United States women's national under-23 soccer team

United States U-23 Women's National Team
Nickname(s) The Yanks
The Stars and Stripes
The Red, White, and Blue
Association United States Soccer Federation
Confederation CONCACAF (North America)
Head coach Bill Irwin
FIFA code USA
Home colours
Away colours
Nordic Cup
Appearances 12 (First in 1997)
Best result Winners (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)

The United States U-23 women's national soccer team is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is the development of players in preparation for the full Women's National Team. The team's most recent major tournament was the 2008 Nordic Cup, in which the United States team won 3-0 over Germany. The team competes in a variety of competitions, including the annual Nordic Cup, which is the top competition for this age group.[1] The current head coach is Bill Irwin.

Contents

History

Beginnings as a U-20 program

The United States U-23 team has been active since 1989, however it was run as a U-20 team from its inception until 1998.[2] Its main goal was to prepare college players for the step up to international soccer. Women had no viable opportunities to enhance their playing abilities, aside from overseas, since the United States lacked a top-level domestic league during this time.

The switch to U-21

In 1998, United States Soccer Federation decided to make the team a U-21 team in order to give women a higher level of play to better prepare them for the full National Team. In accordance with this strategy, the U-21 team frequently rostered "over-aged" players in the U-21 training camps, as well as the Nordic Cup. It remained a U-21 team from 1998 through 2008.

Competing as a U-23 team

2008 saw the change of the USA's oldest youth national team moved to the U-23 level. The move was made by the United States Soccer Federation in response to age-level changes FIFA had made to its oldest women's youth competition, now named FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. The age limit was raised from being a U-19 tournament to a U-20 tournament. This change, coupled with a newly introduced U-23 age limit to the Nordic Cup, prompted the USSF to rethink and eventually change the youth development team. The team continues to serve as a stepping-stone for collegiate and post-collegiate players to the United States Women's National Team.[3] However, a new ally has appeared in order to further develop players — the new top-flight women's league, Women's Professional Soccer, which kicked off in 2009. While many of the post-collegiate players play in this new league to develop their game, the U-23's turned focus on college players who are out of season and not yet WPS-eligible.

Current players

2011 Four Nations Tournament roster

The U-23 women competed in the Four Nations Tournament against the U-23 teams of England, Norway, and Sweden, Feb. 21-March 2, 2011.

0#0 Pos. Player Date of Birth (Age) Caps Goals Club
1 GK Adrianna Franch November 12, 1990 (1990-11-12) (age 21) Oklahoma State
2 DF Amber Brooks January 23, 1991 (1991-01-23) (age 21) North Carolina
4 MF Katie Bethke September 3, 1988 (1988-09-03) (age 23) Atlanta Beat
5 FW Katie Schoepfer November 10, 1988 (1988-11-10) (age 23) Boston Breakers
6 MF Sinead Farrelly November 16, 1989 (1989-11-16) (age 22) Philadelphia Independence
7 FW Melissa Henderson August 23, 1989 (1989-08-23) (age 22) Notre Dame
8 FW Sarah Hagen November 18, 1989 (1989-11-18) (age 22) Wisconsin-Milwaukee
9 FW Stephanie Ochs August 29, 1990 (1990-08-29) (age 21) San Diego
10 MF Kylie Wright May 13, 1989 (1989-05-13) (age 22) Atlanta Beat
11 MF Meghan Klingenberg August 2, 1988 (1988-08-02) (age 23) Washington Freedom
12 DF Becky Edwards May 22, 1988 (1988-05-22) (age 23) Western New York Flash
14 MF Ingrid Wells March 29, 1989 (1989-03-29) (age 22) Georgetown
15 DF Nikki Marshall June 2, 1988 (1988-06-02) (age 23) Washington Freedom
16 MF Casey Nogueira February 23, 1989 (1989-02-23) (age 23) Sky Blue FC
18 GK Bianca Henninger December 22, 1990 (1990-12-22) (age 21) Santa Clara
19 MF Keelin Winters December 9, 1988 (1988-12-09) (age 23) Boston Breakers
21 DF Lauren Fowlkes July 6, 1988 (1988-07-06) (age 23) Philadelphia Independence
22 MF Elli Reed August 10, 1989 (1989-08-10) (age 22) Western New York Flash

Coaches

References

  1. ^ http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_12189697.html
  2. ^ 2009 WNT U.S. Soccer Media Guide
  3. ^ http://ussoccer.com/teams/youth/index.jsp.html
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