The other, Alana Cook, patrols the backline for OL Reign. One, Naomi Girma, is a club teammate of Dahlkemper’s who won NWSL defender of the year as a rookie. has a pair of young center backs who project to start whenever available in the tournament. In Dahlkemper and Sauerbrunn’s absence, the U.S. I’m definitely bummed that I won’t be able to be there, but I’ll be rooting and cheering for the girls here stateside, and I have no doubt that they have everything that they’ll need to be successful and win another World Cup.” It has definitely been really hard for me, mentally. But again, I’m just trying to control things that I can control, which is my health and getting back on the pitch and helping my team here in San Diego.

“Obviously, I wish I was able to be with the team this summer and help the team win and compete in another World Cup. “I am just trying to get 100% healthy,” Dahlkemper told The Athletic. A back injury suffered in an NWSL match against the Orlando Pride on Septemrequired surgery from which she’s still recovering. Injury and illness limited her to 862 minutes across 13 appearances in the regular season and Challenge Cup, as well as just two international caps. Hand-picked by Wave president and former USWNT boss Jill Ellis, she was praised as “one of the best center backs in the world and a proven winner at the club and international level.”

As 2021 drew to a close, Dahlkemper became the first signing of the San Diego Wave’s initial roster build.

Cooking fever tournament 2017