United States women's national under-18 soccer team

Last updated

United States under-18
USA Soccer Team logo.svg
Nickname(s) Team USA
The Stars and Stripes
The Yanks
Association United States Soccer Federation
Confederation CONCACAF (North America)
FIFA code USA
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First colors
Kit left arm usa21a.png
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Second colors
Pan American Games
Appearances1 (first in 1999)
Best result Gold medal america.svg Gold (1999)

The United States U-18 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 senior women's national team, as well as bridging the development between the two major youth competition levels of the U-17 and the U-20.

Contents

History

Between 1998 and 2001, the United States U-18 was active as the primary youth-level team. [1] 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. [2]

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 team therefore became dormant with only periodic competitions until 2019, when the Federation (under general manager Kate Markgraf) reinstated all youth-level teams in their own right.

Competitive record

Pan American Games

The under-18 team participated and won the inaugural soccer tournament in the 1999 Pan American Games, [3] while 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.

YearResultMatchesWinsDrawsLossesGFGACoach
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg 1999 Champions6510222 Jay Hoffman
Total1/16510222

Players

Current squad

The following 24 players were called up for the June/July 2025 training camp. [4]

Caps and goals are updated as of February 26, 2025 after the match against Spain. [5]

No.Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsGoalsClub
1 GK Daphne Nakfoor(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Slammers FC HB Koge
1 GK Nyamma Nelson(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Portland Thorns Academy
1 GK Carson Proctor(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg FC Prime

2 DF Edra Bello(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg San Diego Surf SC
2 DF Braelyn Even(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Cincinnati United SC
2 DF Kiara Gilmore (2007-02-11) February 11, 2007 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg Wisconsin
2 DF Emma Johnson (2006-07-20) July 20, 2006 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg Lexington SC
2 DF Zoe Matthews (2007-05-25) May 25, 2007 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg Houston Dash
2 DF Leena Powell (2007-10-03) October 3, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg UCLA
2 DF Katie Scott (2007-06-20) June 20, 2007 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg Kansas City Current
2 DF Jocelyn Travers (2007-10-10) October 10, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg FC Bay Area Surf

3 MF Olivia Belcher(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Alabama
3 MF Riley Cross (2007-09-18) September 18, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Penn State
3 MF Bella Devey (2007-04-23) April 23, 2007 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg North Carolina
3 MF Natalia DiSora (2007-10-28) October 28, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Pittsburgh Riveters SC
3 MF Jordyn Hardeman (2007-05-05) May 5, 2007 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg Virginia
3 MF Lily Kiliski(18)00 Flag of the United States.svg New York SC
3 MF Ashlyn Puerta(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Penn State

4 FW Montgomery Draham(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Real Football Academy
4 FW Eres Freifeld(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg North Carolina
4 FW Eleanor Hodsden(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Notre Dame
4 FW Mary Long (2007-01-27) January 27, 2007 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg Kansas City Current
4 FW Maddie Padelski (2007-09-29) September 29, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Alabama
4 FW Mya Townes (2007-07-29) July 29, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Georgia

Recent call-ups

The following players were named to a squad in the last 12 months.

Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsGoalsClubLatest call-up
GK Wicki Dunlap (2007-11-06) November 6, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg North Carolina Courage March 2025 friendlies

DF Tyra Chu(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Nationals SCMarch 2025 friendlies

MF Sofia Atehortua(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg UCLA March 2025 friendlies
MF Kate Kemmerley(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Penn Fusion SAMarch 2025 friendlies
MF Y-Lan Nguyen (2007-06-02) June 2, 2007 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg VDAMarch 2025 friendlies
MF Kennedy Ring(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg World Class FCMarch 2025 friendlies

FW Ryder Ajeto(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Legends FCMarch 2025 friendlies
FW Bella Devey(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg North Carolina March 2025 friendlies
FW Rylee McLanahan (2007-08-14) August 14, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Solar SCMarch 2025 friendlies
FW Kylie Maxwell(17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Philadelphia Ukrainian NationalsMarch 2025 friendlies
FW Sealey Strawn (2007-10-01) October 1, 2007 (age 17)00 Flag of the United States.svg Dallas Trinity FC March 2025 friendlies
FW Chloe Ricketts (2007-05-23) May 23, 2007 (age 18)00 Flag of the United States.svg Washington Spirit March 2025 friendliesINJ

Coaches

References

  1. 2009 WNT U.S. Soccer Media Guide
  2. U.S. Under-18 Women Defeat Mexico 1–0, Take Home Inaugural Pan Am Championship, US Soccer, August 5, 1999.
  3. "U.S. Under-18 Women Defeat Mexico 1–0, Take Home Inaugural Pan Am Championship". U.S.Soccer. August 5, 1999. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  4. "U.S. Under-19 and U.S. U-18 Women's National Teams to Hold Joint Training Camp in Fayetteville, Georgia". United States Soccer Federation. June 24, 2025. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  5. "U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team Draws Host Spain, 1-1, in Third and Final Match of The L'Albir U-19 Women's International Tournament". United States Soccer Federation. February 26, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  6. "U.S. Under-19 and U.S. U-18 Women's National Teams to Hold Concurrent Training Camps in Fayetteville, Ga". United States Soccer Federation. March 27, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2025.