University of Massachusets Athletics
Pepper Escher Called Up To U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team Training Camp Roster
October 20, 2025 | Women's Soccer
The training camp is the early stage of preparation for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Freshman goalkeeper Pepper Escher has been called up to the U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team training camp, U.S. Soccer communications announced Monday. The training camp will be held from Wednesday, October 22, through Thursday, October 30 at the University of Kansas Health System Training Center, home of the 2025 National Women's Soccer League Shield winners Kansas City Current.
The latter part of camp – from October 27-29 – will run simultaneously with the senior USWNT's visit to Kansas City for its match against New Zealand on Oct. 29 at CPKC Stadium, with the U.S. U-20 WNT attending the match. The camp will be run by first-year U.S. U-20 WNT head coach Vicky Jepson, who comes to U.S. Soccer after a long stint at Tottenham Hotspur.
Escher is one of 24 players to be called up to the U.S. U-20 WNT training camp, and one of three goalkeepers. The Brewster, Massachusetts, native is also the only Mid-American Conference member on the roster. The freshman has played in one game this season, holding a 3.18 goals-against-average and a 0.500 save percentage through 28 minutes of action.
The age cut off for the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup is players born on or after January 1, 2006. The roster is made up equally of players born in 2006 (12) and 2007 (12) and features seven NWSL players, two NWSL players who are out on loan, three players from the USL Super League, 10 college players and two youth club players.
The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup will take place next year in Poland from September 5-27. The USA is one of 12 nations to already qualify for the tournament, doing so at the 2025 Concacaf Women's U-20 Championship last June. The tournament will feature 24 countries.
U.S. U-20 Women's National Team Training Camp Roster by Position (College/Club; Hometown)
Goalkeepers (3):
The latter part of camp – from October 27-29 – will run simultaneously with the senior USWNT's visit to Kansas City for its match against New Zealand on Oct. 29 at CPKC Stadium, with the U.S. U-20 WNT attending the match. The camp will be run by first-year U.S. U-20 WNT head coach Vicky Jepson, who comes to U.S. Soccer after a long stint at Tottenham Hotspur.
Escher is one of 24 players to be called up to the U.S. U-20 WNT training camp, and one of three goalkeepers. The Brewster, Massachusetts, native is also the only Mid-American Conference member on the roster. The freshman has played in one game this season, holding a 3.18 goals-against-average and a 0.500 save percentage through 28 minutes of action.
The age cut off for the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup is players born on or after January 1, 2006. The roster is made up equally of players born in 2006 (12) and 2007 (12) and features seven NWSL players, two NWSL players who are out on loan, three players from the USL Super League, 10 college players and two youth club players.
The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup will take place next year in Poland from September 5-27. The USA is one of 12 nations to already qualify for the tournament, doing so at the 2025 Concacaf Women's U-20 Championship last June. The tournament will feature 24 countries.
U.S. U-20 Women's National Team Training Camp Roster by Position (College/Club; Hometown)
Goalkeepers (3):
- Charlotte Burge (Carolina Ascent FC; Virginia Beach, Va.)
- Pepper Escher (UMass; Brewster, Mass.)
- Kealey Titmuss (Penn State; Grand Blanc, Mich.)
- Trinity Armstrong (San Diego Wave; Dallas, Texas)
- Kieryn Jeter (Penn State; Cumming, Ga.)
- Emma Johnson (Indy Premiere; Greenfield, Ind.)
- Anna Leschly (Dartmouth; Brookline, Mass.)
- Zoe Matthews (Dux Logrones, ESP; Southlake, Texas)
- Katie Scott (Kansas City Current; Fairview, Penn.)
- Maison Smith (Alabama; Eureka, Mo.)
- Capriel Winder (Utah State; North Logan, Utah)
- Sofia Cedeno (Halifax Tides FC, CAN; Dallas, Texas)
- Kennedy Fuller (Angel City FC; Southlake, Texas)
- Lucy Kesler (BYU; American Fork, Utah)
- Ainsley McCammon (Seattle Reign; Bedford, Texas)
- Ary Oliver (Radford University; Woodbridge, Va.)
- Nevaeh Peregrina (Portland; Ogden, Utah)
- Ashlyn Puerta (Sporting JAX; Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.)
- Ayva Jordan (Slammers FC HB Koge; Las Vegas, Nev.)
- Mary Long (Kansas City Current; Mission Hills, Kan.)
- Reese Mattern (Tennessee; Charlottesville, Va.)
- Alex Pfeiffer (Kansas City Current; St. Louis, Mo.)
- Chloe Ricketts (Houston Dash; Dexter, Mich.)
- Sealey Strawn (Dallas Trinity FC; Prosper, Texas)
Players Mentioned
GK
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