Did the U.S. women's national soccer team come to regret leaving former BYU star Ashley Hatch off its World Cup roster? ESPN's Caitlin Murray doesn't seem to think so.
In a recent article for ESPN , Murray took a stab at predicting who will make the U.S. squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and she described Hatch as "on the bubble."
But Murray openly acknowledged that the Olympic roster is still completely up in the air, especially since the U.S. hasn't yet hired a new coach for the women's team.
Murray categorized players as starters, in the squad, on the bubble or longshots for the roster. She had Hatch listed as one of three "bubble" players for the striker position, alongside national team newbies Jaedyn Shaw and Mia Fishel.
She defined "bubble" players as players who "are possible alternates, or players who might miss out on the Olympics completely. Players who have had a passing look or players who were once integral but no longer seem in favor."
Murray predicted that Hatch will be demoted from her usual role as backup striker to Alex Morgan . She put Sophia Smith , this season's National Women's Soccer League goalscoring leader, as the striker and Morgan as "in the squad."
She didn't give a reason for her decision on Hatch.
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Hatch joined her national team teammates Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams on their "Snacks" podcast in September and opened up about receiving the phone call from Vlatko Andonovski, the now former national team head coach, with the disappointing news of not making the roster, as the Deseret News previously reported.
"Everyone puts a lot of time and effort into accomplishing the goal of making the World Cup roster, and so for the past two and a half to two years, every single ounce of my energy and effort went into making that roster and for it to come down to that final call of Vlatko saying, 'You're not going to be a part of our roster,' my heart definitely sunk," she said.
Hatch does have the Olympics in sight. In May, the Deseret News asked Hatch what her next step would be if she didn't make the World Cup roster, and she mentioned working toward earning an Olympic roster spot.
"I most likely (will) just keep working hard with the (Washington) Spirit. Obviously keep working and having a good season, working towards a championship and just continuing to find ways to improve as an individual and set myself up to make the next Olympic roster," she said.
Hatch is tied for third in the NWSL for most goals scored this season with nine, which is one shy of her total when she was the league's top scorer in 2021. She is two goals short of Smith, who currently leads the league.
The former Cougar was called up to the national team for its September friendlies against South Africa . She was subbed into the first game but didn't dress for the second.
It hasn't yet been announced if she will be on the roster when the team plays its friendly against Colombia in Utah on Oct. 26 .
