WUSA Preseason Training Kicks Off March 1, 2002 

NEW YORK NY (February 25, 2002)The Women's United Soccer Association officially kicks off preseason training on March 1 as all eight teams begin preparations for the second season of Division I women's professional soccer in the United States. 

The highlight of the 2002 preseason will be a West Coast Spring Training session in suburban San Diego, CA from March 16-22 and East Coast Spring Training in Richmond, VA from March 19-24. The WUSA's 2002 regular season begins April 13 and concludes with Founders Cup II on August 24.

From March 16-22, the San Diego Spirit and defending WUSA champion San Jose CyberRays will be joined by the United States Under-21 and Under-19 national teams at the ARCO Olympic Training in Chula Vista, CA for seven days of competition.

Six WUSA teams - the Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Carolina Courage, New York Power, Philadelphia Charge and Washington Freedom - will converge in Richmond, VA from March 19-25 for seven days of training and competition. WUSA Spring Training in Richmond will be highlighted by a tripleheader of WUSA action on March 23 at the University of Richmond Stadium. The tripleheader begins at 3:00 p.m. (ET) when Philadelphia takes on Carolina. Game two features Boston battling New York at 5:30 p.m. and Atlanta meets Washington in game three at 8:00 p.m.

The East Coast Spring Training in Richmond will coincide with the Jefferson Cup tournament, one of the largest youth soccer events in the country as 500 teams will be competing in the greater Richmond area.

A brief overview of upcoming key dates in the WUSA follows:

UPCOMING WUSA KEY DATES
March 1 Formal WUSA preseason training begins
* teams must be at 24-player roster size
* March 15 Rosters cut down to 22 players
* March 16-22 West Coast Preseason Training Camp in Chula Vista, CA (suburban San Diego)
* (San Diego Spirit, San Jose CyberRays, U-21 National Team, U-19 National Team, US National Amateur Team and a top Southern California Youth Team)
* March 19-25 East Coast Preseason Training Camp in Richmond, VA
* (Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Carolina Courage, New York Power, Philadelphia Charge, Washington Freedom)

March 31 Final Roster Cut Down Date - All Teams to 18 Roster Players (plus reserve players)

April 2 Supplemental Draft of waived and released players

April 13 2002 Season kicks off: Second Women's United Soccer Association season begins with all 8 teams in action

Featuring the best women's soccer players in the world, WUSA athletes include Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Tiffeny Milbrett, Briana Scurry, Julie Foudy and dozens of international stars. The eight WUSA teams are the Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Carolina Courage, New York Power, Philadelphia Charge, San Diego Spirit, San Jose CyberRays and the Washington Freedom. 


- WUSA PRESEASON SCHEDULES FOLLOW -

ATLANTA BEAT PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-2 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech. 
March 3 Preseason match: Beat vs. University of Georgia (at Agnes Scott College)
March 4 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech. 
March 5 Off
March 6-9 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech.
March 10 Preseason match: Beat vs. University of Nebraska (at Agnes Scott College)
Preseason match: Beat vs. Clemson University (at Agnes Scott College)
March 11 Off
March 12-15 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech.
March 16 Meet the Beat at Herndon Stadium
Preseason match: Beat vs. Local Team (at Georgia Tech)
March 17 Off
March 18 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech
March 19-24 WUSA Spring Training in Richmond, VA
March 20 Preseason match: Atlanta vs. Boston (at Richmond)
March 23 Preseason match: Atlanta vs. Washington (at University of Richmond)
March 24 Preseason match: Atlanta vs. New York (at Richmond)
March 25 Off
March 26-27 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech
March 28 Preseason match: Beat vs. UNC (at Agnes Scott College)
April 1 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech
April 2-5 Training TBD
April 6 Preseason match: Beat vs. Carolina Courage (at Chattanooga, Tennessee) 
April 7-12 Training TBD
April 13 Philadelphia at Atlanta at 7:00 p.m. ET (at Herndon Stadium)

BOSTON BREAKERS PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-15 Training at Nickerson Field or Fore Kicks in Norfolk, MA, depending on the weather. 
March 9 Preseason match: Breakers vs. Eagles Soccer Club (at Newton, MA)
March 16 Off
March 17-24 WUSA Spring Training in Richmond, VA 
March 20 Preseason match: Boston vs. Atlanta (at Richmond)
March 23 Preseason match: Boston vs. New York (at University of Richmond)
March 24 Preseason match: : Boston vs. Philadelphia (at Richmond)
March 25-April 6 Training in La Manga, Spain to play Norwegian and Swedish club teams
April 1 Preseason match: Breakers vs. Kolbtn (Norwegian) (in La Manga)
April 3 Preseason match: Breakers vs. Alvsjo (Swedish) (in La Manga)
April 5 Preseason match: Breakers vs. Trondheim Orn (Norwegian) (in La Manga)
April 6 -10 Training at Nickerson Field
April 11 Leave for San Jose
April 13 Boston at San Jose at 4:00 p.m. ET on PAX (at Spartan Stadium)

CAROLINA COURAGE PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-8 Training in Carolina
March 9 Preseason match: Courage vs. Washington Freedom (at Wilmington, NC)
March 10-15 Training in Carolina
March 16 Preseason match: Courage vs. New York Power (at Virginia Beach, VA)
March 17-18 Training in Carolina
March 19-25 WUSA Spring Training in Richmond, VA
March 20 Preseason match: Carolina vs. New York (at Richmond)
March 23 Preseason match: Carolina vs. Philadelphia (at University of Richmond)
March 24 Preseason match: Carolina vs. Washington (at Richmond)
March 26 Training in Carolina
March 27-31 Off
April 1-5 Training in Carolina
April 6 Preseason match: Courage vs. Atlanta Beat (at Chattanooga, TN)
April 7-10 Training in Carolina
April 11 Depart for San Diego
April 13 Carolina at San Diego at 6:00 p.m. ET (at Torero Stadium)

