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Mallory Swanson returns to the USWNT first the first time since the 2024 Paris Olympics

Sport

Mallory Swanson returns to the USWNT first the first time since the 2024 Paris Olympics
Sport

Sport

Mallory Swanson returns to the USWNT first the first time since the 2024 Paris Olympics

2026-05-28 02:07 Last Updated At:02:21

Triple Espresso is back.

The trio of Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson, nicknamed Triple Espresso at the 2024 Olympics, were named on Tuesday to the U.S. training camp roster for a pair of June matches against the Brazilian national team in Brazil. The three have not played together since the gold medal match at the Paris Games.

Swanson was included on the U.S. roster for the first time since October 2024. She recently returned to her club team, the Chicago Stars, after taking time off for the birth of her daughter in November.

The 28-year-old Swanson has 38 goals in 103 appearances with the national team and scored the lone goal in the 1-0 victory over Brazil for the gold medal in Paris.

Wilson had returned to the national team in April after taking maternity leave last year for the birth of her daughter. She has 24 goals in 61 appearances for the United States.

“That front three haven’t been together since the Olympic gold medal match, that’s a long time, and we cannot waste a single minute," U.S. coach Emma Hayes said. “We absolutely have to put the very best players together with every opportunity that we have. But the circumstances are slightly different. We have Mal, who is coming back last, and yes, she is competing and contributing to Chicago, but like Soph last camp, it is so important to get them into the environment to reconnect with their teammates.”

The United States will play Brazil on June 6 in Sao Paulo and June 9 in Fortaleza.

Because the national team does not play many friendly matches away from the United States, the games in Brazil give the younger players an opportunity to experience travel routines.

Additionally, Brazil is hosting next year's Women's World Cup. The United States will attempt to qualify for the tournament starting in late November at the CONCACAF W Championship.

“This is another moment where we get to see how we cope with all of the environmental conditions that come with going to Brazil, whether that’s adapting to different cultures, different training facilities, different hotels, different experiences, fan experience, feeling like the away team, but with the pressure cooker of a top opponent. All of these things really, really matter," Hayes said.

Hayes named 26 players to the camp roster for the international window, with 23 players to be designated as available for each match.

Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

Defenders: Tierna Davidson (Gotham), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Tara Rudd (Washington Spirit), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Gisele Thompson (Angel City), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave)

Midfielders: Croix Bethune (Kansas City Current), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes), Claire Hutton (Bay FC), Riley Jackson (North Carolina Courage), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes)

Forwards: Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Stars), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea), Sophia Wilson (Portland Thorns)

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - United States' Mallory Swanson, left, reacts with teammate Sophia Smith after scoring her side's third goal during a women's group B match between the United States and Zambia at Nice Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, July 25, 2024, in Nice, France. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

FILE - United States' Mallory Swanson, left, reacts with teammate Sophia Smith after scoring her side's third goal during a women's group B match between the United States and Zambia at Nice Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, July 25, 2024, in Nice, France. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama, the tallest man in these NBA Finals, is about to face the tallest order of his basketball career.

And he's fine with that.

Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs — who just became the first team in NBA Finals history to lead a game by 29 points and still lose — need to win the next three games, or they'll watch the New York Knicks celebrate an NBA title at their expense. And when the Spurs gathered for practice on Friday, Wembanyama insisted the belief within the Spurs camp is still there.

“Everybody thinks, everybody knows, we’re going to do it,” Wembanyama said.

If he was nervous, he hid it well. The 7-foot-4 French star has helped the Spurs stave off elimination twice already in these playoffs, after San Antonio won Games 6 and 7 of the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City and ended the Thunder's reign as NBA champions.

Now, the Spurs have to do it again on Saturday in Game 5 against the Knicks. And if they win Saturday, they'll have to do it again in Game 6 on Tuesday. And if they win Tuesday, a Game 7 awaits next Friday.

“I feel like we need to isolate that one game and take it one game at a time,” Wembanyama said. “I think it would be a mistake to waste our energy on multiple games. It’s one game at a time.”

The Spurs led Game 1 by 14 points and lost by 10. They led Game 2 by 12 points and lost by one. They won Game 3 by four, then had the 29-point lead in Game 4 and lost by one.

Clearly, they know how to get into position to beat the Knicks.

They just haven't finished it off in three of the four games. And now, they will try to be just the second team in NBA Finals history to successfully rally from a 3-1 series deficit; Cleveland did it against Golden State in 2016. The other 37 teams that have tried to do so all failed.

“It definitely matters," Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “I feel like we’ve made history all year, and we’ve proven that with our backs against the wall that we can step up. So, I don’t really expect this to be any different.”

Neither does Wembanyama.

The Spurs know they're good enough. They've had the leads. They've won every first quarter, then frittered those advantages away. In Game 3, they recovered. In Games 1, 2 and 4, they didn't. In Game 5, they'll have to — or else.

“You said all of it,” Wembanyama said. “We’re very confident. I wouldn’t say it was so hard to shake off (Game 4). Harder than any other game before, by far, for sure. I mean, now we’re over it. It’s the playoffs. There’s no time to regret things for too long."

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks during a news conference prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Friday, June 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks during a news conference prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Friday, June 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks during a news conference prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Friday, June 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks during a news conference prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Friday, June 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks during a news conference prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Friday, June 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks during a news conference prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Friday, June 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks during a news conference prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Friday, June 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks during a news conference prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Friday, June 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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