Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Top 5 women's soccer stories of 2007

Here are top 5 women's soccer stories of the year. Some are obvious, some were missed by the soccer press.
1. The Greg Ryan Blunder and Hope Solo Fiasco – a total disaster. Completely mishandled by Greg Ryan, Bret Hall and Aaron Heifetz.
2. UCLA’s Failure - despite having at her disposal the best talent, the biggest budget and a recruiting advantage unavailable to other college coaches, Ellis just can't win the big one, 0 for 6.
3. USC’s Success – from shambles to apex in one season.
4. Vancouver’s Failure – Canadian and USA national team players could not get in W-League playoffs losing out to Seattle and San Diego. It will get even tougher in 2008.
5. W-League vs. WPSL – WPSL champions join W-League, both leagues continue expansion.

2007 Champions

W-League – Washington Freedom
WPSL – FC Indiana
Open Cup – Ajax America Women
NCAA D1 – USC
NCAA D2 – University of Tampa
NCAA D3 – Wheaton College
NAIA – Martin Methodist

Sundhage Calls 27 Players for Four Nations Tournament

GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa.), Briana Scurry (Dayton, Minn.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.);

DEFENDERS (8): Stephanie Cox (Elk Grove, Calif.), Marian Dalmy (Lakewood, Colo.), Keeley Dowling (Carmel, Ind.), Amy LePeilbet (Crystal Lake, Ill.), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Becky Sauerbrunn (St. Louis, Mo.), India Trotter (Plantation, Fla.), Cat Whitehill (Birmingham, Ala.);

MIDFIELDERS (10): Shannon Boxx (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis, Mo.), Tina DiMartino (Massapequa Park, N.Y.), Tobin Heath (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, Va.), Ali Krieger (Dumfries, Va.), Carli Lloyd (Delran, N.J.), Joanna Lohman (Silver Spring, Md.), Leslie Osborne (Brookfield, Wis.), Angie Woznuk (El Cajon, Calif.);

FORWARDS (6): Lauren Cheney (Indianapolis, Ind.), Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Heather O’Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), Amy Rodriguez (Lake Forest, Calif.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.).

Boston Breakers form partnership with W-League team

The Boston Breakers have announced a partnership between the Boston Renegades of the W-League and the Boston Breakers of the new women’s professional soccer league that will begin play in 2009.
The relationship will begin immediately as the Renegades will assist the Breakers with identification of potential Breakers players, and the Breakers coaching staff will assist in identifying 2007 collegiate players for the W-League team.

Antonucci Putting Her Best Foot Forward

For her part, Antonucci is keenly aware of what’s at stake with her new league.
“We get one more chance. Otherwise, it will be a very long time before any successor of mine can come in and convince a new investor group this is a new opportunity,” Antonucci says.

WPSL adds team in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Rampage has successfully acquired the rights to an expansion franchise in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) to begin competition in the West Conference for the Summer 2008 season.

NOTE: It is interesting to see that per league PR wording, it appears that the WPSL is beginning to sell franchises to its new members.

Fletcher signs for Pali Blues

The Pali Blues Soccer Club of the USL W-League made official today the signing of their first-ever player, Kendall Fletcher. The former University of North Carolina standout and FIFA World Youth champion is set to join the team as they prepare for their inaugural season in 2008.
“Whenever starting a recruiting year, Kendall is always at the top of my list,” Blues Head Coach Charlie Naimo said. “She is extremely versatile, and she plays with tremendous passion.”
“I say it all the time: I am very confident that Kendall will be a full national team player in the future,” he stated. “There is no doubt that we will look to Kendall to be a leader on this team from day one.”

“I love playing with Charlie because I know that the team, organization and the whole environment that he creates is of the highest quality and professionalism,” Fletcher commented. “From the world class players he recruits to the staff and volunteers with whom he surrounds himself, everything is done right and with the purpose of providing an environment that will not only produce a great team but also develop better players. I am excited about the upcoming season, and I can’t wait to get out on the field with my teammates.”

