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USWNT roster: Inexperience, injuries biggest concern at 2023 World Cup

Andi Sullivan will be anchoring the USWNT midfield in New Zealand, alongside 13 other players making their World Cup debuts. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

The day has finally arrived; the USWNT’s 2023 World Cup roster has been announced. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski has put together a 23-player squad with a balance of veteran experience and incredible talent, but many questions remain as to how the group will gel in time to attempt to capture a historic third-straight World Cup title.

The U.S. has been ravaged by injuries in the last year, forcing Andonovski’s hand with some of his decisions. But he’s also adopting a few calculated risks that could either pay off in the biggest moment, or spell disaster for a relatively inexperienced group.

Here are three takeaways from Wednesday’s roster reveal.

This is a brand-new USWNT

A main takeaway from the 2023 World Cup roster is much-discussed but perpetually relevant: This version of the USWNT couldn’t look any more different than the team that won a World Championship in 2019. Fourteen of the 23 players selected for this year’s tournament have never participated in a World Cup before, and a number of projected starters did not play in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Sophia Smith is going to be relied upon heavily in the USWNT attack in her first major tournament, while Lynn Williams feels like a seasoned veteran despite preparing for her first World Cup. Emily Fox is a penciled-in starter at outside back, even with this being her World Cup debut, and the starting center-back pair will almost certainly have never performed on this big of a stage before. Emily Sonnett is the only center-back named to the roster with World Cup experience.

The U.S. midfield will be anchored by Andi Sullivan in her first major tournament, and fellow midfielder Savannah DeMelo is the first player since 2003 to be named to a World Cup roster without having registered her first appearance with the USWNT. Eighteen-year-old Alyssa Thompson made a last-minute surge into roster consideration after Mallory Swanson suffered a major knee injury, representing the next generation of star power rising in the USWNT ranks.

None of this is bad news — these are the players ready for this tournament — but it is a data point to consider. The U.S. likely made a mistake at the Tokyo Olympics for sticking with an aging roster, and in 2023 they have swung the pendulum in the opposite direction. No U.S. team is going to get the opportunity to call itself a rebuild, but everything Andonovski’s squad does in Australia and New Zealand this summer will be about both building for the future and chasing history in the present.

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Rose Lavelle has been nursing an injury since April, but Andonovski said that is "not a worry for us." (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Endless creativity

The midfield section of the USWNT roster has a clear imbalance to it, by design and likely by necessity. Rose Lavelle hasn’t played any competitive game minutes since mid-April, and while Andonovski said he is confident she’ll be healthy by the time the group stage begins, she’s probably not going to be completely game-fit by World Cup kickoff. Thus enters the roster’s biggest surprise in DeMelo, whose attributes as a playmaker for Racing Louisville this season proved undeniable despite her inexperience with the USWNT.

Usually the need to bring a backup midfielder due to injury is bad news for other players in the same positional group, but Andonovski has taken a different approach. In making room for three creative midfielders in Lavelle, DeMelo and Ashley Sanchez, Andonovski cut a spot from his frontline — the traditional backup No. 9 spot that Washington Spirit forward Ashley Hatch has held for over a year.

Hatch did nothing to warrant a last-minute drop, but the trade-off makes sense in the context of who else fills out the attack; Sophia Smith and Lynn Williams can both play centrally as well as out wide. Andonovski also referenced Trinity Rodman, and Alyssa Thompson can slide into the role for short periods, all of which will be necessary to make sure that Alex Morgan can get the rest she needs throughout the tournament.

The question that hangs over this particular compromise is whether Andonovski will trust any of the three attacking midfielders to run a dual No. 10 system against defensive-minded sides (Lindsey Horan cannot play every minute of a World Cup), or if the team is simply carrying an extra player who will not feature much in the tournament.

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Kelley O'Hara brings experience to a U.S. defense that needs it in the absence of Becky Sauerbrunn. (Brad Smith/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Making room for specialists

Rosters of 23 players frequently do have room for those who bring one particularly elite skill and might be needed in certain games to break an opponent down. But the thinner depth charts at a few core positions due to injury and form make some of Andonovski’s choices a bit risky.

Losing captain Becky Sauerbrunn to an injury has made the center-back position a precarious one, as 2019 starter Abby Dahlkemper is still recovering from back surgery and Tierna Davidson has struggled since her return from an ACL injury. But Andonovski did not make the same adjustment to the backline as he did with the midfield; he’s only bringing three center-backs in Alana Cook, Naomi Girma and Emily Sonnett. Central defenders have the ability to carry more minutes than positions with greater distances to run, but the USWNT head coach has always favored calculated rotation.

