Ellis Names 23 Players to Training Camp Roster for WNT's Final 2017

Canada is ranked fifth in the world after a bronze medal finish at the 2016 Olympics, but the teams haven’t played since the title game of the 2016 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship, which the USA won 2-0 to take the regional title after both teams had already qualified for Brazil by winning semifinal matches.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position (Caps/Goals): GOALKEEPERS (4): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 2/0), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 14/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 21/0)

DEFENDERS (8): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 11/0), Sofia Huerta (Chicago Red Stars; 3/0), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC; 102/2), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City; 133/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 17/0), Taylor Smith (NC Courage; 5/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 12/0), Chioma Ubogagu (Orlando Pride; 0/0)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 55/13), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 41/4), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash; 244/97), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC; 32/6), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage; 32/7), Andi Sullivan (Stanford; 5/0)

FORWARDS (5): Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 132/18), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride; 132/78), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars; 94/44), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC; 127/34), Lynn Williams (NC Courage; 13/4)

SAID ELLIS

To play Canada in Vancouver is another excellent challenge for our team. It’s a great rivalry with some classic history and these two matches in the home-and-home series will cap an important year in our growth towards 2019. We’ve targeted and evaluated a lot of players this year and moving forward, I’m genuinely excited to keep building with the group we have now.”

FAMILIAR FACES, NEW FACES Of the 23 players Ellis named to this roster, 18 helped the USA to two wins against Korea Republic in October. Veteran Tobin Heath returns from an ankle knock suffered in the NWSL title game, while defender Taylor Smith has recovered from a shoulder injury suffered in that same game. Adrianna Franch, the 2017 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, returns to the WNT roster after an excellent club season in which she helped the Portland Thorns win the league title. She most recently participated in a WNT training camp in January of this year.

Ellis has recalled Portland Thorns defender Emily Sonnett, who is playing in Australia’s W-League during the NWSL off-season with Sydney FC. Sonnett has 12 caps for the USA.

Ellis has given a first call-up to Chioma Ubogagu of Orlando Pride who will train as an outside back after playing that position at times with her club this season. Ubogagu was a key member of the USA's 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup championship team along with current WNT players Samantha Mewis, Julie Ertz, Crystal Dunn and Morgan Brian.

BACK IN THE BAY AREA The match in San Jose will mark a homecoming of sorts for numerous WNT players with ties to the Bay Area. Defender Kelley O’Hara, forward Christen Press, goalkeeper Jane Campbell and Ubogagu all attended Stanford, while Andi Sullivan currently plays for the Cardinal. Defender Abby Dahlkemper is from Menlo Park (about 18 miles from Avaya Stadium), forward Alex Morgan attended UC Berkeley across the Bay and, defenders Julie Ertz and Sofia Huerta attended Santa Clara University, which is adjacent to Avaya Stadium. Forward Lynn Williams is from Fresno, Calif., about 150 miles southeast of Avaya Stadium.