My 2007 College Best 11

Impervious, I select my own 2007 Best 11 team:
Kristin Olsen (USC)
Rachel Buehler (Stanford)
Amanda Cicchini (West Virginia)
Stephanie Lopez (Portland)
Ashlee Pistorius (Texas A&M)
Meghan Schnur (UCONN)
Amanda DaCosta (FSU)
Sue Weber (Hofstra)
Angie Woznuk (Portland)
Christina DiMartino (UCLA)
Amy Rodriguez (USC)

Patraw banned

The president of the University of Nevada, Reno has banned from UNR property a former women's soccer coach who filed a whistleblower complaint and is suing the university.
UNR President Milton Glick, in a letter dated Thursday, wrote to Terri Patraw, the former coach, that he is "withdrawing consent for (Patraw) to be on campus, which includes all university-sponsored events whether or not they are on the main campus.
"I take this action to protect life, limb and property and ensure maintenance of order," Glick wrote. "Your presence on campus as of (Dec. 19) will constitute trespass."
University spokeswoman Jane Tors said Friday that Glick's letter followed an incident involving Patraw at a university event. She declined to provide details.

Ventura County Fusion named Michelle Myers as the first head coach.

Ventura County Fusion soccer club announced Thursday it has hired Loyola Marymount assistant coach Michelle Myers as the first head coach of the Fusion women's team.
The Fusion, which fielded a men's team in the United Soccer League's Premier Development League last summer, will also begin play in the W-League, the top women's league in North America, next May.
Myers, a LMU graduate, just wrapped up her 12th season on staff, helping the Lions consistently amass some of the nation's top recruiting classes. She's also coached in Cal South's Olympic Development program since 1996, winning six regional titles and two national championships.

Nelson to coach Oklahoma

Oklahoma named Texas assistant Nicole Nelson as the Sooners' new soccer coach on Friday.
Nelson graduated from Mustang High School in 1993 and played for Oklahoma City University from 1995 to 1997.
Nelson started her coaching career in 2001 as an assistant at Stephen F. Austin. The following year, she began a three-year run as that school's head coach, going 33-19-9.
In 2005, she was an assistant at Baylor, then joined the Texas staff in 2006.

Wambach and Cheney Voted 2007 U.S. Soccer Athletes of the Year

For their excellence at the highest levels of the sport, U.S. Soccer named U.S. Women’s National Team forward Abby Wambach as the 2007 Female Athlete of the Year and 20 WNT forward Lauren Cheney won the Young Female Award.

Greg Ryan

"I was constantly on the sidelines trying to calm the team down to play shorter passing, to keep the ball at the back and not to lump it forward, but I think that under the pressure, I think some of the players struggled with it." - Greg Ryan

W-League adds Ventura County and Los Angeles for 2008

United Soccer Leagues announced today that the Ventura County Fusion and Los Angeles Storm of the Premier Development League will be adding W-League franchises to their clubs for the 2008 campaign, extending their rivalry into the women’s game.
The pair round out the seven-team Western Conference, and will be part of a trio of new teams in the greater Los Angeles area along with the expansion Pali Blues.

Reddy Named Sky Blue Head Coach

Sky Blue Soccer announced today that Denise Reddy has been named head coach of Jersey Sky Blue - the organization's W-League franchise. One of the finest women's soccer products ever to come out of New Jersey, Reddy served as an assistant coach with Jersey Sky Blue last year and will guide the team into its second season in the W-League.
A Hazlet, NJ native, Reddy starred on the collegiate level at Rutgers University before spending 11 years playing professionally in Sweden's Damallsvenskan - that country's top women's soccer league. She returned to the United States in 2006 to work as a player/assistant coach with the New Jersey Wildcats before moving to Sky Blue for the 2007 season.

Trouble in Ottawa

Two months after Ottawa Fury's GM Chris Roth stepped down, Head Coach Frank Lofranco was replaced by Craig Smith.
Smith who is from Vancouver, was named yesterday to replace Lofranco.
Lofranco was head coach for six years, posting a 74-15-6 record and taking the Fury to the Final Four four times and the championship game twice.

