7/12/24 - The USA567 Women's National Team will have a chance to defend their WMF World Cup title this October in Mali Losinj, Croatia. The team will conduct its opening training camp on July 27 and 28 in Cincinnati.

USA567 Technical Director Craig Rhodis has invited 27 players to the combine, including nine players from the team that dominated the first WMF World Cup in Kiev, Ukraine in 2021.

Players hoping to earn a spot in their second WMF World Cup include Braeleigh McCoy, twins Emily and Gabby Byorth, Ashley Gogolin, Jackie Esterkamp, Erin Yenney, Alivia Milesky, Christy Zwolski, and Kenne Kessler.

McCoy was named as the top goalkeeper of the 2021 WMF World Cup. Kessler, who was that tournament's top scorer, was just part of the women's team that won The Soccer Tournament's $1 Million winner-take-all prize.

Rhodis will again helm the national team in Croatia, joined again by goalkeeper coach Mark Litton. Three players from the USA567 Men's National Team will slide over to the coaching side as assistants on the women's side as Franck Tayou, Uzi Tayou, and Ian Bennett were named as additions to Rhodis's staff.

"It's been three short years since we won the inaugural WMF Women's World Cup and we will be going into this year's competition as the team everyone will want to beat," said Litton, a fomer professional indoor soccer goalkeeper who has built a reputation coaching goalkeepers in indoor soccer, futsal, and minifootball. "I'm eager and excited to see the level of talent coming into our first training camp in preparation for this year's WMF World Cup. Our sights are set on being back-to-back WMF World Cup champions."

“I’m very thrilled to be part of this journey," said Franck Tayou, who has played in the last three men's WMF World Cups. "We have a very good women’s program and I have no doubt that we will be ready to defend our world title.“

"I am honored to join an extremely experienced and talented group of coaches and players," said Uzi Tayou, who is one of the longest-tenured players on the men's national team. "I'm excited to get to camp and start working together towards our objective."

Bennett, a two-time MASL Most Valuable Player, was born in Canada but became a naturalized US citizen and made his USA567 Men's National Team debut in last year's WMF World Cup in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. "I’m honored and blessed to be a part of the coaching staff," Bennett said. "I’m ready to work with such a talented group of women and to show the whole world that US women are still on top."

This is the first women's training camp that was strictly invite only. "We have gotten to the point where we have identified and developed a solid core of players, and finalizing the roster will be the toughest decision in the history of our women's program," said Rhodis. "I'm looking forward to working alongside my new coaching staff to take the best team possible to Croatia."

USA567 Women's National Team Training Camp Roster, July 27-28, Cincinnati, OH

Elyssa Francis - Louisville, Kentucky

Braeleigh McCoy - Ada, Michigan

Annabelle Hegeman - Akron, Ohio

Emily Byorth - Columbus, Ohio

Gabby Byorth - Columbus, Ohio

Ashley Gogolin - Columbus, Ohio

Jackie Esterkamp - Cincinnati, Ohio

Kacey Smekrud - La Grange, Kentucky

Macey Wierenga - Caledonia, Michigan

Emily Webster - Bellingham, Washington

Talani Barnett - Columbus, Ohio

Erin Yenney - Louisville, Kentucky

Kaela Dickerman - Louisville, Kentucky

Susanna Roberts - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Kayla Addison - Detroit, Michigan

Shannon McCarthy - Plymouth, Michigan

Jordyn Bartelson - Puyallup, Washington

Alivia Milesky - Columbus, Ohio

Emaly Vatne - Columbus, Ohio

Christy Zwolski - Cincinnati, Ohio

Kate Drummond - Cincinnati, Ohio

Kenne Kessler - Dallas, Texas

Leslie Guereca - Forth Worth, Texas

Jen LaPonte - Houston, Texas

Anne Ferguson - Tacoma, Washington

Kelsey Keown - Memphis, Tennessee

Ashley Buchta - Brownsville, Texas