Four Washington Spirit Players Called Up to U.S. Women’s National Team for January Friendlies

Croix Bethune, Hal Hershfelt, Tara Rudd, Kate Wiesner and U.S. to take on Paraguay and Chile in two friendlies

Washington, D.C. (01/08/2026) – Four Washington Spirit players have been called up to the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) for the side’s January friendlies, U.S. Soccer announced today. Midfielders Croix Bethune and Hal Hershfelt and defenders Tara Rudd (née McKeown) and Kate Wiesner will take on Paraguay and Chile with the U.S. later this month in southern California. 

Bethune earns her second consecutive call-up to the U.S. senior team this month having most recently competed for the side during its friendlies against Italy late last year. The standout midfielder has appeared in five total matches for the USWNT and helped the team earn the gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. 

Hershfelt makes her return to the USWNT this month after a stellar 2025 season with the Spirit. The third-year NWSL star served as an Olympic alternate in 2024 and made her senior international debut that October against Iceland. Hershfelt has made three total appearances for the U.S. senior team. 

Fresh off her 2025 NWSL Defender of the Year win, Rudd earns her seventh call-up to the U.S. senior team and first under her new last name after her wedding last month. Making her first appearance and start for the USWNT against Colombia in last year’s SheBelieves Cup, Rudd also tallied her first international assist when she connected with Ally Sentnor for a second half goal. In a July friendly against Canada at the Spirit’s home ground of Audi Field, Rudd earned her second assist from the back line. The defender has tallied nine total appearances and two assists for the USWNT. 

Wiesner earns her second consecutive call-up to the USWNT this month, having made her debut for the senior team in November’s friendly against Italy. Entering her third season with the Spirit, the defender will head to her third camp with the USWNT as she was previously called up as a training player in May 2024. 

USWNT’s January Friendly Schedule: 

• vs Paraguay | Saturday, January 24 at 5:30 p.m. EST (Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California) 

• vs Chile | Tuesday, January 27 at 10 p.m. EST (Harder Stadium, Santa Barbara, California) 

Beginning preseason later this month, the Spirit will look to build on the side’s second straight NWSL Championship appearance in 2026. Information on 2026 season ticket memberships is available HERE. 

About The Washington Spirit 

The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

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