NCAA D1 All-America

2007 NSCAA/adidas NCAA Women’s Division I All-America Team
First Team
Pos., Name, Class, School, Hometown
K, Alyssa Naeher , So., Penn State, Seymour, Conn.
D, Nikki Krzysik, Jr., Virginia, Clifton, N.J.
D, Stephanie Lopez **, Sr., Portland, Elk Grove, Calif.
D, Becky Sauerbrunn *, Sr., Virginia, St. Louis, Mo.
D, Brittany Taylor, Jr., Connecticut, Campbell Hall, N.Y.
M, Yael Averbuch *, Jr., North Carolina, Upper Montclair, N.J.
M, Tobin Heath, So., North Carolina, Basking Ridge, N.J.
M, Meghan Schnur, Sr., Connecticut, Butler, Pa.
F, Brittany Bock, Jr., Notre Dame, Naperville, Ill.
F, Lauren Cheney *, So., UCLA, Indianapolis, Ind.
F, Parrissa Eyorokon, Sr., Purdue, West Chester, Ohio
F, Kerri Hanks **, Jr., Notre Dame, Allen, Texas
F, Mami Yamaguchi, Jr., Florida State, Tallahassee, Fla.

Second Team
K, Kristin Olsen, So., USC, Orange, Calif.
D, Greer Barnes, Jr., West Virginia, Rye, N.Y.
D, Melanie Booth, Sr., Florida, Burlington, Ont.
D, Rachel Buehler *, Sr., Stanford, Del Mar, Calif.
M, Amanda Cicchini, Jr., West Virginia, Oakville, Ont.
M, Christina DiMartino *, Jr., UCLA, Massapequa Park, N.Y.
M, Ashley Nick, Jr., USC, Monrovia, Calif.
M, Ingrid Wells, Fr., Georgetown, Upper Montclair, N.J.
F, Annie Lowry, Sr., James Madison, Butler, Pa.
F, Kelley O'Hara, So., Stanford, Fayetteville, Ga.
F, Carrie Patterson, So., Georgia, Atlanta, Ga.
F, Katie Schoepfer, So., Penn State, Waterford, Conn.

Third Team
K, Jaimel Johnson, Jr., Tennessee, Springboro, Ohio
D, Kira Bilecky, Sr., Purdue, Washington, D.C.
D, Lauren Hyde, So., Florida, Carmel, Ind.
D, Jessica Maxwell *, Sr., North Carolina, Colleyville, Texas
D, Kasey Moore *, Jr., Texas, Mission Viejo, Calif.
D, Sue Weber, Sr., Hofstra, Islip, N.Y.
M, Danesha Adams **, Sr., UCLA, Shaker Heights, Ohio
M, Danielle Collins, Jr., William & Mary, Cream Ridge, N.J.
M, Kimmy Germain, Jr., James Madison, McLean, Va.
M, Angie Woznuk, Sr., Portland, El Cajon, Calif.
F, Ashley Banks, Sr., West Virginia, Annandale, Va.
F, Brooke DeRosa, Sr., Hofstra, Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
F, Katie Larkin *, Jr., Brigham Young, Draper, Utah
F, Ashlee Pistorius *, Sr., Texas A&M, Bloomington, Ill.
F, Claire Zimmeck, Jr., William & Mary, Fairfax, Va.

Pistorius, Cheney and Yamaguchi

Texas A&M'Ashlee Pistorius, UCLA’s Lauren Cheney and Florida State’s Mami Yamaguchi are the three finalists for the Hermann Trophy.
The winner will be announced Jan. 11 from the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis and carried live at 6 p.m. on ESPNews.

Hamton Road Piranhas Hire Coach

Former Monroe Community College soccer standout Wendy Kotwas-Waddell has been named head coach of the Hampton Roads (Va.) Piranhas of the W-League.
The 28-year-old, who won Female Athlete of the Year honors playing at Livonia HS and Monroe Community College (1997-99), is a high school soccer coach in Virginia. She has played for the Piranhas since 2004 and formerly played in the W-League, the top women’s league in America, with Greensboro (N.C.) and the Rochester Ravens.

