United States women's national under-20 soccer team

United States under-20

Nickname(s)	Team USA The Stars and Stripes The Yanks
Association	United States Soccer Federation
Confederation	CONCACAF (North America)
Head coach	Michelle French
Most caps	Maya Hayes (43)
Top scorer	Kelly Wilson (31)
FIFA code	USA
First colors Second colors
CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship
Appearances	7 (First in 2002)
Best result	Winners (2006, 2010, 2012, 2014)
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Appearances	7 (First in 2002)
Best result	Winners (2002, 2008, 2012)
Medal record FIFA U-20 World Cup 2002 Canada Team 2004 Thailand Team 2008 Chile Team 2012 Japan Team Pan American Games 1999 Winnipeg Team 2007 Rio de Janeiro Team

The United States U-20 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 United States U20 Women's National Team made its most recent appearance in the 2014 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in Canada where they lost to Korea DPR in the Quarterfinals with penalty kicks deciding the winner.^[1] The team competes in a variety of competitions, including the biennial FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which is the top competition for this age group. The current head coach is Michelle French.

History

Beginnings as a U-18 program

The United States U-20 team has been active since 1998; however, it was run as a U-18 team from its inception until 2001.^[2] It was led by Shannon Higgins-Cirovski, the first coach in the team's history, through the middle of 1999 before she left for the Maryland Terrapins soccer team. Jay Hoffman, who served as Higgins-Cirovski's assistant, took charge of the team and led them to a gold medal for the 1999 Pan American Games, the first time the tournament was open to women's teams. Among the U-18 women playing at the 1999 Pan American Games were future senior national team members Cat Whitehill and Hope Solo.^[3]

The switch to U-19

2001 through 2003

In 2001, the United States Soccer Federation decided to change the age limit from the U-18 team to U-19. The move was in preparation for FIFA's introduction of the first ever FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship (which has since changed). The new U-19 squad won the inaugural 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in Canada, where they beat the hosts on a golden goal by captain and future United States women's national team mainstay Lindsay Tarpley. Five other members of that same team would join Tarpley as teammates on the senior international team: Rachel Buehler, Lori Chalupny, Heather O'Reilly, Leslie Osborne and Angie Woznuk. Other notable 2002 team members were Kelly Wilson, the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of the U-20 team, as well as two-time Hermann Trophy winner Kerri Hanks, who would go on to become one of the most decorated players in women's collegiate soccer.

2004

In 2004, the U-19 team placed third at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in Thailand, after having been defeated by Germany in the semifinals.^[4] The tournament marked the world championship debut of future senior national team members Yael Averbuch, Stephanie Lopez, Amy Rodriguez and Megan Rapinoe. However, in 2006, FIFA increased the age limit of the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship to 20. 2004 also saw the first loss to a similar-aged team in the history of the program when the squad lost to Japan.

Competing as a U-20 team

2005 and 2006

As the United States Soccer Federation did in 2001 prior to the introduction of the U-19 tournament, they raised the age of the squad from U-19 to U-20 in 2005. The move was, again, in response to FIFA's altering of the competition from U-19 to U-20. The actual team's play in 2005 was quiet due to a transition in coaches.

In 2006, the United States U-20 team played in a whopping 50 matches prior to the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship in Russia; however, the team finished in fourth place. The U.S. lost to China in penalties in the semifinal and followed up the loss with another to Brazil in the third-place match, also on penalties.^[5] Seven members of that 2006 team: Lauren Cheney, Christina DiMartino, Tobin Heath, Stephanie Lopez, Casey Nogueira, Kelley O'Hara and Amy Rodriguez, have made appearances for the senior national team. Lopez played in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, and, joined by Cheney, Heath and Rodriguez, also represented the United States at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Nogueira and O'Hara helped the 2008 U-20 team to qualify for the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup that same year.

2007 and 2008

2007 saw the squad sent to the 2007 Pan American Games, just as they had done prior in the 1999 Pan American Games. This time around, the United States sent along two "over-aged players" in Lauren Cheney and Brittany Taylor. The decision proved costly as the supplemented U-20 team were dismantled in the finals, 5–0, to a full-strength Brazil squad.^[6]

In 2008, two years removed from the disastrous fourth-place finish at the 2006 U-20 World Championship, the United States U-20 women finally reclaimed the World Cup title at the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile, with Sydney Leroux winning the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe for being named the best player of the tournament as well as scoring the most goals. Alex Morgan earned the Silver Shoe as the tournament's second-highest scorer and the Silver Ball as the tournament's second-best player behind teammate Leroux.^[7] To date, Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, Christine Nairn, Alyssa Naeher, and Meghan Klingenberg are the only members of the 2008 squad to be capped by the senior national team.

2009 and 2010

In 2009, Tony DiCicco handed the coaching reins back to Jill Ellis, who had coached the 2007 Pan American Games squad. 2009 also saw the influx of players who took part in the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup into the U-20s, including Kristen Mewis, US Soccer's 2008 Young Female Player of the Year, and Vicki DiMartino, younger sister of U-20 alumni Christina (2006) and Gina (2007–2008). Two members of the 2008 squad, Sydney Leroux and Christine Nairn, returned to captain the team through the next World Cup cycle.

