Paul Names New 20-Athlete Women’s Junior World Cup Roster

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After winning Junior Pan American Championship (JPAC) bronze and clinching their spot back in August, U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team Head Coach Tracey Paul has named the new 20-athlete roster for the upcoming 2021 FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup (JWC). Originally set to take place in December, the event will now be held April 1 though 12 at North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Of the new roster, USA’s squad has a mix of familiar names from JPAC with an addition of some key individuals.

“We're pleased with the balance and experience in this squad,” commented Paul. “Some players have been selected for the first time, which is very exciting for them, and I know they'll be determined to leave their mark. We're looking to perform with consistently high standards throughout the tournament and build on the experience gained at JPAC. As a group, we will set goals and focus on performing to the maximum of our capabilities. This is a very exciting time for USA Field Hockey!”

Fourteen athletes who represented USA at the JPAC have been named to the roster.  The returners are led by Hope Rose (Dauphin, Pa.), JPAC Most Valuable Player, and Charlotte de Vries (Malvern, Pa.), JPAC Top Goal Scorer. Accompanying them, who are also on the senior USWNT, are Leah Crouse (Virginia Beach, Va.), Alia Marshall (Rehoboth Beach, Del.) and Ashley Sessa (Schwenksville, Pa.). Marshall, Rose and Sessa recently competed with the senior team at the recent Pan American Cup in January.

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been named to the 20-athlete roster for the women’s JWC:

Gracyn Banks (Burlington, N.J.), Kayla Blas (North Tonawanda, N.Y.), Isabella Bressler (Leesport,  Pa.), Margo Carlin (Drexel Hill, Pa.), Leah Crouse (Virginia Beach, Va.), Charlotte de Vries (Malvern, Pa.), Emma DeBerdine (Millersville, Pa.), Lindsay Dickinson (Glen Mills, Pa.), Katie Dixon (Cary, N.C.), Riley Donnelly (Doylestown, Pa.), Madison Kahn (Ocean City, N.J.), Alia Marshall (Rehoboth Beach, Del.), Kathryn Peterson (San Diego, Calif.), Caroline Ramsey (Morristown, N.J.), Hope Rose (Dauphin, Pa.),  Ashley Sessa (Schwenksville, Pa.), Annabel Skubisz (Houston, Texas), Abigail Tamer (Whitmore Lake, Mich.), Josie Varney (Bethlehem, Pa.), Lauren Wadas (Annville, Pa.)

The non-traveling reserves are Meghen Hengerer (Bedminster, N.J.), Caylie McMahon (Stow, Mass.) and Reagan Underwood (Sinking Spring, Pa.).

The Junior USWNT sits in Pool A with Canada, The Netherlands and Zimbabwe. They open up JWC play on Friday, April 1 against The Netherlands at 6:00 a.m. ET, and then face Zimbabwe on Saturday, April 2 at 6:00 a.m. ET and Canada on Monday, April 4 at 10:30 a.m. ET. Placement games are set for Thursday, April 7, Quarterfinals on Friday, April 8, Semifinals on Sunday, April 10 and Finals on Tuesday, April 12. All matches of the Junior World Cup will be streamed live on Watch.Hockey.

The Junior USWNT will have a pre-tournament training camp from March 18 to 20 at Queens University in Charlotte, N.C. The squad will depart on March 26 to make the trip to Potchefstroom, South Africa.

Due to the initial COVID-19 postponement, the age restrictions for the Junior Pan American Championship shifted to reflect originally eligible athletes. For the Junior World Cup, only athletes born in 2000 or later are eligible to compete and this eliminated Gianna Glatz from the original JPAC roster.

For more information regarding the 2021 FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World, visit the event page.

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