Jan. 10, 2006

CHICAGO, ILL. - U.S. head coach Greg Ryan has named the 20 players who will travel to China Tuesday for the Four Nations Tournament that begins Jan. 18 as the USA opens its 2006 schedule with a match against long-time rival Norway. The 20-player roster includes five products of the University of North Carolina--goalie Jenni Branam, defender Lori Chalupny, midfielders Kristine Lilly and Lindsay Tarpley and forward Heather O'Reilly.

U.S. defender Christie Rampone, a starter at outside back on the 2004 Olympic gold medal-winning team, makes her first roster in her first camp since having a baby girl (Rylie) on Sept. 29, 2005. Other 2004 Olympians to make the roster are defender Heather Mitts, midfielders Shannon Boxx Aly Wagner, Lindsay Tarpley and team captain Kristine Lilly, and forwards Heather O'Reilly and Abby Wambach, who with four goals and five assists was the second-leading scorer on the team last year behind Christie Welsh (seven goals), who was also named.

The USA departs Tuesday on a 15-plus hour flight to Hong Kong and will then travel to the bustling metropolis of Guangzhou (population: 6.5 million) to set up base for the tournament. Located in southern China, the more than 2,000-year-old city will not be as cold as more northern parts of the country in January, but temperatures are expected to be chilly, especially after the U.S. team trained in bright sunshine all week at the HDC.

United States Women's National Soccer Team Roster - Four Nations Tournament -- Guangzhou, China
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jenni Branam, Hope Solo; DEFENDERS (6): Lori Chalupny, Tina Frimpong, Amy LePeilbet, Stephanie Lopez, Heather Mitts, Christie Rampone; MIDFIELDERS (8): Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd, Kristine Lilly, Marci Miller, Leslie Osborne, Lindsay Tarpley, Aly Wagner, Angie Woznuk; FORWARDS (4): Heather O'Reilly, India Trotter, Abby Wambach, Christie Welsh.

YOUNG TEAM WILL HEAD TO CHINA: U.S. head coach Greg Ryan chose several young players, including uncapped 20-year-old forward India Trotter of Florida State who was in her first camp with the full national team this past week. Ryan also chose 20-year-old midfielder Angie Woznuk, who scored the first goal in the NCAA Championship game last year, helping the Portland Pilots to an undefeated season and the NCAA title. Six players named to the roster have two or less caps, including Trotter (0 caps), Woznuk (1), midfielder Carli Lloyd (2), defender Stephanie Lopez (1), midfielder Marci Miller (2) and defender Tina Frimpong (2). Goalkeeper Jenni Branam has five caps, but will be looking for her first since 2000. Lopez, the youngest player named to the Four Nations roster at 19, was also named to the roster for the U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team that will participate in CONCACAF qualifying in Mexico from Jan. 18-27. Lopez will join her mates on the U-20s after the completion of the Four Nations Tournament. The roster also includes midfielder Leslie Osborne and defender Amy LePeilbet, both of whom were members of the USA's 2004 Olympic Residency Training Camp, but who have just 11 and 10 career caps respectively. The "youngness" of the U.S. roster is underscored by the fact that two "veteran gold medallists" in Tarpley and O'Reilly are younger than Osborne and LePeilbet.