The United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) began its October training camp on Tuesday at the newly opened Arthur M. Blank National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia. This marks the team’s first sessions at the facility since it welcomed players in May. Designed with 17 outdoor pitches and specialized infrastructure, the center finally provides the USWNT with a permanent home base, ending decades of training without a dedicated venue.
USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps expressed her enthusiasm for the new environment, highlighting the quality of the fields as a standout feature. “The fields are what I’m probably the most excited about,” she remarked, emphasizing US Soccer’s commitment to enhancing the team’s facilities. “I appreciate everything they did to put this together, and we’re just excited to be here for the first time.”
Coach Emma Hayes Introduces Several Debutants to the Senior Squad
Alongside the new training grounds, the camp also showcased fresh talent in the squad. Head coach Emma Hayes assembled a 26-player roster for this month’s sessions, spotlighting three players receiving their first senior team call-ups: defender Evelyn Shores from Angel City FC, forward Trinity Byars, and forward Pietra Tordin from Portland Thorns. Additionally, defender Kate Del Fava of Utah Royals was added to the roster following an injury to center back Naomi Girma.
While established USWNT players like Jaedyn Shaw and Ally Sentnor were assigned to the U-23 squad for this cycle, the state-of-the-art training center enables Hayes and her staff to maintain close oversight of emerging talents across various age groups.