United States Women Soccer HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 21: (L-R) Carli Lloyd, #10, Hope Solo #1 and Mallory Pugh of the United States wait on the field prior to start of the game between the United States and Canada during the Championship final of the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying at BBVA Compass Stadium on February 21, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis officially named the 18-woman roster for next month’s Olympic Games on Tuesday.

The roster includes seven players from the 2012 London Olympic team, and 14 from the 2015 USWNT squad that captured the World Cup last July. Here is the full list from the official press release.

GOALKEEPERS (2): Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC) 

DEFENDERS (6): Whitney Engen (Boston Breakers), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC) 

FORWARDS (4): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Mallory Pugh (Real Colorado)

The selections are pretty much in line with expectations, though it is still notable that midfielder Megan Rapinoe made the team. Rapinoe underwent surgery to repair her ACL back in December, and only returned to full play last week at USA training camp.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo and midfielders Tobin Heath and Carli Lloyd were all named to their third Olympic roster — the most on the team — and the trio will only trail Christie Rampone (4) in number of times playing in the Olympics.

The team will be going for its fourth-straight gold medal in Rio. The team has never placed worse than silver (2000) since the sport was first played in the Olympics back in 1996.

The team will actually begin competition in group play before the Opening Ceremonies take place on Friday, Aug. 5.

The U.S. will open Group G play on Aug. 3 – two days before the Olympic Opening Ceremony – against New Zealand (7 p.m. local / 6 p.m. ET) at Mineirão Stadium in Belo Horizonte. The USA will stay in Belo Horizonte – which is 270 miles north of Rio de Janeiro – to face France at Mineirão Stadium on Aug. 6 (5 p.m. local / 4 p.m. ET) and finish group play against Colombia on Aug. 9 (6 p.m. local / 6 p.m. ET) at the Amazônia Stadium in Manaus.

[U.S. Soccer]

About Ben Sieck

Ben is a recent graduate of Butler University where he served as Managing Editor and Co-Editor-in-Chief for the Butler Collegian. He currently resides in Indianapolis.