Seasoned pros and fresh faces.
According to Crystal Dunn, it’s vital for the U.S. women’s soccer team to have some of each.
That will be the case this summer at the Olympics.
While the roster headed to the 2024 Paris Games features several veterans such as Dunn, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Mallory Swanson, there are a handful of young stars making their Olympic debuts.
“This roster going to the Olympics is a blend of veterans and some youth, and I think that it’s all about balance,” Dunn, the Gotham FC star headed to her third Olympics, said during Monday’s U.S. Soccer press conference in Manhattan.
“You definitely need a bit of both to ensure that we are putting our best foot forward and also not just focusing on the Olympics. There is a generation that’s gonna go on obviously after this tournament, and I think it’s important that there is some structure in place that helps with that progression.”
Things didn’t go as planned for the USWNT at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The squad’s bid for a historic third consecutive World Cup title came to a stunning end in the Round of 16 when the U.S. was knocked out by Sweden on penalty kicks.
The World Cup loss sparked concern that the team’s supremacy had passed.
The U.S. women also recently dropped to fifth in the latest FIFA rankings. Before 2024, the squad had never been ranked below No. 2 in the world, according to ESPN.
“We stepped out of the World Cup not feeling too amazing about our performance,” the 32-year-old Dunn said,“but I think that at the end of the day we knew that we had an incredible opportunity to regroup and get back to it.”
The program’s generational shift is evident in the roster competing in Paris, especially after USWNT stalwart Alex Morgan’s shocking omission — which new coach Emma Hayes explained simply by saying, “I felt that I wanted to go in another direction and selected other players.”
“Choosing an 18-player roster plus alternates involves many considerations, but I’m excited for the group we’ve selected and I’m looking forward to building on the work from last camp as we head into the Send-Off matches and then onto France,” Hayes said. “These are great opportunities for us to continue to show the progress we are making.”
Hayes and the returning players are excited for the new wealth of talent and the future of the USWNT, which will open Group B play on July 25 against Zambia.
“We have such an incredible group of players – young, old, experienced, first-time Olympians – I don’t think that matters,” Horan said. “I think everyone is here and ready to go out and do whatever they can to make that final game and put on a gold medal at the end of the day.”
The squad’s first-time Olympians include goalkeeper Casey Murphy, defenders Emily Fox, Naomi Girma and Jenna Nighswonger, midfielders Korbin Albert and Sam Coffey and forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Jaedyn Shaw.
On Friday, Gotham forward Lynn Williams, who had been an alternate, was moved to her first 18-player Olympics roster following Cat Macario’s withdrawal due to injury.
Washington Spirit rookies Hal Hershfelt and Croix Bethune also will experience their first Olympic Games as alternates.
“I think for all of the youth players that we have, the development of them and their ability to adapt to whatever situation they’re given has been fantastic,” said Gotham defender Tierna Davidson, who previoulsy competed with the Olympic team in Tokyo.“It’s been so helpful because they’ve been able to come in and hit the ground running and perform for us and really contribute.”
Horan, a third-time Olympian who will be captaining the team, aims to give her teammates voices and push everyone to be a leader.
“The young ones, they make up a big chunk of this team, and I think that’s really important for them to know that I will need them and we are one,” she said. “Giving voices to them and making sure they know that this is their team.”