Lloyd, Rapinoe, Morgan headline U.S. Olympic women’s soccer roster

England v USA: Semi Final - 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France
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For U.S. women’s national soccer team (USWNT) head coach Vlatko Andonovski, figuring out which 18 players would make the U.S. Olympic roster for Tokyo has been an all-consuming experience.

“It’s probably easier to tell you how often I don’t think about it,” Andonovski said earlier this month. “It’s always in the back of your mind.”

At the Tokyo Olympics, the USWNT will aim to return to the top of the Olympic podium. The 2016 Rio Games marked the first time that the U.S. failed to win an Olympic medal since women’s soccer made its Olympic debut in 1996.

The U.S. women’s soccer team is also aiming to become the first nation to follow a World Cup title with Olympic gold, albeit with an extra year in between given the one-year postponement of the Olympics.

On Wednesday morning, Andonovski was finally able to reveal the 18 players selected for the U.S. women’s soccer team for this summer’s Tokyo Olympics.


The U.S. women’s soccer roster for the Tokyo Olympics

GOALKEEPERS

Adrianna Franch

Tokyo will be the Olympic debut of Adrianna Franch, who is likely to serve as backup goalie behind Naeher at the Games. Franch, who plays professionally for Portland Thorns FC, will be the first women’s soccer player from Kansas to represent the U.S. at the Olympics.

Alyssa Naeher

Alyssa Naeher was on the U.S. roster for the 2016 Rio Olympics, but didn’t see any minutes on the pitch. That won’t be the case in Japan. Since 2016, Naeher has become the USWNT’s starting goalie, highlighted by her World Cup-winning performance in 2019.

ALSO IN OLYMPIC ROSTER NEWS: Steffens and Johnson headline U.S. women’s water polo roster for Tokyo Olympics


DEFENDERS

Abby Dahlkemper

Center back Abby Dahlkemper, who signed a professional contract with Manchester City earlier this year, will be making her Olympic debut in Tokyo.

Tierna Davidson

The Tokyo Olympics will also mark the Olympic debut of Tierna Davidson, who at age 22, is the youngest player on the U.S. roster. (She also held the distinction of youngest player on the roster at the 2019 World Cup.) Davidson was born in September 1998, a full two years after the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where the U.S. won the inaugural gold medal in women’s soccer.

(Note: Even if Davidson had been alive in 1996, she wouldn’t have been able to watch the USWNT win Olympic gold. That’s because only a few minutes of the game aired on TV. Ahead of this summer’s Tokyo Games, Peacock will be airing that 1996 women’s soccer gold medal game in full.)

Crystal Dunn

Crystal Dunn made her Olympic debut in Rio after being the last player cut from the 2015 World Cup roster. Five years later, Dunn is one of the most consistent players on the pitch. “She brings a lot of versatility,” NBC Olympics soccer analyst Danielle Slaton told On Her Turf earlier this month. “Crystal Dunn can pretty much play any position except for goalkeeper.”

Kelley O’Hara

Kelley O’Hara, who typically gets the start at right back, will be making her third Olympic appearance in Tokyo.

Becky Sauerbrunn

U.S. captain Becky Sauerbrunn will be making her third Olympic appearance in Tokyo. At the 2012 London Games, Sauerbrunn played in three matches off the bench. She has since become one of the consistent center backs.

Sauerbrunn, who plays professionally for Portland Thorns FC, is the second-most capped player (186) on this year’s Olympic roster (behind only Carli Lloyd).

Emily Sonnett

Emily Sonnett, a member of the 2019 World Cup championship team, will be making her Olympic debut in Tokyo. Sonnett was considered one of the bubble players for this year’s Olympic roster, but ultimately got the nod.


MIDFIELDERS

Julie Ertz

Julie Ertz, who made her Olympic debut in Rio, is currently returning from an MCL injury that kept her out of the USWNT summer series earlier this month. Andonovski says she is expected to be ready to play when the Olympics begin next month.