The U.S. Under-17 WNT Falls to Argentina in Buenos Aires

The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team lost the first match of a three-game series in Buenos Aires, Argentina, losing 2-1 to the Argentina U-17 Women’s National Team.

Soccer Rehab

Ryan's .900 winning percentage is the best among the six coaches the U.S. has had.
And the U.S. lost just one game last year.
But it was the manner of that demoralizing 4-0 loss to Brazil in the World Cup semifinal that stung.

Krikorian is going to win a national championship at FSU

Mark Krikorian is going to win a national title at Florida State University.
If there is anything Florida State soccer fans can take away from the Seminoles' disappointing finish to their most successful season, it's that comforting thought.

USC 2, FSU 0

Marihelen Tomer and Janessa Currier scored goals as the Trojans beat Florida State 2-0 on Sunday in the final of the NCAA Women's College Cup.
The Trojans (20-3-2) had never advanced past the second round of the NCAA tournament before this season, their first under Coach Ali Khosroshahin. To make the run even sweeter, USC snapped a nine-game losing streak to top-ranked UCLA, 2-1, in Friday's semifinals, ruining the Bruins' fifth straight appearance in the Final Four of women's soccer.

Women's national soccer pioneer dies

Jolly Cochetti of Simi Valley, one of the first soccer players to make the first women's national team, died at her home Wednesday afternoon. She was 46.
Born in Hollywood, Cochetti began playing soccer at 9 years old. She was recruited for the first women's national team, which went on to become a World Cup and Olympic team.

Ellis can’t win the big one

Many pundits were right when they said that this Final Four would define Ellis. Are we all in agreement this morning about the sentence that best describes her?
Can't win the big one?
Despite having at her disposal the best talent, the biggest budget and a recruiting advantage unavailable to other college coaches, Ellis just can't win the big one.

UCLA

"Something is definitely lacking in preparation and game adjustments. DA did not look like her normal self. Team looked unfit. And nobody marking Arod on the last goal. And the looks on the coaches faces the last 15 minutes said it all. Too much talent to come up short SIX times in a row." - VechiaSignora on Big Soccer forums

Ellis is 0 for 6

The USC women's soccer team will play for the national title on Sunday, having snapped an 11-match winless streak against crosstown rival UCLA with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory in the NCAA semifinals at Aggie Stadium on Friday night. Amy Rodriguez scored both goals for the Women of Troy, notching her first career multiple-goal game, and USC goalkeeper Kristin Olsen had a career-high eight saves.

FSU 3, Notre Dame 2

Amanda DaCosta scored the winning goal in the 71st minute to help Florida State advance to its first NCAA Women's College Cup final with a 3-2 win over Notre Dame on Friday night.

TCU coach inks contract extension

TCU Athletics Director Danny Morrison announced on Thursday that women's soccer coach Dan Abdalla has agreed to a multi-year contract extension. This fall, Abdalla coached TCU to its most wins overall and in conference play since the 2003 season. The Horned Frogs also competed in post-season play for the second time in three years by advancing to the Mountain West Conference tournament.
Abdalla, who is just the second coach in the team's 21 years of existence, has posted 20 wins in his three seasons at the helm.

Abdalla's three year record at TCU
2007 TCU 8-11-0
2006 TCU 6-8-4
2005 TCU 6-11-0

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W-League

United Soccer Leagues announced Friday details for the 2008 USL W-League season, which will see two divisions swap conferences for the upcoming campaign. Among the details finalized recently at the 2007 Annual General Meeting at the Hyatt Regency in Tampa, FL were the alignment, schedule and playoff details for the upcoming campaign.

The W-League will consist of 41 teams in 2008. The biggest change in the alignment is the shifting of the Northern Division to the Central Conference and the Atlantic Division’s move to the Eastern Conference. Several teams were also re-aligned to accommodate the new divisional adjustments.