NEW YORK POWER PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-9 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 10 Off
March 11-12 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 13 Leave for Virginia
March 14 Preseason match: Power vs. College of William & Mary (at College of William & Mary)
March 15 Training in Virginia Beach
March 16 Preseason match: Power vs. Carolina Courage (at Virginia Beach Sports Complex) 
March 17 Off
March 18 Preseason match: Power vs. Hampton Road Piranhas (at Virginia Beach)
March 19 Leave for Richmond
March 20-24 WUSA Spring Training in Richmond, VA
March 20 Preseason match: New York vs. Carolina (at Richmond)
March 23 Preseason match: New York vs. Boston (at University of Richmond)
March 24 Preseason match: New York vs. Atlanta (at Richmond)
March 25 Leave for New York
March 26-28 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 29 Leave for Oklahoma
March 30 Preseason match: Power vs. Oklahoma Outrage (at Tulsa)
March 31 Leave for New York
April 1-5 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
April 6 TBD
April 7 TBD
April 8 Training at Mitchel Athletic Complex
April 9 Preseason match: Power vs. Columbia University (at Columbia University)
April 10-11 Training at Mitchel Athletic Complex
April 12 Travel to Washington
April 13 Power at Washington Freedom at 7:00 p.m. ET (at RFK Stadium)

PHILADELPHIA CHARGE PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1- April 11 Training at Villanova University
March 10 Preseason match: Charge vs. Long Island Rough Riders (at Villanova University) 
March 16 "Joint Practice" with Villanova University
March 17 Preseason match: Charge vs. University of Maryland (at Villanova University)
March 19-25 WUSA Spring Training in Richmond, VA 
March 20 Preseason match: Philadelphia vs. Washington (at Richmond)
March 23 Preseason match: Philadelphia vs. Carolina (at University of Richmond)
March 24 Preseason match: Philadelphia vs. Boston (at Richmond)
March 30 Preseason match: Charge vs. University of Virginia (at Villanova University)
April 12 Leave for Atlanta
April 13 Philadelphia at Atlanta at 7:00 p.m. ET (at Herndon Stadium)

SAN DIEGO SPIRIT PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-7 Training at Allen Field
March 8 Preseason match: Spirit vs. University of Washington (at Allen Field)
March 9 Off
March 10 Preseason match: Spirit vs. Texas A&M University (at SDSU)
March 12-15 Training at Allen Field
March 17 Preseason match: Spirit vs. San Jose CyberRays (at Cal State-Fullerton)
March 16-22 WUSA Spring Training in Chula Vista, CA
March 19 Preseason match: Spirit vs. U.S. Nat'l Amateur Team (at ARCO)
Preseason match: Spirit vs. U.S. U-21 Nat'l Team (at ARCO)
March 21 Preseason match: Spirit vs. U.S. U-19 Nat'l Team (at ARCO)
March 22 Leave for Las Vegas
March 23 Preseason match: Spirit vs. San Jose CyberRays (at Las Vegas)
March 25-29 Training at Allen Field
March 30 Preseason match: Spirit vs. Pepperdine University (at Allen Field)
March 31 Off
April 1-2 Training at Allen Field
April 3 Preseason match: Spirit vs. UCLA (at UCSD)
April 4 Off
April 5 Training at Allen Field
April 8-11 Training at Allen Field
April 12 Training at USD 
April 13 Carolina at San Diego at 6:00 p.m. ET (at Torero Stadium) 

SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-15 Training at West Valley College, Saratoga, Calif. 
March 17 Preseason match: CyberRays vs. San Diego Spirit (at Cal State-Fullerton)
March 16-22 WUSA Spring Training in Chula Vista, CA
March 19 Preseason match: CyberRays vs. U.S. U-21 Nat'l Team (at ARCO)
Preseason match: CyberRays vs. U.S. U-19 Nat'l Team (at ARCO)
March 22-24 In Las Vegas
March 23 Preseason match: CyberRays vs. San Diego Spirit (at Las Vegas)
March 25-27 Training at West Valley College, Saratoga, Calif. 
March 28-31 In Denver
March 30 Preseason match: CyberRays vs. Washington Freedom in Denver (MLS Doubleheader) 
April 1-4 OFF
April 5-12 Training at West Valley College, Saratoga, Calif. 
April 13 San Jose vs. Boston at 4:00 p.m. ET on PAX TV (at Spartan Stadium)

WASHINGTON FREEDOM PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-5 Training at RFK
March 6-8 Travel and training in Wilmington, NC
March 9 Preseason match: Freedom vs. Carolina Courage (at Wilmington, NC)
March 10 Travel
March 11-15 Training at RFK
March 16 Preseason match: Freedom vs. U-19 Long Island All Stars and Fan Fest (at RFK)
March 18 Training at RFK
March 19-25 WUSA Spring Training in Richmond, VA
March 20 Preseason match: Washington vs. Philadelphia (at Richmond) 
March 23 Preseason match: Washington vs. Atlanta (at University of Richmond) 
March 24 Preseason match: Washington vs. Carolina (at Richmond)
March 27-28 Training at RFK
March 29 Travel to Denver
March 30 Preseason match: Freedom vs. San Jose CyberRays (MLS Doubleheader) (at Denver)
March 31 Travel to Washington, D.C.
April 3-5 Training in Germantown, MD
April 6 Preseason match: Freedom vs. UNC in Germantown - Kicks Against Breast Cancer 
April 8-12 Training at RFK
April 13 Freedom vs. New York at 7:00 p.m. ET (at RFK Stadium)

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