Lindsey Horan

The Tokyo Games will mark Lindsey Horan’s second Olympic appearance. Horan saw limited time on the pitch at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but has since become a regular starter in the midfield.

Rose Lavelle

Rose Lavelle will be making her Olympic debut in Tokyo. Lavelle made a big impact in her World Cup debut in 2019, playing six games and scoring three goals, including one in the final against the Netherlands.

Kristie Mewis

Kristie Mewis is the only member of the Tokyo Olympic roster that watched the U.S. win the 2019 World Cup from the stands. Her inclusion on this roster marks a truly incredible comeback story.

Kristie – who is older than sister Sam by 20 months – was the first Mewis sister to be named to the U.S. women’s national team (USWNT), making her debut in 2013. But Sam was never far behind. The 2014 Algarve Cup marked the first time both Mewis sisters competed together for the USWNT. And until 2020, it was the only time both Mewis sisters competed together for the USWNT.

While Sam developed into a national team mainstay, Kristie stopped receiving invitations to camp, and was then sidelined from her professional team (Houston Dash) by an ACL tear in 2018.

In November 2020, Kristie received her first national team training camp invite in years, and made the most of it, securing a roster spot on the USWNT for her first major international tournament.

“For Kristie, she’s a product of the NWSL,” Andonovski said on Wednesday afternoon following the roster announcement. “She played extremely well in the league in the last year or so.”

Sam Mewis

The Tokyo Olympics will mark Sam Mewis’s second major international tournament (after making her World Cup debut in 2019) and first with “S. Mewis” on the back of her jersey. Sam ended 2020 by being named USWNT player of the year.


FORWARDS

Tobin Heath

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Tobin Heath, who is currently coming back from a knee injury, will be making her fourth Olympic appearance in Tokyo (tying a USWNT record held by Christie Pearce Rampone).

When healthy, Heath “provides something that no other woman on this roster provides: her flair, her creativity, and her soccer IQ,” Slaton explained earlier this month.

Carli Lloyd

Don’t bet against Carli Lloyd. “It’s like betting against Tom Brady or LeBron James. You just don’t do it.” Slaton joked.

Lloyd is a prolific scorer, and certainly isn’t slowing down as she gets older.

In her Olympic debut in 2008, Lloyd scored the winning goal in the U.S. team’s 1-0 overtime victory against Brazil.

Four years later, she scored both goals in the U.S. team’s 2-1 win over Japan at the 2012 London Olympics.

Along with Heath, Lloyd will tie the record for most Olympic appearances by a USWNT player (4). She also leads the team in caps (304) by a huge margin. Sauerbrunn, the second most-capped player, has 186.

Lloyd, who turns 39 on July 16, will be the oldest player to represent the U.S. in women’s soccer at the Olympics.

Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan will be making her third Olympic appearance in Tokyo, and first as a mom. She gave birth to daughter Charlie in May 2020. In Tokyo, Morgan will become the fifth USWNT player to make an Olympic roster after giving birth.

While Morgan never ruled out trying to make the U.S. Olympic team before the Games were postponed, she was certainly aided by the one-year delay. Morgan returned to competition in fall 2020 (playing limited minutes for Tottenham). She has since returned to top form in her appearances with the USWNT and professionally with the Orlando Pride.

RELATED: Meet the moms who have qualified for the U.S. team for the Tokyo Olympics

Christen Press

The Tokyo Games will mark Christen Press’s second Olympic appearance. She will enter the Games with 147 caps (sixth most on this year’s Olympic roster).

Megan Rapinoe

The Tokyo Games will mark Rapinoe’s third Olympic appearance. At the 2016 Rio Games, she was coming back from an ACL tear and wasn’t in top form. She proved her resilience at the 2019 World Cup, where in addition to leading the U.S. to its fourth World Cup title in history, she also won the Golden Boot (most goals scored) and Golden Ball (best player) awards.

