'A big step up' - Ashley Sanchez earns recall and Jaedyn Shaw misses out as Emma Hayes makes bold choices for Spain tests - USWNT Winners and Losers

If there was one player Hayes almost had to bring into this camp, it was Sanchez.

With 20 goals in 26 games for the North Carolina Courage, Sanchez has made herself hard to overlook. She’s leading the NWSL Golden Boot race and has tied the single-season scoring record set by Kansas City’s Temwa Chawinga.

Her move from the Washington Spirit to the Courage brought a change of scenery, but Sanchez made her mark. In her first season in North Carolina, she led the team in goals and assists and was a finalist for NWSL Midfielder of the Year. This season, she’s taken that impact to another level.

With the national team, though, opportunities have been harder to come by. Sanchez had an impressive youth national team career, but her senior call-ups haven’t always translated into time on the field. She didn’t play at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, and her last USWNT appearance came in 2024. Although she was called into the January 2025 camp, it’s been a long wait to wear red, white and blue again.

"I think Ashley's had an extraordinary season, not just in terms of the number of goals she's scored, but I think consistency in her performance. I think she's deserving of that, based on this season's play,” Hayes said during Tuesday’s press conference.

“I had a conversation with [Courage head coach] Mak [Lind], who was so complimentary about her maturity this season; her desire to really want to get back into the national team. And she's demonstrated that with her behavior. I think the next step for her is to maintain that consistency.”

Shaw has never looked more at home with Gotham FC. She’s playing freely, scoring goals, and recently became the youngest player in NWSL history to reach 25 career regular-season goals. That form made her absence from the October roster stand out. For Shaw, it means missing a chance to test herself against Spain.

Hayes, though, wants to give her meaningful minutes this window. Shaw and Ally Sentnor will join the U-23s, where they can get more playing time than they might receive with the senior team. U.S. Soccer has increasingly focused on keeping the two groups connected, with players moving between them based on opportunities and development needs. Both remain part of Hayes’ plans.

“The decision to put both Jaedyn and Ally [Sentnor] with the Under-23s was the fact that it's a two-game window,” Hayes said. “I didn't play Jaedyn in the last camp against Brazil, and as I've said many times, I want to prioritize the development of players, and I don't want less experienced players always sitting on the bench and playing few minutes…They're still central to our plans.”

Trinity Rodman has had a year to remember, and it’s not over yet.

She opened 2026 by signing the biggest contract in women’s soccer history, a three-year deal to stay with the Washington Spirit. Since then, she’s been a regular in USWNT squads and scored a team-high 11 goals for the Spirit.

Away from the field, she’s traveled near and far to support her boyfriend, Ben Shelton, at tennis tournaments, including the 2026 U.S. Open, where he reached the final.

Along the way, she’s also worked to close the gaps in her own game. And Hayes is particularly proud of that progress.

“First of all, I'm so proud of Trinity Rodman. I am,” Hayes said. “I spoke to her maybe a week ago, and we talked about this time last year, like the challenges that were going on for her, and how she has worked so hard on closing the gaps where she needed to to develop a robustness, a resilience physically…”

That growth has extended to her leadership, too.

“I think she's developed in her leadership. We talk a lot about that. She takes great pride in being a great teammate, and she takes great pride in showing by example that she can lead. She's always asking to lead, which I absolutely love, and she makes a difference in so many ways,” Hayes continued.

Naomi Girma made the 26-player roster, but it didn’t take very long for Hayes to express her concern over the center back’s health. 

“Naomi Girma, she did take a knock in training today. I'm not entirely sure if Naomi will be on the roster, but I'm sure we will report something if that is the case. That might be the only change that we have to make,” Hayes said in real time during the presser. 

Girma’s match fitness has been a concern, especially since she hasn’t played in any of Chelsea’s Women’s Super League (WSL) matches this season. Girma was also left off the roster for the USWNT’s matches against Brazil in Brazil earlier in the year due to injury. 

If Girma isn’t declared healthy to play in camp and against Spain, there’s a genuine concern over the center back position. The USWNT is already down a defender in Emily Sonnett, so will be relying heavily on Tierna Davidson, Kennedy Wesley and Tara Rudd; all of whom are capable, but the experience of having a Girma and Sonnett pairing against a team like Spain does seem like an unfortunate miss for the U.S. 

“I have to think about the players that are available, and which is why I've always been adamant that we have to develop a larger playing pool because just like that, something can happen," Hayes said. "We could be in situations that we're in even this camp, where maybe we will be without two of our starting center backs. If I don't prepare players to be ready, then I won't be doing my job.”

For anyone who follows the NWSL, Byars is a familiar name. The forward can play as a No. 9, a No. 10 or even a No. 8, and she’s had a standout season for the San Diego Wave with 10 goals and two assists. But until now, she had never been called into the senior national team.

In August, the 23-year-old became just the second player in Wave history to reach double-digit goals in a season, joining Alex Morgan, who scored 15 in 2022.

Byars is no stranger to the national team system, though. She represented the U.S. at the 2018 U-17 Women’s World Cup and the 2022 U-20 Women’s World Cup, and has also spent time with the U-23s. Now, Hayes wants to see what she can bring to the senior group.

“Then you’ve got Trinity Byars,” Hayes said, “who is amongst the top four goal scorers in the country. You don't always find a lot of No. 9’s that can do a combination of stretch well and come to feet well, and I think she's been brilliant. And I don't want to wait to look at her.”