The team won the 2010 CONCACAF Under-20 Women's Championship title the next year and secured a berth to the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, to be held in Germany. Sydney Leroux was the leading scorer at the tournament with six goals.^[8] In the World Cup, they won their group, but lost on penalty kicks to Nigeria in the quarterfinals. Leroux was again their leading scorer, tallying five goals in their four matches.

2011 and 2012

In 2011, Steve Swanson was named coach of the squad for the second time, after having coached in 2000. To prepare for the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan, the team played 8 friendlies (winning seven) and qualifying with ease for the World Cup, scoring 24 goals in the qualifying tournament, while conceding only once.

In the World Cup, the squad was led by a Maya Hayes hat trick en route to beating Ghana 4–0. After a 1–1 draw against China, and a 3–0 loss to Germany, the US qualified for the quarterfinals over China on goal differential. In the quarterfinals, Chioma Ubogagu scored in extra time in a 2–1 victory over North Korea. In the semifinal, Morgan Brian and Kealia Ohai scored in a 2–0 win over Nigeria. The final was a rematch with Germany. Ohai scored right before halftime, and the US held on for a 1–0 win and their third World Cup championship.

2013 and 2014

Following the 2012 World Cup win, Michelle French took over the U-20 program. Defenders Cari Roccaro and Stephanie Amack returned from the 2012 World Cup winning side to lead the team along with Paris Saint-Germain target woman Lindsey Horan, the first American woman to skip college and turn professional, and Andi Sullivan, who was named co-captain despite being the youngest player on the squad during qualifiers. The US team again coasted through the CONCACAF qualifying tournament, winning all 5 matches without conceding even a single goal. However, the World Cup would offer much greater resistance as they started out in the Group of Death with International Powerhouses Germany, Brazil, and China.

The World Cup tournament would feature a large sense of deja vu from two years prior with the Americans grouped with China and Germany again. The US opened in a rematch of the previous final against Germany, this time coming up short losing 2–0. But in a similar manner that they had in the previous World Cup, they survived the group stage with wins against Brazil and China behind strong performances by Lindsey Horan and central midfielder Rose Lavelle. The second-place finish in their group would match them for the second tournament in a row against North Korea and as they had two years before, the match went into extra time. Unfortunately for the Americans, this time the winning magic was not to be found as the game went into a shootout from the penalty spot and the Korean keeper dominated. Savannah Jordan, Lindsey Horan, and Rose Lavelle were all denied by Korean keeper Kim on weak efforts from the spot and the Americans exited the tournament earlier than expected.

Competition Records

FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

Year	Result	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	GF	GA	Coach
2002	Champions	6	6	0	0	26	2	Tracey Leone
2004	Third place	6	5	0	1	14	4	Mark Krikorian
2006	Fourth place	6	4	2	0	11	3	Tim Schulz
2008	Champions	6	5	0	1	12	3	Tony DiCicco
2010	Quarterfinals	4	2	2	0	8	2	Jill Ellis
2012	Champions	6	4	1	1	10	5	Steve Swanson
2014	Quarterfinals	4	2	1	1	5	3	Michelle French
2016	Qualified	-	-	-	-	-	-	Michelle French
Total	6/6	38	28	6	4	85	22

2012 FIFA U20 World Champions

After the award ceremony at the 2012 FIFA Under-20 Women'S World Cup in Japan. Players from left to right, front row: 6—Morgan Brian, 1—Bryane Heaberlin (GK), 12—Katie Stengel, 17—Taylor Schram, 7—Kealia Ohai, 5—Maya Hayes, 9—Chioma Ubogagu, 10—Vanessa DiBernardo, 4—Crystal Dunn, 20—Kelly Cobb, 15—Kassey Kallman; back row: 19—Stephanie Amack, 11—Becca Wann, 21—Jami Kranich (GK), 13—Sam Mewis, 14—Mandy Laddish, 3—Cari Roccaro, 2—Mollie Pathman, 16—Sarah Killion, 18—Abby Smith (GK), 8—Julie Johnston (c); behind Johnston and further right: Steve Swanson (head coach). Players in bold font type have been called to training camp of senior team.

CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship tournament record

The U-20 women have won the CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship five times, in 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015;^[9] the 2002 tournament did not have a championship final.^[10] The U-20s finished as runners-up to Canada in 2004 and 2008.