“She is somebody who steps up in the big moments and I think she’s got a chip on her shoulder from Rio, where she wasn’t able to participate in the way that she would have liked,” Slaton explained.


THE ALTERNATES

The USWNT will travel to Japan with four alternates: goalkeeper Jane Campbell, defender Casey Krueger, midfielder Catarina Macario and forward Lynn Williams.

One of the biggest surprises is Margaret “Midge” Purce not being included as an alternate. While Purce wasn’t considered a lock to make the 18-player roster, her versatility as both a forward and defender makes her exclusion perplexing.


This story will continue to be updated. 

RELATED: U.S. Olympic soccer roster for Tokyo led by Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan

Follow Alex Azzi on Twitter @AlexAzziNBC

Li Li Leung talks USA Gymnastics’ cultural transformation, challenges still to come and embracing her AAPI heritage

Head of USA Gymnastics Li Li Leung.
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Li Li Leung joined USA Gymnastics as president and CEO in March 2019, when the organization was reeling from the fallout of Larry Nassar’s widespread sexual abuse and the subsequent revelations of larger cultural issues within the sport. Since then, Leung has seen USAG through an ongoing transformation, one that hinges on the work of the survivors and staff around her, whom she is quick to credit. That evolution, as she calls it, has included instituting new norms and standards at all levels of the sport, particularly in matters related to athlete safety.

Among the notable USAG initiatives that Leung has brought to fruition is the Athlete Bill of Rights, established in December 2020 as a tool “to unite the full gymnastics community around a shared vision of behavioral expectations.” At the same time, USAG instituted a protest policy for national team members aimed at supporting athletes who choose to use their voice on public platforms. Both initiatives were among the first of their kind in sport.

Prior to joining USAG, Leung served as a vice president at the National Basketball Association (NBA), where she was responsible for building and managing key partner relationships around the world. She continues to use that experience in her roles as vice chair of the National Governing Bodies Council of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and a member of the International Gymnastics Federation’s Executive Committee.

Leung, who began competing in gymnastics at age 7, was a member of the U.S. junior national training team and represented the U.S. at the 1988 Junior Pan American Games. She was a four-year member of the four-time Big 10 champion University of Michigan gymnastics team and was an NCAA Championships participant.

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, On Her Turf sat down with Leung to talk about her journey with USAG, the challenges still to come and how being a member of the AAPI community has shaped the person she is today.

ALSO FROM ON HER TURF: Sloane Stephens gets candid about turning 30, favorite self-care practices and freezing her eggs ahead of 12th French Open

This Q+A has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

On Her Turf: Let’s start by talking about your journey since joining USA Gymnastics in 2019. What have the last four years been like for you?

Li Li Leung: This was just an incredible opportunity to give back to the sport that has given so much to me. And I really mean that because I started in the sport when I was 7 years old and did it for 15 years. It’s taught me all of these different skills that I apply to my daily life, both professional and personal. It feels a little bit like I’ve come full circle, and honestly, never in a million years did I think I would find myself in this role. … I joined at a time when it was a tumultuous time for the organization. It’s been just a little a little over four years now, and it has been an incredible journey — and believe it or not, I have enjoyed it. While it hasn’t been easy, I actually have enjoyed it, because I’ve been able to make it not just me. One thing that’s important to note is that — I had even said on my first interview with the board — it will take a village to accomplish what we need to accomplish. This is not a one-person job. And I was lucky enough to be able to bring on a leadership team that has been incredible, and also retain the staff that we have retained, as well as hire other new staff members. And it’s because of them and some really key volunteers that we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve been able to do.

OHT: Can you talk a little more about this cultural transformation that the organization has experienced and your approach to tackling this all-encompassing change?

