Cavalier trio named to U.S. U-23 Youth National Team roster for Thorns Tournament

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Three members of the Virginia women’s soccer team, midfielder Lia Godfrey, forward Alexa Spaanstra and defender Talia Staude have been named the roster for the U.S. U-23 Youth National Team to compete at the Thorns Preseason Tournament.

The U-23 Youth National Team will face three NWSL teams at the tournament that takes place March 5-11. The U.S. Under-23s are taking part in Thorns Preseason Tournament for the fourth time and first since 2019. All the matches will take place at Providence Park, home of Portland Thorns FC.

The USA opens against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, March 5 at 2:30 p.m. PT followed by the Portland Thorns taking on OL Reign at 5 p.m. PT. The tournament continues on Tuesday, March 8 with the Red Stars facing OL Reign at 5 p.m. PT and the USA will play the Thorns at 7:30 p.m. PT. The friendly competition will finish on Friday, March 11 as the USA faces OL Reign at 5 p.m. PT and the Thorns take on the Red Stars at 7:30 p.m. PT.

The roster includes players from 12 different colleges. Ten of those players come from the ACC, six are from the Pac-12 and four are from the Big Ten. There are three players on the roster from Penn State and Virginia, and two each from Duke, Florida State, Stanford and USC.

There are no players with full USWNT experience, but nine players on the roster have played for the USA in a FIFA Youth World Cup. Hocking and Spaanstra were a part of the U.S. team at the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup while defenders Talia Staude and Michela Agresti, midfielders Maya Doms, Hannah Bebar and Sophie Jones as well as forward Payton Linnehan played for the USA at the 2018 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup. The 2020 U-20 and U-17 Women’s World Cups were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forward Lia Godfrey set the record for the youngest player ever to represent the USA in a Women’s World Cup when she appeared at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup at the age of 14.