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Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe among veterans not included on USWNT roster

By The Sports Xchange
USA's Alex Morgan watches the action from the ground in the first half against New Zealand at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on April 4, 2015. USA won the match 4-0. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
USA's Alex Morgan watches the action from the ground in the first half against New Zealand at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on April 4, 2015. USA won the match 4-0. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

Starting the cycle of looking at new players three years ahead of the next major tournament, U.S. women's soccer coach Jill Ellis announced a squad Thursday that does not include several team mainstays, including forward Alex Morgan and midfielder Megan Rapinoe.

Defensive starters Julie Johnston, Megan Klingenberg and Ali Krieger also are absent, as is emerging 18-year-old striker Mallory Pugh.

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Rapinoe recently was reprimanded by U.S. Soccer for taking a knee during the national anthem at two friendly matches, but there was no indication that leaving her off the roster was related to her stance regarding violence and injustice in the nation.

The 24 players selected by Ellis will oppose Switzerland twice, Oct. 19 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, and Oct. 23 in Minneapolis.

Eleven players who have yet to appear for the national team are on the roster, including: Stanford senior goalie Jane Campbell, Chicago Red Stars midfielder Danielle Colaprico, Chicago Red Stars defenders Arin Gilliland and Casey Short, Seattle Reign defender Merritt Mathias, Western New York Flash defender Abby Dahlkemper, FC Kansas City midfielder Shea Groom, Stanford junior midfielder Andi Sullivan, BYU senior forward Ashley Hatch, Western New York Flash forward Lynn Williams and Houston Dash forward Kealia Ohai.

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"Right now, we are in a phase where we want to try to expand the player pool, look at a number of players and start the long process to qualifying for the next World Cup," Ellis said in a statement. "That means several of our more experienced players won't be in for this camp while we get to evaluate some different personnel. In order to see if these players can contribute, we need to get them into a National Team training environment and in games.

"Our staff has been watching (National Women's Soccer League) games this season and these are the ones that stood out. The league is vitally important to create a tremendous competitive environment for these players to show their talents as professionals and we are excited to give them a chance with the National Team."

The squad does not include goalie Hope Solo, who is serving a six-month suspension for comments made after the team's penalty-shootout loss to Sweden at the Olympics this summer.

Ohai is notable among the newcomers for scoring in the 2012 Under-20 Women's World Cup Final as the USA beat Germany 1-0.

Williams led the NWSL with 11 goals this year.

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Team USA won the Women's World Cup in Canada last year. The next World Cup is in 2019 in France, and the 2020 Olympics will be held in Japan.

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