USWNT Roster Takeaways: Naomi Girma Returns, Lo LaBonta Gets First Call-Up | OneFootball

On Tuesday, USWNT manager Emma Hayes announced her 24-player roster for the U.S. women's national team's upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica.

The USWNT will face China at Allianz Field in St. Paul on May 31, and then head to Energizer Park in St. Louis to face Jamaica on June 3.

The new roster features a trio of new names, amongst some returning superstars and a couple of selection tweaks.

USWNT Roster: May/June Friendlies

Position (Club; Caps/Goals)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 0) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 3), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 1)

DEFENDERS (8): Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride; 0/0), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 159/25), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 66/1), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC, ENG; 44/2), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 5/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 2/0), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 3/0), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 107/2)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 33/1), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 165/37), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 2/0), Lo’eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current; 0/0), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 5/2), Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 6/1)

FORWARDS (7): Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC; 78/22), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 4/1), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 23/10), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville; 4/1), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 7/2), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 17/1), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 3/0)

Naomi Girma Returns

One of the headlines of this new roster is the long-awaited return of defender Naomi Girma.

The most expensive player in the history of women's soccer has not been called up for the USWNT in 2025 due to a calf injury she sustained in January, which was later aggravated after she joined Chelsea in the English Women's Super League. Due to her injuries, Girma has yet to feature for the USWNT since she made her historic $1.1m transfer from the San Diego Wave to Chelsea. Girma has won three trophies in the past five months with Chelsea.

Hayes will be thrilled to welcome the world-class Girma back into the fold. But the question now becomes who will partner her in the middle of the USWNT's backline? An ACL injury to Tierna Davidson means Hayes is looking to build an alternative center-back partnership, with Emily Sonnett or Tara McKeown as the most likely options.

Lo LaBonta's First Call-Up

A standout player in the National Women's Soccer League, it is surprising to think that midfielder Lo LaBonta had yet to receive a USWNT call-up in her 11 seasons as a professional. The Kansas City Current player was named in the NWSL best XI in 2022 and was named in the second-best XI in 2024.

LaBonta is a natural leader, with a mix of joy and tenacity that is infectious in the locker room and on the pitch. She is also known for her technical passing ability and ice-cold penalty taking. LaBonta has scored three penalties this season and has converted 12 in total in her NWSL career.

Another bonus of LaBonta's inclusion is her chemistry with Kansas City teammate Claire Hutton. As Hayes pushes a youth movement across the USWNT, she has been embracing the 19-year-old Hutton as a tough-tackling deep midfielder. LaBonta and Hutton have played over 30 times together over the past two seasons and are already a revered midfield duo at the top of the NWSL.

If LaBonta plays in either of these upcoming friendlies, then she will become the oldest player ever to debut for the USWNT at 32 years old.

Another New Face: Kerry Abello

Of course, LaBonta isn't the only first-time call-up on this roster. Hayes has also called in Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello.

The left-footed Abello has been instrumental for the Pride over the past two seasons, including being the starting left back as the team won the NWSL Shield and championship in 2024. The left-back position feels particularly open right now, so the 25-year-old's call-up has felt long overdue.

LaBonta and Abello are the 22nd and 23rd first-time call-ups since Hayes took over as manager in May 2024. With no tournament for the USWNT in 2025, this year of experimentation has been vital.

Change to the Goalkeeper Group

Since the retirement of legendary keeper Alyssa Naeher at the end of 2024, the goalkeeper position has been a wide-open competition. Plenty of different shot-stoppers are getting a look.

Hayes has decided to cut Houston Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell, who started for the USWNT in February's SheBelieves Cup, in favor of bringing in Seattle Reign's Claudia Dickey

The 25-year-old Dickey is uncapped but was called into a training camp under Hayes in January. Dickey may not see the pitch in these games, but it's clear that she has caught the eye after a solid start to the '25 season with the Reign.

Dickey currently leads in the NWSL in post-shot xG minus goals conceded (sometimes referred to as goals prevented) with 4.8. She has three shutouts and has conceded the second-fewest amount of goals (seven) in the NWSL this year.

Who Else Missed the Roster?

Hayes has made seven changes from her previous roster that took on Brazil in April. Alongside goalkeeper Campbell, Alana Cook, Korbin Albert, Yazmeen Ryan, Ashley Hatch, Jaedyn Shaw and Trinity Rodman are all absent.

Kansas City defender Cook and Spirit forward Rodman have both picked up injuries, so they were not in contention for this roster. Ryan was a late scratch at the weekend with a facial injury, and perhaps that factored into her name being left off the roster.

Shaw has been struggling to make an impact since her offseason move to the North Carolina Courage, so that is likely the call behind her omission. Similarly, Albert's performance on he national team has declined severely since 2024.

Hatch is unlucky not to make the roster, considering her form with the Spirit in the NWSL where she has five goals in nine games this season. However, it is a very competitive attacking group, and it looks like Hayes wanted to examine a different profile of player.

Who Else is New?

Alongside the new additions of LaBonta, Abello, and Dickey, Hayes has brought back Lynn Biyendolo, Olivia Moultrie, Emma Sears and Gisele Thompson.

Biyendolo was injured in April, but has been a favorite of Hayes since she took over. An experienced head, known for her ability to rescue a match off the bench, she has 78 caps and 22 goals with the USWNT.

Nineteen-year-old Gisele Thompson has been jumping back and forth between the U23 group and the senior side. The curiosity with her inclusion is that she has been listed as a forward despite playing as a defender for Angel City. She has three caps, all of which have come under Hayes.

Moultrie has had one of her best starts to an NWSL season with the Portland Thorns. She currently leads the league in expected assists with 2.7 and passes into the penalty area with 19. Moultrie has five caps and two goals for the USWNT, but only one of those appearances has come under Hayes.

Sears is another who has been in and out of Hayes's squads depending on who else is available. The speedy Louisville winger has four goals this season and does a lot of attacking work for the 11th-placed team. Sears has four caps and scored her first goal at the end of 2024 against Iceland.

No Espresso

The USWNT's superstar frontline, known as "Triple Espresso," is once again missing from this latest roster. Rodman is taking an indefinite leave of absence with a back injury. While Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson are both on maternity leave as they are expecting their first children.