U-19 USWNT Will Play First Three Matches of 2020 in La Manga, Spain

CHICAGO (Feb. 24, 2020) – The U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team will travel to La Manga, Spain from Feb. 28-March 9 to play three international matches in a 12-team friendly tournament.

The USA will face the Under-19 sides from England (March 4), Netherlands (March 6) and Sweden (March 8) in what will be the first matches of the year for this age group.

The 20-player U.S. roster is made up of 14 players born in 2001 and nine players born in 2002. The age cut-off for players to participate in the 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is players born on or after Jan. 1, 2000. Five players on the roster have experience in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in defender Michela Agresti, defender Smith Hunter, midfielder Astrid Wheeler and defender Samar Guidry, all of whom played in 2018, and forward Lia Godfrey, who was on the roster in 2016 as a 14-year-old.

The roster is a mixture of collegiate and youth club players with seven already enrolled in college, including the Agresti twins, Michela and Samantha, both of whom attend Boston College. The U.S. team will be coached by Twila Kaufman, a long-time college coach who has served as an assistant for numerous U.S. Youth National Team events and is currently an assistant coach for the Houston Dash in the NWSL.

The friendly competition will feature 12 countries playing three games each. In addition to the USA and its three opponents, Denmark, Poland, Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Iceland and Switzerland will also participate.           

U.S. U-19 WNT Roster by Position – Women’s U-19 La Manga Tournament 2020:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Mia Justus (IMG Academy; North Brunswick, N.J.), Halle Mackiewicz (Real Colorado; Broomfield, Colo.)                       

DEFENDERS (8): Michela Agresti (Boston College; Swampscott, Mass.), Samantha Agresti (Boston College; Swampscott, Mass.), Abby Allen (Lonestar FC; Austin, Texas), Megan Bornkamp (Charlotte Soccer Academy; Mooresville, N.C.), Samar Guidry (FC Dallas; McKinney, Texas), Smith Hunter (Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.), Bria Schrotenboer (Michigan State; Holland, Mich.), Ellis Wheeler (Penn State; Fairfax, Va.)            

MIDFIELDERS (8): Isabella Cook (Tennessee; Elmhurst, Ill.), Michelle Cooper (IMG Academy; Clarkston, Mich.), Aislynn Crowder (Hawaii Rush; Mililani, Hawaii), Skylar Enge (San Diego Surf; Cardiff, Calif.), Madison Mercado (Notre Dame; San Diego, Calif.), Laughlin Ryan (Charlotte Soccer Academy; Charlotte, N.C.), Mackenzee Vance (United Soccer Alliance; Bluffton, S.C.), Astrid Wheeler (Concorde Fire SC; Atlanta, Ga.)