Final Training Camp at The Home Depot Center from July 30-Aug. 4;
U-20 WNT Has Played More Than 50 Matches in 2006 in Preparation for WC;
USA Opens Tournament Against the DR Congo on Aug. 18

CHICAGO (July 26, 2006) – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team will hold its final training camp before leaving for Russia, and the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship, from July 30-Aug. 4 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship will be held from Aug. 17-Sept. 4. Fans can follow all of the U.S. matches live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.

• U-20 WNT Scrimmage Photos: Aug. 1, 2006

All 21 players on the world championship roster will be present at the camp as goalkeeper Val Henderson and forward Danesha Adams return from duty with the U.S. U-21s at the Nordic Cup and midfielder Allie Long and Brittany Bock return from injuries. During the camp, head coach Tim Schulz will put the finishing touches on a squad that will attempt to improve on the USA’s third-place finish at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship in Thailand.

“We are shortening the camp up a few days and will use the week to tidy up the loose ends,” said Schulz. “We are going to let some of the bangs and bruises heal up, and really lighten the game schedule after all the matches we’ve played this year. The preparation has been fantastic, and we have to thank U.S. Soccer for giving us the resources to put the players in so many different competitive environments. The team has really grown and learned a lot.”

The U.S. team departs for Russia on Aug. 12 and will open the tournament on Aug. 18 against the Democratic Republic of Congo. After opening Group D against the Africans, the USA faces Argentina on Aug. 21, and finishes first round play against France on Aug. 24. All the first-round matches will be played in Moscow.

The U.S. U-20s have had seven months of intense preparation for this tournament, playing 50 matches since January against women’s clubs, amateur and college teams, women’s senior national teams, U-21 national teams and U-20 national teams. The USA has gone 12-2-1 in international competition, scoring 50 goals in those games. Overall, the U-20s have scored 160 goals in the 50 matches.

“I know we’re ready,” said Schulz. “We’ve had a lot of games and I’m very pleased with the progress. We have numerous players that can perform in different positions and the chemistry on the team has been excellent. I know the team is very excited to get to Russia and get the tournament started.”

Heading into the World Championship, Jessica Rostedt is the leading scorer in all matches with 22 goals. Lauren Cheney has scored 21 and Kelley O’Hara has pounded in 18. Amy Rodriguez has 14 goals in just 20 matches after missing much of the build up due to academic commitments and action with the full Women’s National Team. Midfielder Tina DiMartino leads the team in assists with 20, but has also chipped in with 10 goals. Adams has scored 15 goals for the USA while Jordan Angeli has found the net 14 times.

Defenders Stephanie Lopez and Stephanie Logterman will head into the World Championship as the most capped players at the U-20/U-19 level with 34 and 29 international matches played, respectively. The players with the most career international goals at this level are Cheney (9), Rodriguez (9), Rostedt (8) and O’Hara (8).

“We’ve been together for seven months, but I can really see the team coming together and finally starting to click,” said Rodriguez, who along with Lopez, Rostedt, Logterman, defender Nikki Krzysik and goalkeeper Kelsey Davis, were all a part of the U.S. team that played in the 2004 U-19 FIFA Women’s World Championship. “We have a lot more confidence in each other and we are just starting to peak, which is the perfect time as the World Cup is right around the corner.”

The 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship will take place at four stadiums in Moscow (Dynamo, Podmoskovie, Lokomotiv and Torpedo) and at one in St. Petersburg (Petrovsky).

Fans can follow all the action from Russia on ussoccer.com’s special U-20 Women’s World Championship page, with game stories, features, interviews, podcasts and all_access video.

United States Under-20 Women's National Team Roster 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship - Russia Aug. 17 - Sept. 3, 2006
Player	Pos.	Ht.	DOB	Hometown	School	U-19/U-20 Caps/Goals
Adams, Danesha	M	5-6	06/06/86	Shaker Heights, Ohio	UCLA	10/3
Angeli, Jordan	M	5-9	05/31/86	Lakewood, Colo.	Santa Clara	10/3
Bock, Brittany	M	5-7	04/11/87	Naperville, Ill.	Notre Dame	10/3
Cheney, Lauren	F	5-8	09/30/87	Indianapolis, Ind.	UCLA	8/6
Davis, Kelsey	GK	5-11	05/14/87	Thousand Oaks, Calif.	Portland	11
Dew, Carrie	D	5-9	12/08/86	Encinitas, Calif.	Notre Dame	9/1
DiMartino, Tina	M	5-2	11/06/86	Massapequa Park, N.Y.	UCLA	10/1
Haig, Joanna	GK	5-10	04/16/86	Inver Grove Hts., Minn.	Louisville	0/0
Heath, Tobin	M	5-7	05/29/88	Basking Ridge, N.J.	UNC	6/1
Krzysik, Nikki	D	5-7	05/23/87	Clifton, N.J.	UVA	21/0
Hardy, Erin	D	5-6	09/16/86	Costa Mesa, Calif.	UCLA	0/0
Henderson, Val	GK	5-7	04/19/86	Orinda, Calif.	UCLA	5
Logterman, Stephanie	D	5-6	02/25/86	Austin, Texas	Texas	30/0
Long, Allie	M	5-7	08/13/87	East Northport, N.Y.	Penn State	9/2
Lopez, Stephanie	D	5-6	04/03/86	Elk Grove, Calif.	Portland	25/0
Nogueira, Casey	M	5-6	02/23/89	Cedarburg, Wis.	UNC	0/0
O’Hara, Kelley	F	5-5	08/04/88	Fayetteville, Ga.	Stanford	8/3
Poach, Amanda	M	5-6	07/25/87	Bowie, Md.	Santa Clara	11/1
Rodriguez, Amy	F	5-4	02/17/87	Lake Forest, Calif.	USC	11/6
Rostedt, Jessica	F	5-9	03/03/86	Kent, Ohio	UVA	17/7
Wagenfuhr, Sarah	D	5-3	12/31/86	Colorado Springs, Colo.	Florida State	9/0

GOALKEEPERS (3): Kelsey Davis (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Joanna Haig (Inver Grove Heights, Minn), Val Henderson (Orinda, Calif.);
DEFENDERS (6): Carrie Dew (Encinitas, Calif.), Erin Hardy (Costa Mesa, Calif.), Nikki Kryzsik (Clifton, N.J.), Stephanie Logterman (Austin, Texas), Stephanie Lopez (Elk Grove, Calif.), Sara Wagenfuhr (Colorado Springs, Colo.);
MIDFIELDERS (8): Danesha Adams (Shaker Heights, Ohio), Jordan Angeli (Lakewood, Colo.), Brittany Bock (Naperville, Ill.), Tina DiMartino (Massapequa Park, N.Y.), Tobin Heath (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Allie Long (East Northport, N.Y.), Casey Nogueira (Cedarburg, Wis.), Amanda Poach (Bowie, Md.);
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Indianapolis, Ind.), Amy Rodriguez (Lake Forest, Calif.), Kelley O’Hara (Fayetteville, Ga.), Jessica Rostedt (Kent, Ohio).

U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team – First Round Schedule
2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship
Match      Date        Teams                            Stadium (Venue)      Kickoff Local / ET
7              Aug. 18   USA vs. DR Congo       Torpedo (Moscow)   4:00 p.m. / 8:00 a.m.
15           Aug. 21   USA vs. Argentina          Torpedo (Moscow)   4:00 p.m. / 8:00 a.m.
24           Aug. 24   USA vs. France               Dynamo (Moscow)   7:00 p.m. / 11 a.m.