U.S. women's national team head coach Jill Ellis announced today her 24-player training camp roster in advance of the team's July 9 friendly against South Africa in Chicago. The roster includes Crystal Dunn and Ali Krieger, two key players for the Washington Spirit. Dunn has become a regular part of the attacking rotation for the USWNT recently, after being left off last year's World Cup roster. Krieger has been a longtime national team call-up, but both players are looking to participate in their first Olympic tournament this summer.
Training camp is expected to open July 1. Since the two Spirit players are both expected to make the 18-player Olympic roster, which will be named after the first friendly, they will miss the Spirit's five July matches. Dunn and Krieger are also expected to miss the Spirit's rescheduled game at the Houston Dash on August 18.
Dunn and Krieger are both competing for playing time and a starting position on the Olympic roster. Dunn has scored eight goals and four assists in 13 games for the USWNT this year but is competing with Alex Morgan, Christen Press, and young phenom Mallory Pugh for time up top. Krieger started every game in the World Cup last year but has only started in half of her appearances this year. From the outside, it looks like Ellis might be favoring Kelley O'Hara of Sky Blue FC at right back.
The Spirit will have their USWNT duo for one more game: Saturday's home game against Sky Blue FC.