USWNT Olympic roster: Young San Diego Wave stars in; Alex Morgan out
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Jaedyn Shaw (from left) and Naomi Girma made the U.S. team, but not Alex Morgan. Photos: Brad Smith/Getty Images
San Diego Wave FC forward Jaedyn Shaw and defender Naomi Girma will make their Olympic debuts in Paris this summer, but their teammate Alex Morgan was not included on the U.S. roster released Wednesday.
Why it matters: The players have been key to the Wave's historic and record-breaking success in the NWSL and in building the city's resume as a soccer destination.
Zoom in: Shaw, a 19-year-old scoring sensation, has already put her name in the NWSL and U.S. Women's National Team history books.
- She didn't go to high school and skipped college to play professionally for the Wave in 2022 at age 17 and was named U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year after an outstanding rookie season.
- At 18, she was called up to the senior national team.
- At 19, she became the first teenager to score 10 NWSL goals while helping the Wave win the NWSL Shield with the league's best regular-season record. She even became the first national team player to score a goal in each of her first five starts.
Girma, 24, has been an anchor on the Wave's and Team USA's backlines.
- The Wave selected her with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, and she's earned NWSL Rookie of the Year and back-to-back Defender of the Year awards.
- She played every minute in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, started all 16 of the USWNT's matches last year and was named the 2023 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year.
Fun facts: Girma is the USWNT's first Ethiopian-American player. Shaw is the team's first Vietnamese-American player and the youngest on this roster.
The other side: The decision to leave Morgan, one the most successful U.S. women's soccer players ever, off the 18-player Olympic roster reflects a generational shift that's embracing young talent with its new USWNT coach, Emma Hayes.
State of play: It's the first time since 2008 that Morgan, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup champion, won't be competing with Team USA in a major international event.
- This likely marks the end of her iconic and prolific international career.
- The 34-year-old striker has struggled with injuries and scoring at the international level in recent years and for her club this season, which contributed to Hayes' decision.
What they're saying: "Making an Olympic roster is a huge privilege and an honor, and there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process among the players and that there were difficult choices," Hayes said in a news release.
- "It was a tough decision, of course, especially considering Alex's history and record with this team," she told The Washington Post. "But I felt I wanted to go in another direction."
- Morgan posted on X that she's "disappointed" not to represent USA at the Olympics but will be "cheering them on alongside the rest of our country."
Meanwhile, Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan will play in the Paris games for Canada, while Emily van Egmond and Kaitlyn Torpey will compete for Australia.
What's next: Watch the Wave's Olympic players in their send-off match Friday at Snapdragon Stadium.
- Team USA will kick off against Zambia on July 25 — one day before opening ceremonies.