Leung: When I was interviewing for the position, I actually met every single board member. It was really critical to both sides that they felt that I matched the role and their needs and also I had to be confident in the board believing in the ultimate mission of the organization and what we wanted to achieve. So that the culture really does stem from the well – from the top down and everything in between as well. And when I was looking for leadership team, … one of the characteristics I was really looking for was they couldn’t have an ego. The job couldn’t be about themselves or about what they would personally get out of the role. It had to be about them believing in the bigger picture and believing in what we collectively wanted to achieve. I knew that we would only be able to accomplish what we need to accomplish if people were willing to roll up their sleeves and just do whatever needed to be done, so that was one of the key things in terms of having no ego.

Since 2018, we’ve turned over more than 70 percent of our staff. We’ve been able to retain the really key members of our staff, who have been critical to our success, but also have been able to really bring in new thinking, new blood, new perspectives. Because the other thing I was looking for when I was hiring for the leadership team was diversity in perspectives. That was critical because I did not want to be surrounded by “yes people.” I wanted to be surrounded by people who would be willing to have really robust conversations and engage in difficult conversations, because ultimately, you end up in a better place because of that.

In 2020, we reset our mission to be about building a community and culture of health, safety and excellence, with athletes who thrive in sport and in life. So we were no longer about developing technically superior gymnasts who perform well in gym. We reset our focus to be about helping set our athletes up for success with the skill sets that you learn in gymnastics, and when we come to the office each day, that’s what we’re thinking about. …

The other piece is we also know from a community standpoint that our national team coaches are the most visible representation (of USAG), and a lot of coaches model them. So we’ve been working really hard in terms of working on educating our national team coaches. We work with Positive Coaching Alliance to do educational training with them as well. And we also have introduced training specifically for young coaches coming in, because we know when they come in and they’re new, that they’re eager to learn, and that’s when you can start training and moving them in a way. So our thinking is with this top-down and bottom-up strategy, eventually the middle will meet.

OHT: You noted how the coaches can be some of the most visible representatives of USAG. Regarding the addition of 2008 Olympic silver medalists Chellsie Memmel (USAG technical lead) and Alicia Sacramone Quinn (USAG strategic lead), how have those women impacted the program?

Leung: The addition of Chellsie and Alicia has been fantastic. They have been phenomenal to work with, and the fact that they have firsthand experience of having gone through it themselves – that also gives them a very good idea of what they would change and what they wouldn’t change, at the same time. It has been a phenomenal addition to be able to have this perspective of firsthand, high-level, high-performing athletes to be able to lead our high-performance team. And the athletes are saying it as well. They’re saying, “We trust them; we feel confident in their decisions; we can relate to them” — all of those things that historically haven’t really happened before.

Then in terms of the athletes who are going to college and coming back to compete with USA Gymnastics – there are so many aspects that I think are great about this. One: It’s showing a lengthened career in a sport that historically has not been very long because it’s so demanding on the body. So that means that our athletes are physically healthier, as well, that they can train and compete at a high level for a longer period of time. It also means that they’re enjoying it more because they’re staying in the sport. From an emotional standpoint, they’re finding a lot more joy in the sport, and they’re talking about it, too. And we love the fact that they’re talking about it. We want them to talk about it, and we want them to have voices and feel open and free about sharing what they’re thinking about. I have to say I’ve been really enjoying seeing almost like — I’m not sure if I can go as far as a new era in the sport maybe — but just this evolution of the sport and the athletes changing in front of my eyes.

OHT: What do you consider now to still be the biggest challenge or obstacle for USAG?

Leung: There are a couple of big initiatives on the list. One is we want to build a training and wellness center where all of our disciplines will train under one roof. This is a long-term project, obviously, but my vision around it is that it will be the heart and hub of gymnastics in America. And while this is where national team athletes will ultimately train to some extent, it is going to be a welcoming place for athletes of all different disciplines and all different levels. We want it to be a place where young athletes can come through and see their role models training. We want this to be a place of education for our community and judges. We want to be able to run clinics there for all different levels. We just want this to be a gathering place of gymnastics and to be able to celebrate the sport there at the same time.

