By Anonymous (not verified), January 9, 2024
From NC Courage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 9, 2023
18-year-old gets first U-20 call-up ahead of
2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
Riley Jackson runs during a 2023 Courage training session. The then-17-year-old signed with the club on July 28.
CARY, N.C. (Jan. 9, 2024) – North Carolina Courage midfielder Riley Jackson has been called into the first U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team camp of 2024, which runs January 15 through 22 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Head coach Tracey Kevins named the 24-player roster for the team’s first training camp of the year on Tuesday, as announced by U.S. Soccer.
This is the first-ever U-20 call-up for the Youth National Team star Jackson. The camp marks the first steps toward the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, to be held in Colombia in September, for which the USA qualified last June at the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic. Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2004, are age-eligible for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Jackson, who signed a multiyear contract with the Courage last July, is one of three professional players called into the January camp, joining Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current) and Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC). All three are aiming to make their NWSL debuts in 2024.
Jackson was the captain for the United States at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India and is one of six players from that roster called into January’s camp. North Carolina Courage Academy product Lauren Martinho, who helped the Courage U-23 team to a berth in the USL-W Final last summer, is also a member of the January camp roster.
U.S. U-20 Women’s Youth National Team
January Training Camp Roster by Position (College or Club; Hometown)
Goalkeepers (3): Mackenzie Gress (Penn State; Lyndhurst, N.J.), Jordan Nytes (Colorado; Aurora, Colo.), Teagan Wy (California; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Defenders (7): Elise Evans (Stanford; Redwood City, Calif.), Gracie Falla (South Carolina; Hattiesburg, Miss.), Nicki Fraser (Real Colorado National; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Heather Gilchrist (Florida State; Boulder, Colo.), Savannah King (North Carolina; West Hills, Calif.), Leah Klenke (Notre Dame; Houston, Texas), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; Studio City, Calif.)
Midfielders (7): Sam Courtwright (Texas Tech; Dallas, Texas), Danielle Davis (Clemson; Port Washington, N.Y.), Shae Harvey (Stanford; Hermosa Beach, Calif.), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; Bethlehem, N.Y.), Riley Jackson (North Carolina Courage; Roswell, Georgia), Ally Lemos (UCLA; Glendora, Calif.), Lauren Martinho (North Carolina Courage Academy; Cary, N.C.)
Forwards (7): Madeline Dahlien (North Carolina; Edina, Minn.), Jordynn Dudley (Florida State; Milton, Ga.), Kat Rader (Duke; Stuart, Fla.), Giana Riley (Gonzaga; Manteca, Calif.), Ally Sentnor (North Carolina; Hanson, Mass.), Taylor Suarez (Charlotte Soccer Academy; Charlotte, N.C.), Pietra Tordin (Princeton; Doral, Fla.)
ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE
The North Carolina Courage begin their eighth season of competition in 2024 since beginning play in the National Women’s Soccer League (USSF Division I) in 2017. The Courage were formed after Steve Malik purchased the Western New York Flash and relocated the franchise to Cary, North Carolina, and play their home games at WakeMed Soccer Park. The Courage are the winningest club in NWSL history, claiming seven league trophies as three-time NWSL Shield winners (2017, 2018, 2019), two-time NWSL Champions (2018, 2019), and two-time UKG NWSL Challenge Cup champions (2022, 2023). The Courage also won the 2018 ICC Championship.