Denver Summit FC fans won\u2019t have to wait long to see Lindsey Heaps play in her home state.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The U.S. Women\u2019s National Team faces Japan Friday in Commerce City in the finale of a three-game friendly series with the Asian Cup winners. The series is tied 1-1, with the United States taking the first match 2-1 and Japan responding with a 1-0 win Tuesday in front of a sold-out crowd in Seattle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The soccer match at Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods Park, set for 7 p.m. MT, will be a homecoming for two Colorado natives, midfielder Heaps and forward Sophia Wilson (Smith). Golden product Heaps, 31, currently plays for Olympique Lyonnais in France, but will join NWSL expansion team Denver Summit FC in June.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope to see a lot of Denver Summit fans (Friday),\u201d Heaps said Thursday. \u201cIt\u2019s always special to play in front of a home crowd in your home state. When we come to play here, the number of people that come out is so special.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
While Heaps is excited to join the Summit, her top priority is finishing her season with Lyonnais strong. The French women\u2019s soccer club is at the top of its division with its last match set for May 10.<\/p>\n
Still, the national team captain talked highly of the Summit organization and has remained in close contact with head coach Nick Cushing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time we play (in Colorado) it\u2019s booming, it\u2019s loud, and there is so much energy,\u201d Heaps said. \u201cThe 63,000 fans put so much emphasis on the Summit organization and what they\u2019ve been able to accomplish as a new team.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Windsor native Wilson, 25, returns to her home state in her first match as a mother after giving birth to her daughter, Gigi, in early September 2025. This is Wilson\u2019s first time on a USWNT roster in 15 months, and she has 58 caps for the team and 24 goals, three of which were scored at the 2024 Olympics, along with her two assists.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
With her appearance in the April 11 friendly against Japan, Wilson became the 18th mother to play for the USWNT. The last time Wilson played in Commerce City with the U.S. women\u2019s national team was in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying here every chance I get is so fun,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cA lot has changed (since 2024), and great things have happened in life, and it just feels good to be back home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Besides the Colorado natives, Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods Park sparks fond memories for USWNT head coach Emma Hayes, as it\u2019s where she led the team to a 4-0 win over South Korea in her debut in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hayes expressed excitement for Denver Summit FC and will be staying in Denver to watch its home match against San Diego Wave at Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods Park on April 25.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember watching the game at home and thinking this is just another extraordinary moment for women\u2019s soccer,\u201d Hayes said of the Summit\u2019s record-setting home opener. \u201cWith no surprise, the Summit has started the season brightly on and off the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hayes also spoke on Heaps\u2019 potential impact with the Summit, saying she is \u201cno passenger ever\u201d and that her competitiveness will drive her to become a leader on the team.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wilson also spoke on the Summit, saying she is not surprised by the 63,000 fans who showed up for Denver in its 0-0 draw against the Seattle Reign on March 31.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis city has always been a women\u2019s sports city and needed a team to support, and now they have one,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cI hope that many people keep showing up throughout the whole season, and it is great for women\u2019s soccer all over.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the last USWNT match in Colorado was marked by extreme heat, Friday will look much different with cold temperatures and potential snow. Still, the team is unfazed by the weather and looks forward to bringing excitement to the soccer community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Most of all, they are determined to earn a win in front of the Colorado crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a winner, I want to win every single game,\u201d Heaps said. \u201cBut we have to balance, have to grow. I look back at the last two games, and it was an incredible experience overall, but you have that feeling inside that you could have done more. We come into every game with the mentality to win.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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