We’re also going to reset our foundation. There’s been the National Gymnastics Foundation, but we are going to reset it and basically be much more proactive on fundraising and development to grow the sport and also to raise more money for athletes in their training.

OHT: Turning to AAPI Heritage Month and being named to the 2023 Gold House A100 List (the A100 is named each May honoring 100 Asian Pacific leaders who made the greatest impact on culture and society over the past year). What did that honor mean to you?

Leung: It was such an incredible honor to be recognized by them, and my fellow honorees — when I read the list, I thought to myself, “I don’t belong.” There are some incredible names on that list. But again, I go back to what I said earlier: I owe this honor to a lot of the other people who work [at USAG]. I think the really important thing to recognize is that this was not done by just me. It was done by a lot of other people who are on staff and who aren’t getting the accolades or the recognition. But it was an incredible experience to be, and I’m very, very touched and honored to be on that list.

OHT: How do you identify within the Asian American Pacific Islander community? Did you embrace your heritage growing up and how has that shaped who you are today?

Leung: So I’ll tell you a story that I’ve mentioned to other people recently. I grew up in a town called Ridgewood in Bergen County, New Jersey, and most of my friends had blond hair and blue eyes. When I was growing up, I wanted the name “Nancy Smith,” and I wanted blue eyes. I wanted to fit in. As a kid, you always want to fit in. Then when you get older and wizen up a little bit, you realize that it’s okay and it’s good to be different, that you can use that to your advantage. And so upon growing up, I realized that it’s pretty special to be Asian American and there are benefits to being Asian American, and you should embrace the fact that you are different. In fact, I recently lectured to a women-in-sports-business class, and one of the questions they asked me was about impostor syndrome. I said the same thing that I’m saying to you now, which is absolutely embrace who you are. Absolutely embrace your differences, because those ultimately are embedded advantages to who you are and make you stand out from the rest of the crowd. So that’s my philosophy now.

OHT: Do you or your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?

Leung: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a tradition, but in the Chinese culture, food is really important. Food is what brings people together. It’s a sign of respect, and that is the ultimate unifying language in a way. So when we do get together as a family, it’s really important for us to get together around a meal, because that’s when we share our stories. That’s when we connect with one another.

OHT: You might have just answered my next question, but I want to ask: What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?

Leung: It’s funny, I was actually at a conference last week and you were supposed to find someone you didn’t know in the conference and share a secret talent that you have. I shared that I can eat a lot more than most people think. Food is a really important part of our culture and in my upbringing and family.

OHT: Lastly, I wanted to ask, as we’ve seen an increase in hate-filled actions toward the AAPI community, what does supporting the AAPI community look like for you?

Leung: Well, I think kind of going back to my other answer, it’s just about embracing who you are and embracing your differences. I think part of it is being unafraid of it at the same time, which I know is really difficult. But if you’re going to truly embrace it, and then you can’t be afraid about embracing it at the same time.

MORE FROM ON HER TURF: Laureus award winner and three-time Olympic medalist Eileen Gu on Stanford, elevating women and changing the game

2023 Mizuho Americas Open: How to watch, who’s playing in inaugural LPGA event at Liberty National GC

Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand tees off on the eleventh hole during Day One of the HSBC Women's World Championship.
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The Statue of Liberty is the backdrop for this week’s inaugural Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. The tournament boasts a theme of mentorship and education, and includes a girls’ 72-hole, modified Stableford tournament featuring 24 juniors to go along with the 72-hole stroke-play event for 120 LPGA professionals.

The field is led by seven of the top 10 players on the Rolex Rankings including world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, No. 3 Lydia Ko, No. 4 Lilia Vu and No. 5 Minjee Lee. Also teeing it up this week are the finalists from Sunday’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play, where Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn captured her second LPGA title with a 3-and-1 victory over Japan’s Ayaka Furue.

