(Feb. 3, 2008) - Following Friday’s mega-introduction to the younger and less experienced goalkeepers and defenders training at the National Team’s mega-camp this week, it’s time to showcase the midfielders and forwards.

To recap the situation, Head Coach Pia Sundhage has called 37 players into the mega-camp, which began on Feb. 1 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.  For more than half the camp attendees, the opening week of training camp is essentially a tryout.  The players have been split into two groups with the veterans focusing on strength and fitness training while the larger group consisting of younger and less experienced players hits the soccer field.  On Feb. 9, Sundhage will choose a handful of players from the latter group to join the veterans for another week of training prior to the selection of the roster for the Algarve Cup, which will take place March 5-12 in Portugal.

So without further delay, here are the newer, less familiar faces who are seeking to add their creative abilities and goalscoring prowess to the U.S. attack.  Look for many of these players to be competing in Women’s Professional Soccer in 2009.

Midfielders

Jen Buczkowski
A classic playmaker, Buczkowski is training for the full National Team for the first time.  She played every minute of the 2005 Nordic Cup as the U.S. U-21s won the championship and also trained with the U-21s in 2007.  A three-time NSCAA All-American, Buczkowski never missed a game during her collegiate career at Notre Dame.  While playing for the Irish, she compiled 37 career assists and helped her team claim the 2004 NCAA title.

Tina DiMartino
Known for her wizardry on the ball, DiMartino came off the bench in her first, and thus far only, National Team cap to assist Lauren Cheney’s goal against Finland at last month’s Four Nations Tournament in China.  DiMartino was a member of the squad that represented the U.S. at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship.  She also played with the U.S. U-21s on the 2007 Nordic Cup championship team.  The two-time NSCAA All-American will return to UCLA in the fall for her senior campaign.

Lindsey Huie
Huie’s only former National Team appearance came at the 2005 Algarve Cup.  After completing her collegiate career by helping the University of Portland win the 2005 NCAA title, she stepped away from the game to pursue professional opportunities.  A four-time NSCAA All-American, she competed on the U.S. U-21 squads that were victorious at the 2003 and 2004 Nordic Cups.  During the summer of 2007, Huie played with the Ajax America Women in the WPSL.

Sarah Huffman
After representing the U.S. Youth National Teams for several years, Huffman is making her debut in a full National Team training camp.  She played on the U.S. side that won the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship and the U-21 teams that competed at the past four Nordic Cups.  Huffman starred at the University of Virginia where she was a two-time NSCAA All-American and the 2004 ACC Defender of the Year.  In the 2007 W-League Final, she assisted the game-winning goal as the Washington Freedom clinched the title.

Noelle Keselica
Like Huffman, Keselica is a University of Virginia product who is competing with the full National Team for the first time.  Keselica was a member of the U.S. U-21 team that finished second at the 2006 Nordic Cup.  As a senior at UVa, Keselica earned third-team NSCAA All-American honors.

Joanna Lohman
Lohman has been on the fringes of the National Team dating back to 2001 when she debuted at the Algarve Cup.  She participated in the 2004, 2006 and 2007 National Team residency programs and last donned a U.S. jersey at the 2007 Four Nations Tournament.  A key member of the U.S. U-21s from 2002-2004, she helped the team to three consecutive Nordic Cup crowns.  A three-time NSCAA All-American, Lohman was the runner-up for the 2003 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy, given to the nation’s top collegiate player.  She competed with the Washington Freedom in W-League and exhibition games in 2006 and 2007.

Manya Makoski
A veteran of the U.S. Youth National Team programs, Makoski has earned her first full National Team call-in.  Makoski was a member of the U.S. U-19 team that won the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship and helped the U.S. U-21s to victories at the 2004, 2005 and 2007 Nordic Cups.  A collegiate standout at Arizona State University, Makoski competed for the Connecticut Reds in the WPSL in 2007 and will suit up for the W-League’s Pali Blues SC in 2008.

Angie Woznuk
The holder of three caps, Woznuk scored the first goal of her international career in a 4-1 victory over Finland at the Four Nations Tournament on Jan. 18.  Her scintillating three goal, three assist performance at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship earned her the Silver Ball as the tournament’s second most valuable player and the Bronze Boot as the event’s third leading scorer.  She was also a member of the squad that won the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship.  Woznuk was twice recognized as a third-team NSCAA All-American at the University of Portland, who won the 2005 NCAA title when she was a redshirt sophomore.

Forwards

Lauren Cheney
Cheney, who holds four National Team caps, scored the second goal of her international career at the Four Nations Tournament in a 4-1 victory over Finland on Jan. 18.  The 2007 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year, Cheney paced the U.S. U-20s with six goals in leading them to the Pan American Games Final.  She was also a member of the U.S. team that participated at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship.  The 2007 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy runner-up will return to UCLA in the fall for her junior season.

Amy Rodriguez
In her first National Team start on Jan. 16, Rodriguez struck for a pair of goals to help the U.S. to a 4-0 victory over Canada at the Four Nations Tournament.  She made her international debut at the 2005 Algarve Cup after climbing up the ladder from the U-17s to the U-19s to the U-21s to the full National Team in the span of a year.  Rodriguez represented the U.S. at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship and the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship.  She was named the Offensive MVP of the 2007 College Cup as she led the University of Southern California to its first NCAA title.  This fall Rodriguez will return to Los Angeles for her senior season in hopes of helping the Trojans repeat.

Tiffany Weimer
Called in for the first time under Sundhage, Weimer is seeking her first full National Team cap.  She competed with the U.S. U-21s at the 2006 Nordic Cup.  The Big Ten Conference’s all-time leading goalscorer, Weimer excelled at Penn State and was the runner-up for the 2004 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy.  After playing for the Washington Freedom in 2006, Weimer moved to the Connecticut Reds in 2007 and was named the WPSL’s East Player of the Year.

Christie Welsh
With 39 caps and 20 goals, Welsh has played well in a U.S. jersey, but is still seeking her breakthrough in terms of making a world championship roster.  Her most productive tournament came at the 2005 Algarve Cup where she scored five goals including the only tally in a 1-0 victory over Germany in the Final.  Limited by an ankle injury in her one professional season playing for the New York Power in the WUSA, she still managed to record six goals in 12 games during 2003.  In 2007, Welsh led the Washington Freedom to the W-League title as she scored the game-winning goal and earned the Championship MVP award.

Karyn Lush is a freelance writer and can be reached at  karyn.wps@gmail.com . The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Women’s Professional Soccer or womensprosoccer.com.