United States women's national under-18 soccer team

United States under-18
Nickname(s)	Team USA; The Stars and Stripes; The Yanks
Association	United States Soccer Federation
Confederation	CONCACAF (North America)
FIFA code	USA
First colors	Second colors
Pan American Games
Appearances	1 (first in 1999)
Best result	Gold (1999)
Medal record
Pan American Games

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.

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.

Year	Result	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	GF	GA	Coach
1999	Champions	6	5	1	0	22	2	Jay Hoffman
Total	1/1	6	5	1	0	22	2

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]

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1GK	Daphne Nakfoor	(17)	0	0	Slammers FC HB Koge
1GK	Nyamma Nelson	(17)	0	0	Portland Thorns Academy
1GK	Carson Proctor	(17)	0	0	FC Prime

2DF	Edra Bello	(17)	0	0	San Diego Surf SC
2DF	Braelyn Even	(17)	0	0	Cincinnati United SC
2DF	Kiara Gilmore	(2007-02-11) February 11, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Wisconsin
2DF	Emma Johnson	(2006-07-20) July 20, 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Lexington SC
2DF	Zoe Matthews	(2007-05-25) May 25, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Houston Dash
2DF	Leena Powell	(2007-10-03) October 3, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	UCLA
2DF	Katie Scott	(2007-06-20) June 20, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Kansas City Current
2DF	Jocelyn Travers	(2007-10-10) October 10, 2007 (age 17)	0	0	FC Bay Area Surf

3MF	Olivia Belcher	(17)	0	0	Alabama
3MF	Riley Cross	(2007-09-18) September 18, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Penn State
3MF	Bella Devey	(2007-04-23) April 23, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	North Carolina
3MF	Natalia DiSora	(2007-10-28) October 28, 2007 (age 17)	0	0	Pittsburgh Riveters SC
3MF	Jordyn Hardeman	(2007-05-05) May 5, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Virginia
3MF	Lily Kiliski	(18)	0	0	New York SC
3MF	Ashlyn Puerta	(17)	0	0	Penn State

4FW	Montgomery Draham	(17)	0	0	Real Football Academy
4FW	Eres Freifeld	(17)	0	0	North Carolina
4FW	Eleanor Hodsden	(17)	0	0	Notre Dame
4FW	Mary Long	(2007-01-27) January 27, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Kansas City Current
4FW	Maddie Padelski	(2007-09-29) September 29, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Alabama
4FW	Mya Townes	(2007-07-29) July 29, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Georgia

Recent call-ups

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

March 2025 training camp.^[6]

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Wicki Dunlap	(2007-11-06) November 6, 2007 (age 17)	0	0	North Carolina Courage	March 2025 friendlies

DF	Tyra Chu	(17)	0	0	Nationals SC	March 2025 friendlies

MF	Sofia Atehortua	(17)	0	0	UCLA	March 2025 friendlies
MF	Kate Kemmerley	(17)	0	0	Penn Fusion SA	March 2025 friendlies
MF	Y-Lan Nguyen	(2007-06-02) June 2, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	VDA	March 2025 friendlies
MF	Kennedy Ring	(17)	0	0	World Class FC	March 2025 friendlies

FW	Ryder Ajeto	(17)	0	0	Legends FC	March 2025 friendlies
FW	Bella Devey	(17)	0	0	North Carolina	March 2025 friendlies
FW	Rylee McLanahan	(2007-08-14) August 14, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Solar SC	March 2025 friendlies
FW	Kylie Maxwell	(17)	0	0	Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals	March 2025 friendlies
FW	Sealey Strawn	(2007-10-01) October 1, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Dallas Trinity FC	March 2025 friendlies
FW	Chloe Ricketts	(2007-05-23) May 23, 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Washington Spirit	March 2025 friendlies^INJ

INJ - Injured
PRE - Withdrew prior to camp

Coaches

Shannon Higgins-Cirovski (1998–1999)
Jay Hoffman (1999)
Steve Swanson (2000)
Tracey Leone (2001)
Tracey Kevins (2019)
Mark Carr (2019)
Chris Petrucelli (2020)

References

^ 2009 WNT U.S. Soccer Media Guide
^ U.S. Under-18 Women Defeat Mexico 1–0, Take Home Inaugural Pan Am Championship, US Soccer, August 5, 1999.
^ "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.
^ "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.
^ "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.
^ "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.

[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.

[panam1999-3] "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.

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