Instead, Andonovski has stacked up on outside-back depth, bringing crossing specialist Sofia Huerta and the oft-injured Kelley O’Hara to support his likely preferred starters, Emily Fox and Crystal Dunn. O’Hara brings veteran experience to a backline that needs it, but if the center-backs struggle against top opposition, the lack of options could become an issue. Andonovski said that Julie Ertz is another center-back option in the case of an emergency, but she hasn’t played there for the U.S. in over four years.

Megan Rapinoe is another locker-room leader who is traveling with the team in a specialist’s capacity. The original plan Andonovski outlined was to give most of the minutes at left wing to Swanson, and insert Rapinoe into matches for her dead-ball and crossing ability. With Swanson no longer available, a committee of players will now have to cover left wing. Rapinoe has the type of leadership and elite talent on the ball (including from the penalty spot) that could help the U.S. secure more than one victory. But if Andonovski finds himself leaning on her fitness more than he planned, the U.S. attack and full-team defending could suffer.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Indiana Fever Shoots for Redemption Against Seattle Storm

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark waits for an inbound pass during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Fever are looking to end a two-game losing streak. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The WNBA is back in action on Tuesday night, as the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm headline a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several 2025 title contenders.

Seeking an especially strong Tuesday performance is the Fever, as Indiana tries to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Storm.

"There are going to be stretches that are really good and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.

While the Indiana and Seattle clash will lead the Tuesday charge, the night will also see young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts as bottom-table teams look for a leg up:

  • No. 8 Indiana Fever vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can't seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.
  • No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 9 Washington Mystics, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx a second season loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.
  • No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.
  • No. 10 LA Sparks vs. No. 11 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to rev up, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night.

Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the WNBA All-Star break looms.

WNBA Rookie of the Year Odds Shift as 2025 Draft Picks Heat Up

Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron guards Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers during a 2025 WNBA game.
Washington rookie Sonia Citron and first-year Dallas star Paige Bueckers are both off to hot starts in their WNBA careers. (Stephen Goslings/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.

No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.

DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.

Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.

"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."

"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."

International Signings Ramp Up as Soccer Teams Break for Women’s Euro 2025

San Diego Wave forward María Sánchez dribbles the ball during a 2025 NWSL match.
San Diego forward María Sánchez is transferring to Liga MX side UANL Tigres. (John Matthew Harrison/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Though the NWSL hit the pause button this week, players worldwide are still on the move, as both European and US soccer teams use the midseason break to sharpen their lineups with international signings.

The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with the San Diego Wave announcing Monday that forward María Sánchez will return to her former Liga MX club UANL Tigres after nearly five years in the NWSL, with the Wave set to receive an undisclosed transfer fee in return.

"When the opportunity came to return to Tigres, I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career," the 29-year-old dual citizen and Mexico international player said in the Wave's release.

NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Washington Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore last week — the first Italian signing in league history.

Also hopping aboard the player transaction carousel is new WSL side London City, with the top-flight debutantes inking OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Daniëlle van de Donk on Friday.

Meanwhile, van de Donk's wife and club teammate Ellie Carpenter is also potentially WSL-bound, with the defender reportedly nearing a deal that would see the Australian join Chelsea FC in return for the Blues sending Canadian international Ashley Lawrence to OL Lyonnes.

For their part, OL Lyonnes picked up defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent last week, adding the Norwegian international after snagging French forward and PSG's all-time leading scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto earlier this month.

With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect even more international signings and roster reshufflings before the league resumes play on August 1st.

San Diego Wave Honors Alex Morgan with Jersey Retirement

San Diego Wave players applaud Alex Morgan as she exits the pitch during her final NWSL game in 2024.
Morgan won the NWSL Shield with San Diego in 2023. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

San Diego is paying tribute to one of their own, with the Wave announcing plans to retire the No. 13 jersey of NWSL and USWNT legend Alex Morgan on September 7th.

Still topping the team's all-time scoring leaderboard with 23 goals in just over two seasons with San Diego, the retired club captain will be the first-ever Wave player to receive the prestigious honor.

Morgan also led San Diego to the 2023 NWSL Shield as well as postseason appearances in the 2022 expansion club's first two seasons.

"Alex's legacy goes far beyond goals and accolades. She helped lay the foundation for this club and elevated the standard for what women's soccer is today," said Wave FC governor Lauren Leichtman in the team's Tuesday announcement.

"She made this city her home, inspired our fans and community, and helped define who we are," Leichtman continued. "Her impact will be felt for generations, and it's only fitting that her number becomes a permanent part of Wave FC history." 

Morgan joined the Southern California squad's ownership group just last month, saying "San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career."

How to attend the San Diego jersey retirement of Alex Morgan

San Diego will officially retire Morgan's No. 13 jersey during their home match against the Houston Dash at 8 PM ET on September 7th.

Tickets to the game will go on sale to the general public online at 6 PM ET on Tuesday.

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