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(January
31, 2002)
WUSA
World Stars Invade South Florida ATLANTA
GA (January 31, 2002) – A match featuring the world’s best female soccer
players will highlight the Women’s United Soccer Association Combine and
Draft Weekend February 8-11 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Top American stars such as Brandi Chastain (San Jose), Tiffeny
Milbrett (New York) and Shannon MacMillan (San Diego)
join international standouts including Hege Riise (Carolina) and
the Brazilian trio of Sissi, Katia and Pretinha of
the San Jose CyberRays in the second game of a women’s soccer tripleheader
on February 10 at Lockhart Stadium.
The WUSA stars of tomorrow will take center
stage in game one of the Sunday doubleheader as the best college players in
the country meet in the annual Umbro Select College All-Star Classic at 2 p.m.
ET. The WUSA World Stars match
will follow at 4 p.m. ET. The
Haitian women’s national team will take on a Florida All-Star team at 6 p.m.
ET.
The weekend, which also includes the WUSA
Combine featuring nearly 40 top college and amateur players from across the
United States, will culminate with the second annual WUSA Draft on February 11
at the Sunrise Hilton in Fort Lauderdale.
An overview of the WUSA World Stars Match follows: WHAT
WUSA World Stars Match
– 32 of the best female soccer players in the world meet in an exhibition
match. The North squad will face
the South team. WHO
The best female soccer players in the world. The
two head coaches from the teams competing in the 2001 WUSA Founders Cup will
coach the squads. San Jose’s
Ian Sawyers will coach the North team and Atlanta’s Tom Stone will coach the
South squad.
WHEN
Sunday, February 10 at 4 pm
ET
WHERE
Lockhart Stadium in Fort
Lauderdale MEDIA
AVAILABILITY:
The World Stars will have an
official “media session” at the Hilton Sports Complex on Saturday, Feb. 9
following training. The practice
begins at 10:30 am ET. Thus,
media members are asked to arrive at the Hilton Sports Complex no later than
11:15 am ET. [Directions to the
Hilton are at the end of the press release]. COVERAGE
For complete coverage, go to www.WUSA.com
or http://www.umbroselect.com.
The
following is a list of the WUSA World Stars scheduled to play in the Feb. 10
match at Lockhart Stadium: Brandi
Chastain – D – San Jose
CyberRays – Known for her game-winning penalty kick that helped the U.S. win
the 1999 Women’s World Cup, Chastain led the CyberRays to the inaugural WUSA
title and was a member of the All-WUSA first team in 2001 … She’ll be
flying in from the NFL Pro Bowl in Hawaii where she is serving as a roving
reporter for Fox Sports’ “Under the Helmet” program. Tiffeny
Milbrett – F – New York Power
– Arguably the best female player in the world right now, she was the WUSA
MVP in 2001 and led the league in scoring (16g, 3a = 35pts) … Named U.S.
Soccer’s Chevrolet Player of the Year for 2001 … Member of the All-WUSA
first team in 2001. Kristine
Lilly – M – Boston Breakers - The
USA’s and world’s all‑time appearance leader (for women and men), the
“Iron Woman” has played in
232 games for the U.S. … She was a member of the All-WUSA first team in 2001
… The 31-year-old Lilly is the third all-time leading scorer in U.S.
national team history. Shannon
MacMillan – F San Diego Spirit
– U.S. national team regular finished second in the WUSA in scoring in 2001
(12g, 6a = 30 pts) … Recently scored three goals for the U.S. against Mexico
Jan. 12 … Member of the All-WUSA first team in 2001. Briana
Scurry – GK – Atlanta Beat –
Star of the 1999 Women’s World Cup, Scurry’s 0.82 goals against average
ranked first in the WUSA in 2001 … Member of the All-WUSA second team in
2001. Hege
Riise – M – Carolina Courage
– Norwegian national team star was the WUSA’s 8th leading
scorer in 2001 (6g, 8a = 20pts) … MVP of the 1995 Women’s World Cup …
Led Norway to the championship in the recent Four NationsTournament in China
… Member of the All-WUSA first team in 2001. Sissi
– M – San Jose CyberRays - Co-scoring
leader of the 1999 Women's World Cup with seven goals, the creative Brazilian
was a member of the All-WUSA first team in 2001. Charmaine
Hooper - F – Atlanta Beat –
Canadian national team standout finished third in WUSA scoring in 2001 (12g,
3a = 27 pts) … Member of the All-WUSA first team in 2001. LaKeysia
Beene – GK - San Jose CyberRays
– 2001 WUSA Goalkeeper of the Year led the CyberRays to the league’s first
championship … Current U.S. national team starting goalkeeper … Member of
the All-WUSA first team in 2001 … Voted best goalkeeper at the recent Four
Nations tournament in China. Lorrie
Fair – M – Philadelphia Charge
– A regular starter in midfield for the U.S. national team, the 23-year-old
Fair led Philadelphia into the WUSA Playoffs in 2001 … Member of the 1999
Women’s World Cup champions. Ronnie
Fair – D -
New York Power – The twin sister of Lorrie Fair, Ronnie started all
22 games (21 regular season and one playoff) for the Power in 2001. Danielle
Fotopoulos – F – Carolina Courage –