Michelle Wie West is serving as the tournament host, and she’ll be on hand to welcome fellow Stanford alum Rose Zhang, who’s fresh off her second straight NCAA individual title and turned professional just last week. Zhang will have her first go at an LPGA prize purse, which tops out at $2.75 million this week with the winner taking home $412,500.


How to watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open

You can watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open on Golf Channel, Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Check out the complete TV and streaming schedule:

  • Thursday, June 1: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Friday, June 2: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Saturday, June 3: 5-8 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Sunday, June 4: 4:30-5 p.m. ET (streaming only on Peacock); 5-7:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock

ALSO FROM ON HER TURF: Wake Forest captures team title at 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships, Stanford’s Rose Zhang wins individual crown


Who’s playing in the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open?

The 120-player field features seven of the top 10 players (and 16 of the top 25 player) on the Rolex Rankings:

  • No. 1 Jin Young Ko
  • No. 3 Lydia Ko
  • No. 4 Lilia Vu
  • No. 5 Minjee Lee
  • No. 6 Atthaya Thitikul
  • No. 8 Brooke Henderson
  • No. 9 Georgia Hall

Also in the field are 2023 winners Celine Boutier (LPGA Drive On Championship), Ruoning Yin (DIO Implant LA Open) and Grace Kim (LOTTE Championship), plus several sponsor exemptions including reigning NCAA individual champion Rose Zhang and her Stanford teammate Megha Ganne. Ganne, a native of Holmdel, N.J., finished T-21 at the recent NCAAs and is playing as an amateur. Joining them as an exemption is fellow Cardinal Mariah Stackhouse, who has conditional status on tour in 2023. Monday qualifiers include tour rookie Alexa Pano and Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith.

Among the notable juniors expected to play are 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner Anna Davis, 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior winner Yana Wilson and 2022 U.S. Junior Girls’ runnerup Gianna Clemente. The 24 junior players were invited through their standings in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.


What’s the format for the Mizuho Americas Open?

The professionals will play a 72-hole stroke-play competition, with a cut to the top 50 and ties after 36 holes. The 24 juniors will play a 72-hole, no-cut competition using the modified Stableford scoring format and a different yardage than the pros.

During the first two rounds, the AJGA players will all be paired together. During the final two rounds, one junior player will play with two LPGA pros with groupings based on scores. This unique format marks the first time the AJGA and LPGA have partnered to showcase junior and professional competitors playing together.

Stableford scoring refresher: “Stableford” is a scoring system that awards points for the number of strokes taken on each hole in relation to par, rather than simply counting strokes like in stroke play. Unlike in stroke play, where players want the lowest score, the goal in Stableford scoring is to have the highest score. Standard Stableford points values are:

  • 0 Points – Double bogey or worse (two strokes or more over par)
  • 1 Point – Bogey (one stroke over par)
  • 2 Points – Par
  • 3 Points – Birdie (one stroke under par)
  • 4 Points – Eagle (two strokes under par)
  • 5 Points – Albatross or double eagle (three strokes under par)
  • 6 Points – Condor (four strokes under par)

More about Liberty National Golf Club

Located on the shore of the Upper Bay of New York Harbor, Liberty National Golf Club was designed by Bob Cupp and Tom Kite and officially opened on July 4, 2006. After the course received mixed reviews following the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust in 2009, the course underwent a renovation led by Steve Wenzloff of PGA Tour Design Services. Of note, the course hosted an event during the PGA Tour Playoffs four times (2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021) as well as the 2017 Presidents Cup, where the U.S. defeated the Internationals 19-11 for the Americans’ seventh consecutive victory in the competition and its 10th straight win overall. For this week’s event, the course will play to a par of 72 with an unofficial scorecard yardage of 6,671 yards.

MORE FROM ON HER TURF: Laureus award winner and three-time Olympic medalist Eileen Gu on Stanford, elevating women and changing the game