Red Stars’ Naeher, Johnston, Press named to US Olympic team

(Pacific) on ESPN. In group play at the Olympics, the United States will square off against New Zealand (Aug. 3), France (Aug. 6) and Colombia (Aug. 9).

Chicago Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, defender Julie Johnston and forward Christen Press have been named to the U.S. Women’s team Olympic Games roster, announced by coach Jill Ellis Tuesday. After a breakout season in 2011, the California native helped lead the team to the 2012 gold medal and was part of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup winning side. Pugh, 18, becomes the USA’s second youngest women’s soccer Olympian, a month older than Cindy Parlow in 2004.

The U.S. women’s national team will chase that history with a familiar cast, made all the more familiar by Megan Rapinoe’s rapid return from a major knee injury. She put in a huge rehab effort to be fit in time for the Olympics, and it seems to have succeeded. Instead of moping, the 24-year-old forward went on a scoring tear for her National Women’s Soccer League club, the Washington Spirit, and was named league MVP and led the league in goal scoring.

Christie Rampone, 41, was bidding for a fifth Olympics and to become the oldest Olympic soccer player ever, according to sports-reference.com, but December knee surgery dashed her hopes. Thorns defender Emily Sonnett was named as an alternate to the team and will travel to Rio for the tournament.

The Americans, looking for their fourth straight gold medal, face Costa Rica in their send-off game July 22 in Kansas City, Kansas, before opening the tournament against New Zealand on August 3. “Now the task is getting our team 100% healthy and finalizing our preparations during the next camp”.

By the time you read this, United States Women’s National Team Coach Jill Ellis will have informed every member of their team about their status for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Rio.

This will be the third Olympic roster selection for Lloyd, Heath, and Hope Solo. Christie Rampone is the only US player to play in four Olympics. She would be the 11th USA player to hit 200 caps and the first goalkeeper in global soccer history to do so.

The U.S. roster has a combined 53 Olympic appearances and 12 goals, all scored by Lloyd (6), Morgan (4) and Rapinoe (2).

Dunn, who grew up in Rockville Centre, N.Y., was one of the final cuts of last year’s WWC team.

Long Island’s Crystal Dunn and Allie Long are heading to Rio.

Should Pugh score in the Olympics, she would be the youngest USA player to score in the competition as Parlow did not find the net in 1996.

The average number of caps on the roster heading into the final Olympic send-off match in Kansas City is 77.

Morgan owns the latest goal in Olympic, FIFA and US history, tallying after 122 minutes and 22 seconds against Canada to notch the game-winning goal in the semifinal of the 2012 Olympics. She was awarded the Golden Boot in the CONCACAF Olympic tournament, scoring six goals, including five in a win over Puerto Rico.

From the NWSL, the Portland Thorns had four players named; the Red Stars three; the Seattle Reign FC, Houston Dash and Washington Spirit two; and the Breakers, FC Kansas City and Sky Blue FC one.