Former University of Florida star finished fifth in WUSA scoring
(9g, 5a = 23pts) in 2001 and earned a call back into the national team
with her WUSA performance … Scored for U.S. against Mexico Jan. 12. Cindy
Parlow – F/M - Atlanta Beat - A
starter on the U.S. national team. Parlow finished 10th in WUSA
scoring (5g, 7a = 17 pts) in 2001 and was a member of the All-WUSA second team
in 2001. Kylie
Bivens – D - Atlanta – Her
outstanding performance during the 2001 WUSA season earned her a call-up to
the U.S. national team … She made the most of the call-up, playing in two
games for the U.S. in the recent Four Nation’s Tournament. Pretinha
– F – San Jose CyberRays – Brazilian national team star finished
second in team scoring (5g, 2 a = 12pts) as a member of the Washington Freedom
in 2001 … Acquired via trade on Nov. 13, 2001 … Scored team-high 4 goals
in 1996 Olympics. Katia
– F – San Jose CyberRays – The third member of San Jose’s Brazilian
national team trio, Katia finished second on the CyberRays in scoring in 2001
(7g, 1a = 15pts) ….Her seven goals were good for ninth overall in the WUSA. Sara
Whalen – D/M – New York Power – A
member of the 1999 Women’s World Cup champions, the versatile Whalen
was everywhere for the Power in 2001, seeing time at three positions (forward,
midfield and defense). Homare
Sawa
– M – Atlanta Beat – Japanese national team standout started 19 games
for Atlanta in 2001, leading the Beat to the 2001 WUSA Founders Cup … The
engine of the Beat’s midfield. Bai
Jie
– D – Washington Freedom – A key member of China’s national team, Bai
was a member of the 1999 Women’s World Cup runner-up squad and the 2000
Chinese Olympic team. Shannon
Boxx –
M – San Diego Spirit – Following an impressive 2001 WUSA season that saw
her start every game for the Spirit, Boxx was called into U.S. national team
training camp in January. Kelly
Lindsey – D – San Joe CyberRays - A key
reason why San Jose had the second lowest goal against average (1.1) in the
WUSA in 2001, Lindsey was a member of the All-WUSA second team in 2001. Nikki
Serlenga – D – Atlanta – Was a
defensive leader on the back line of the WUSA’s stingiest defense in 2001
… She was a member of the U.S.
Olympic team in 2000. Tiffany
Roberts – D – Carolina Courage – A
member of the 1996 Olympic champions and 1999 Women’s World Cup titlists,
Roberts started all 21 games for the Courage during the inaugural
season … Has 79 caps for the U.S. Doris
Fitchsen – D - The WUSA Defensive Player
of the Year in 2001 with the Philadelphia Charge, she retired following the
2001 season but the 33-year-old German standout is returning to play in the
World Stars game … Member of the All-WUSA first team in 2001. Jen
Grubb – D – Washington – Started all
21 games for Washington during the 2001 season … Led
the Freedom in games started, played, and total minutes in 2001 … Is the
tough backbone of the Washington defense Staci
Burt – D/M - Carolina - As
one of only four players in the WUSA to log every minute of every game during
the inaugural season, Burt was an “Iron Woman” for the Courage … She was
recognized for her consistency and performance by being called up to join the
U.S. Women’s National Team, when they prepared for the 2001 Nike U.S. Cup Mandy
Clemens – F – Philadelphia Charge
- Clemens finished second on the Charge in team scoring
in 2001 (5g, 3a = 13pts) … Captured the prestigious Hermann and MAC
awards in 1999 as a senior at Santa Clara. Angela
Hucles - M –
Boston Breakers – A natural forward, Hucles had a solid season playing three
positions for the Breakers, staring 219 games while finishing with two goals
in 2001. Kristy
Whelchel -
D – New York Power - She started every game last year and was a
mainstay in the New York Power defense … Local South Florida product was the
state’s 1995 player of the year at Spanish River High in Boca Raton. Anne
Makinen – M - Washington – Finnish star
is the creative force in the Freedom midfield … Won the Hermann and MAC
awards in 2000 as a senior at Notre Dame. Jen
Lalor – M – New York – Veteran
midfielder links the Power’s defense and attack … Was a member of the 1995
U.S. Women’s World Cup team. DIRECTIONS
TO THE HILTON SPORTS COMPLEX:
Take
Interstate 595 west from the airport, exit at University Drive North. Follow
University Drive North to Sunrise Boulevard. The hotel is just north of
Sunrise Blvd and south of Oakland Park Blvd, on the west side of University
Blvd. Following
the 2002 WUSA Draft, the league’s eight teams will begin voluntary preseason
training on February 15. Featuring
the best women’s soccer players in the world with athletes such as Mia
Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Tiffany Milbrett, Briana Scurry and dozens of
international stars, the eight WUSA teams
are the At lanta Beat, Boston
Breakers, Carolina Courage, New York Power, Philadelphia Charge, San Diego
Spirit, San Jose CyberRays and the Washington Freedom.
The 2002 WUSA season is scheduled to kick off April 13. [Source:
Dan Courtemanche – (404) 269-8269, www.WUSA.com,
WUSA Communications]
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