The U.S. Under 20 women’s national team is in the final days of preparation prior to kicking off the 2016 U20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.

TopDrawerSoccer.com is covering the tournament from a U.S. perspective in the coming weeks, starting with previews this week. Get to know the roster breakdown starting with goalkeepers and defenders.

Goalkeepers

Rose Chandler (Penn State), Brooke Heinsohn (Duke), Casey Murphy (Rutgers)

With the requisite three goalkeepers on the roster, Michelle French has the option to tab Chandler, Heinsohn and Murphy in goal, all extremely qualified between the posts.

The gulf in experience is vast, however, when it comes to minutes in Division I soccer. Casey Murphy established herself as one of the best goalkeepers in college last season, and has more than 4,000 minutes in goal. Her play down the stretch helped Rutgers all the way to the College Cup.

Meanwhile, Chandler was the backup during Penn State’s 2015 national title run, serving as the understudy to Britt Eckerstrom. Chandler has less than 100 minutes of DI soccer experience, though that’s no reflection of her quality. She was a member of the U20 World Cup team in 2014, a key element as French eyes up a starter for this weekend and beyond.

Heinsohn, a 2016 Duke signee that is redshirting the current season, and is the third goalkeeper on the roster. As a ’98, she’ll be eligible for the 2018 U20 World Cup, and her inclusion on this team, while she is capable, is likely with one eye on having an experienced player to call upon down the road. The 2016 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year after collecting 49 shutouts in 58 high school appearances at the River School, she is the granddaughter of former Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Tommy Heinsohn.

Defenders

Maddie Elliston (Penn State), Emily Fox (FC Virginia), Sabrina Flores (Notre Dame), Ellie Jean (Penn State), Natalie Jacobs (Notre Dame), Taylor Otto (North Carolina), Kaleigh Riehl (Penn State)

A strong corps of Division I talent (and soon-to-be collegiate talent) anchors the U.S. team at the back. That includes three players from Penn State’s title-winning side in Ellie Jean, Kaleigh Riehl and Maddie Elliston. Jean and Elliston have spent time as the starting left and right backs in previous camps, and could be the starters there during the USA’s opening match in Papua New Guinea.

In the middle, potential starters are likely to be Riehl and Taylor Otto, who’ve partnered with one another in past camps. Otto, a 2016 signee to North Carolina, spent the spring with the Tar Heels and fared extremely well before opting to redshirt to play with the 20s. One of the keys to the 2015 national champions, Riehl played in 27 games last fall for the Nittany Lions, and is another calm and composed central defender.

The case of Natalie Jacobs is an interesting one. Listed amongst the defenders, Jacobs enjoyed a stellar freshman season as a forward for the Irish, scoring four goals and adding five assists. At the international level with the U.S., she's been a center back, dating back to her first involvement with the U17 team. She's a veteran of U14, U17 and U18 age groups along with this one, bringing experienced matched by few players on the roster. She played a key role in qualifying, and will push Otto for a starting role at the back.

Overall, the defenders are a versatile group. Both Sabrina Flores and Emily Fox (a 2017 recruit committed to North Carolina) are versatile players that offer back up to the outside backs, while also capable of playing in the midfield. Flores in particular could be a valuable asset, as she started her collegiate career in 2014 as an outside back at Notre Dame, before transitioning to a wide midfield role last fall. Either way she’s a reliable player that offers pace on the flank. She also happens to have a twin sister, Monica that will play for Mexico at the World Cup.

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