Year	Result	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	GF	GA	Coach
2002	No final held	3	3	0	0	34	1	Tracey Leone
2004	Runners-up	5	3	1	1	32	3	Mark Krikorian
2006	Champions	5	5	0	0	19	3	Tim Schulz
2008	Runners-up	5	4	0	1	20	1	Tony DiCicco
2010	Champions	5	5	0	0	15	2	Jill Ellis
2012	Champions	4	4	0	0	24	1	Steve Swanson
2014	Champions	5	5	0	0	29	0	Michelle French
2015	Champions	5	4	1	0	22	3	Michelle French
Total	8/8	37	33	2	2	195	14

Pan American Games

The under-18 team participated and won the inaugural soccer tournament in the 1999 Pan American Games,^[11] while the under-20 team lost in the final of the 2007 Pan American Games;^[12] competing against full national teams. These opportunities are a consequence of holding the FIFA Women's World Cup in the same year as the Pan American Games

Year	Result	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	GF	GA	Coach
1999	Champions	6	5	1	0	22	2	Jay Hoffman
2003	No United States team participated
2007	Runners-up	6	4	0	2	17	11	Jill Ellis
2011	No United States team participated
2015	No United States team participated
Total	2/4	12	9	1	3	39	13

Players

Head coach Michelle French called up 20 players to participate in the 2015 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship in Honduras, December 3–13, 2015 which will act as the qualifier for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.^[13]

The cutoff for the 2016 U-20 Women's World Cup is January 1, 1996 and all players are eligible. Mallory Pugh and Rose Chandler return to the team having competed in the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Pugh is also one of eight players that are young enough to be eligible to play in the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Additionally, two players, Kiara Pickett and Ashley Sanchez, are currently on the U-17 squad attempting to qualify for the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

• Caps and goals as of August 16, 2014.

0#0	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Rose Chandler	(1996-09-24) September 24, 1996			Penn State
	1GK	Brooke Heinsohn	(1998-03-11) March 11, 1998			New England FC
	2DF	Tierna Davidson	(1998-09-19) September 19, 1998			De Anza Force
	2DF	Sabrina Flores	(1996-01-31) January 31, 1996			Notre Dame
	2DF	Emily Fox	(1998-07-05) July 5, 1998			FC Virginia
	2DF	Shannon Horgan	(1996-02-01) February 1, 1996			Clemson
	2DF	Natalie Jacobs	(1997-08-16) August 16, 1997			Notre Dame
	2DF	Taylor Otto	(1997-10-23) October 23, 1997			CASL
	2DF	Kiara Pickett	(1999-04-30) April 30, 1999			Eagles
	3MF	Marley Canales	(1997-11-16) November 16, 1997			San Diego Surf
	3MF	Savannah DeMelo	(1998-03-26) March 26, 1998			Beach FC
	3MF	Jordan Harr	(1998-03-10) March 10, 1998			Dallas Sting
	3MF	Mikaela Harvey	(1996-06-30) June 30, 1996			Texas A&M
	3MF	Kelcie Hedge	(1997-09-19) September 19, 1997			Washington
	3MF	Parker Roberts	(1997-07-30) July 30, 1997			Kansas
	3MF	Ella Stevens	(1997-12-11) December 11, 1997			GSA
	4FW	Mallory Pugh	(1998-04-29) April 29, 1998			Real Colorado
	4FW	Zoe Redei	(1997-10-08) October 8, 1997			Eclipse SC
	4FW	Ashley Sanchez	(1999-03-16) March 16, 1999			SoCal Blues
	4FW	Jessie Scarpa	(1996-05-17) May 17, 1996			UNC

Previous rosters

2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup squad

2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup squad

2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup squad

2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup squad

2007 Pan American Games squad

2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship squad

2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship squad

2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship squad

Notable Past Players and U-20 World Cup years

Player records

International match statistics, as of August 12, 2014. All goals scored in international matches only.

Players still eligible for the U-20 player pool in bold.

Coaches

• Shannon Higgins-Cirovski (1998–1999)
• Jay Hoffman (1999)
• Steve Swanson (2000)
• Tracey Leone (2001–2004)
• Mark Krikorian (2004–2005)
• Tim Schulz (2005–2006)
• Jill Ellis (2007)
• Tony DiCicco (2008)
• Jill Ellis (2009–2010)
• Dave Chesler (2010–2011)
• Steve Swanson (2011–2012)
• Michelle French (from 2013)

References

National youth sports teams of the United States American football M U19 Basketball M U19 W U18/19 W U16/17 Goalball W U19 Handball MU 20 MU 18 WU 19 WU 17 Ice hockey M U20 M U18 W U18 Rugby union M U20 Soccer M U23 M U21 M U20 M U18 M U17 W U23 W U20 W U17 Softball W U19 Volleyball MU 23 MU 21 MU 19 WU 23 WU 20 WU 18 Youth Olympics Universiade

International women's association football FIFA Federations Teams Competitions World Cup U-17 U-20 Algarve Cup Cyprus Cup Olympics Youth Olympics Universiade World Rankings Player of the Year Ballon d'Or Asia AFC Women's Asian Cup U-19 U-16 Regional (ASEAN, EAFF, SAFF, WAFF) Africa CAF Women Cup of Nations U-20 U-17 North America, Central America and the Caribbean CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup U-20 U-17 South America CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina U-20 U-17 Oceania OFC Women's Nations Cup U-20 U-17 Europe UEFA Women's Championship U-19 U-17 Non-FIFA NF-Board Women's Viva World Cup Games African Games Asian Games Central America and Caribbean Central American Games Pan American Games Pacific Games South Asian Games Southeast Asian Games See also Geography Codes Player of the Century Achievements by nation Men's football