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Every season brings new players and new opportunities. With the USWNT going through significant changes over the last few years, we may have seen the last of players like Tobin Heath, Julie Ertz, and Christen Press<\/a> on the national team. Currently, players like Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, and Kelley O\u2019Hara have stepped up as leaders. But l<\/span>et\u2019s look at some of the newer players who will one day be the leaders of this team and follow in the footsteps of giants.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Top of the list has to be Mallory Swanson (n\u00e9e Pugh). Her stardom has been on the rise for a while, and we\u2019ve always known that she is one to watch. Although she was left off the USWNT roster for a time, she returned with a mission: to score goals.<\/span><\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n Swanson really showed the world what she\u2019s about in the opening game of the SheBelieves Cup. The USWNT came out on top with a 2-0 victory over Canada, both goals scored by Swanson. Swanson is also on a hot streak; the cup opener marked the fourth consecutive game where she put a ball in the back of the net.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Purce has been involved with USWNT since 2011 but only came up to the senior level in 2019. She\u2019s one we\u2019ve had our eyes on because of her speed and smarts and how she can read a play.<\/span><\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n One thing I want to highlight about Purce is her passion off the pitch. We all know that the power of the USWNT doesn\u2019t end on the field, these women fight for social change and justice, and few do it like Purce.<\/span><\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n While at Harvard, she founded a nonprofit, <\/span>Black Women\u2019s Players Collective, which is geared toward creating opportunities for Black girls on and off the pitch. She was also one of the players to meet with President Joe Biden about the constant battle for wage equality. <\/span><\/p>\n Her skills on the field and work off the pitch position Purce as a born leader and game-changer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Every Soccerista knows that the front line can\u2019t get all the credit. Naomi Girma<\/a> has been making waves at the junior level for years, captain of the U-20 team and 2020\u2019s U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year. She\u2019s only been a senior USWNT player since 2022 after her call-up was delayed due to injury, but she looks perfectly at home on that back line.<\/span><\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n She has the patience and sight to be deadly on the backline and the personality and leadership qualities to be a team role model.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This list would be absolutely incomplete if we didn\u2019t mention the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. At just 22 years old, Smith\u2019s career is following a similar trajectory to that of Mia Hamm.<\/span><\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n A member of the USWNT for only two full years, Smith already has 12 goals under her belt, 11 of those coming just from last year. From what we\u2019ve seen, there is no stopping Smith. She\u2019s bound to be around for many years and become a staple to the USWNT front line.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Kornieck is a very fresh face to the USWNT, but she\u2019s impossible to miss. At 6\u20191, she is the tallest player in USWNT history, and she uses that advantage expertly. She can always be counted on in a set piece to find that edge, much like our midfield queen Julie Ertz.<\/span><\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n With just nine appearances with the senior team, Kornieck already has two goals. For her club, she shows versatility and a fighting edge necessary to succeed at the national team level. We\u2019ll keep an eye on her as she gets more playing time for the USWNT.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Featured image via @USWNT<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n _<\/strong><\/p>\n GIRLS SOCCER NETWORK: YOUR SOURCE FOR GIRLS SOCCER NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nMallory Swanson<\/b><\/h2>\n
Midge Purce<\/b><\/h2>\n
Naomi Girma<\/b><\/h2>\n
Sophia Smith<\/b><\/h2>\n
Taylor Kornieck<\/b><\/h2>\n