Expansion teams that have been formally announced to date are the Kalamazoo Outrage, FC Indiana, Carolina RailHawks, Pali Blues and Connecticut. The Carolina Dynamo will also make a return to the league after a year’s absence. Additional expansion teams yet to be announced will be in Tampa (FL), West Virginia, Los Angeles and Ventura (CA).

Recruiting Machine

"We'll have mail communication with recruits three times a week - very, very personalized, unique mail communication," Cortis said. "That is probably totally old-school, but I believe in the power of a hand-written note. I think that it's proven successful for us. That will always be a pillar of the way we recruit, just constant personal communication."
Although e-mail might be a more prodigious means of communication in this day and age, snail mail has proven a very effective means of bringing in top recruits as coach Mikki Denney Wright and Cortis landed one of the highest-ranked classes in school history two years ago.

USC - "We are going to win it all!"

He is the first to admit, however, that the team he inherited from former women's coach Jim Millinder was already stacked when he first arrived on campus.
"The cupboard was full," he said.

Hornbacher resigns at Iowa State

Rebecca Hornbacher has resigned as women's soccer coach at Iowa State, the school announced today.
She led the Cyclones to a school career record 45 wins in six seasons, including the program's only trip to the NCAA tournament in 2005.
Iowa State finished with an 8-7-4 record and a berth in the Big 12 Conference tournament in 2007.
Hornbacher said in a press release she is getting married in the spring and will be moving to Omaha.
Associate head coach Scott Ebke will serve as interim head coach.

Tampa wins DII title

In just its 10th year of existence, The University of Tampa women's soccer team won the NCAA II national championship with a 3-1 shootout victory over five-time national champ Franklin Pierce College. With the game scoreless following regulation and two overtime periods, the 19-2-4 Spartans took the shootout to claim the program's first title.

USC 1, West Virginia 0

Defender Kasey Johnson’s header in the 63rd minute gave second-seeded USC a 1-0 victory over fourth-seeded West Virginia in the quarterfinals of the 2007 NCAA Championships Friday night in front of a record crowd at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
“That was one of the best teams we have faced thus far. They are definitely in the category of Notre Dame or any national championship contender,” WVU Head Coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “I don’t think they are missing anything.”
The much bigger and more physical Trojan team gave the Mountaineers trouble in the second half, and USC outshot WVU 20-9 for the game. Despite only six shots on goal, the 20 shots are the most WVU has allowed this season.

Flirida State 3, UConn 2

The UConn women's soccer team allowed the tying goal in the final nine minutes of regulation and lost 3-2 in overtime to Florida State Friday in an NCAA quarterfinal game.
Florida State's Sanna Talonen, a freshman from Finland, scored her third goal of the game 3:56 into the second overtime period to keep the Huskies (14-6-2) from their first final four since 2003.
Florida State (17-5-3), under former Hartford coach Mark Krikorian, will play Notre Dame next Friday in College Station, Texas.

Notre Dame 3, Duke 2

Duke battled Notre Dame to the end, but fell 3-2 Friday night in the NCAA College Cup women's soccer quarterfinals.
The Blue Devils fell behind 2-0 but came back to even the match only to have the Irish net the winning goal off the leg of Kerri Hanks at the 77-minute, 35-second mark with an assist from Amanda Cinalli.
Allison Lipsher made a diving attempt at the save but couldn't get her hand on the ball that came from the left side of the box.
"They are a handful," Duke coach Robbie Church said of the Irish (19-4-2). "They came out and really pressured us early in the match. We haven't seen that much pressure in a long time -- since we left Chapel Hill in the middle of October. We didn't handle it really well in the first half."
Notre Dame moves on to face Florida State in the semifinals Dec. 7.

UCLA 3, Portland 2

The University of Portland women's soccer team's season ended Friday with a double overtime 3-2 loss at No. 1 ranked UCLA.
The Pilots (18-4-0) rallied to send the game to overtime with a goal in the last minute of regulation from Angie Woznuk.
The Bruins' (20-1-2) game-winning goal came in the 104th minute, when Danesha Adams scored a header from a corner kick for her second goal of the match.
It was the second year in a row that Portland has lost in the quarterfinals to UCLA.