, and will face Paraguay, Ghana and Japan in Group D.

Host Jordan, European champion Germany, defending champion Japan and Korea DPR, the 2008 U-17 Women's World Cup winners and 2012 runners-up, earned the seeds across the four groups. In Group A, Jordan drew Spain, Mexico and New Zealand. Group B features Venezuela, Germany, Cameroon and Canada. Group C features Nigeria, Brazil, England and Korea DPR.

The U.S. plays its first Group D match against Paraguay on Oct. 1 at Prince Mohammed International Stadium in Al Zarqa (4 p.m. local / 9 a.m. ET) before facing Ghana on Oct. 4 at King Abdullah II International Stadium in Amman (4 p.m. local / 9 a.m. ET). The USA will finish group play on Oct. 8 against Japan at Amman International Stadium (7 p.m. local / Noon ET).

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Hillary Beall (So Cal Blues; Laguna Beach, Calif.), Laurel Ivory (West Florida Flames; Surfside Fla.), Katie Meyer (Real SoCal; Newbury Park, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (9): Maycee Bell (Sporting KC; Wichita, Kan.), Naomi Girma (Central Valley Crossfire; San Jose, Calif.), Jojo Harber (Eastside FC; Bellevue, Wash.), Kiara Pickett (Eagles SC; Santa Barbara, Calif.), Isabel Rodriguez (Michigan Hawks; Canton, Mich.), Karina Rodriguez (So Cal Blues; Torrance, Calif.), Emily Smith (De Anza Force; Los Gatos, Calif.), Kennedy Wesley (So Cal Blues; Rossmoor, Calif.), Kate Wiesner (Slammers FC; Monrovia, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Tiana Caffey (Space Coast United; Port Saint Lucie, Fla.), Jaelin Howell (Real Colorado; Windsor, Colo.), Brianna Pinto (CASL; Durham, N.C.), Frankie Tagliaferri (PDA; Colts Neck, N.J.), Taryn Torres (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Sydney Zandi (Penn Fusion; West Chester, Pa.)
FORWARDS (8): Briana Atterbury (Sereno SC; Gilbert, Ariz.), Jordan Canniff (Richmond United; California, Md.), Lia Godfrey (JFC Storm; Fleming Island, Fla.), Rachel Jones (Tophat SC; Lawrenceville, Ga.), Civana Kuhlmann (Colorado Rush; Littleton, Colo.), Adrienne Richardson (Minnesota Thunder Academy; Oakdale, Minn.), Sophia Smith (Real Colorado; Windsor, Colo.), Alexa Spaanstra (Michigan Hawks; Brighton, Mich.)