Megan Rapinoe, Hope Solo named to USA Women's World Cup roster

More than a month ahead of the deadline, the United States announced their roster for this summer's Women's World Cup. Predictably, there were not major surprises. Among those named to the roster were Seattle Reign players Hope Solo and Megan Rapinoe.

Predictable and expected as it may have been, that didn't seem to diminish how those players felt about the announcement. Solo, who's World Cup future was cast into doubt after she was suspended from the team, expressed particular relief.

"It's funny because I am a veteran now and it's my third World Cup, but still, when the roster was released, when Jill [Ellis] called me up and said ‘Congratulations, you've made the World Cup roster,' I still felt emotional, happy, filled with joy and proud," Solo said in a Reign press release. "Anything can happen. You work for four years to make another roster and another roster and so it was just a nice dose of reality to know that I officially made the roster."

Rapinoe echoed those sentiments, even if her spot on the team was as ironclad as anyone's: "It's so exciting. The World Cup is everything. To be able to say that in my career, this will be the second one I am going to go to is really special. It definitely doesn't get old by any means. I am thrilled and I can't wait. It feels like it's getting to that time and the energy is really rising. Everyone is really excited."

The USWNT's World Cup send-off series starts on May 10 and will include three matches. The Women's World Cup will run from June 6-July 5. Solo and Rapinoe will likely miss six to eight Reign matches while they are on national team duty.

2015 United States FIFA Women's World Cup Roster By Position
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ashlyn Harris* (Washington Spirit), Alyssa Naeher* (Boston Breakers), Hope Solo*** (Seattle Reign FC) 
DEFENDERS (8): Lori Chalupny** (Chicago Red Stars), Whitney Engen* (Western NY Flash), Julie Johnston* (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg* (Houston Dash), Ali Krieger** (Washington Spirit), Kelley O'Hara** (Sky Blue FC), Christie Rampone***** (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn** (FC Kansas City) 
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx**** (Chicago Red Stars), Morgan Brian* (Houston Dash), Tobin Heath** (Portland Thorns FC), Lauren Holiday** (FC Kansas City), Carli Lloyd*** (Houston Dash), Heather O'Reilly*** (FC Kansas City), Megan Rapinoe** (Seattle Reign FC) 
FORWARDS (5): Sydney Leroux* (Western NY Flash), Alex Morgan** (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press* (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez** (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach**** (unattached)

* First Women's World Cup 
** Second Women's World Cup 
*** Third Women's World Cup 
**** Fourth Women's World Cup 
***** Fifth Women's World Cup