Dash

Houston Dash defenders Whitney Engen and Meghan Klingenberg named to U.S. Women's National Team roster

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Houston Dash defenders Whitney Engen and Meghan Klingenberg have been named to the U.S. Women's National Team roster for a pair of friendlies against against Mexico on Sept. 13 and 18.


Head coach Jill Ellis has called up 28 players for training camp and two matches against rivals Mexico. The first meeting will take place on Sept. 13 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah (5:30 p.m. CT on ussoccer.com), and the second will be at Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester, New York (6 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and WatchESPN).


Engen, 26, has earned 18 caps for the United States. The Torrance, California, native made 11 appearances for the Dash in central defense after joining the team midway through the 2014 season.


Klingenberg, 25, also joined the Dash partway through the season after she and Engen finished their UEFA Women's Champion's League campaign with Swedish club Tyresö FF. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native has recorded 14 caps with the national team.


The pair will join the national team in Salt Lake City on Sept. 5. This will be the first extended training period Ellis has had with the team since she was officially named the head coach on May 16. It will also be the final camp and matches before she names a 20-player roster that will attempt to qualify for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup at the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship being held in Kansas City, Kansas; Bridgeview, Illinois; Washington, D.C.; and Chester, Pennsylvania, from Oct. 15-24.