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 Chicago Red Stars

Leslie Osborne to Join Red Stars for 2013 Season

February 1, 2013 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Red Stars News Release


CHICAGO (Feb. 1, 2013) - With the first of five major free agent signings to be announced over the coming week, the Chicago Red Stars have added Leslie Osborne to their roster for the 2013 NWSL season. Per league and team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"I believe this was the next step to take professionally and personally," Osborne stated. "I will be back in the Midwest, with my family being an hour away. I am very excited to be a Red Star and a part of another class act franchise and organization."

Osborne is a native of Brookfield, Wisconsin, and has a familiarity with Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames.

"Rory was also my club coach growing up and I learned and valued his guidance and coaching. I am really looking forward to learning to grow again."

Osborne competed collegiately at Santa Clara University, where she won an NCAA Championship during her freshman year. As a senior, she received the NCAA's Honda Award and was recognized as the nation's top female athlete in soccer. Osborne finished her career at Santa Clara with 44 goals and 34 assists and had her jersey retired by the program in 2011.

Osborne's career with U.S. Soccer began at the youth level where she was part of the U-16, U-18, U-19 and U-21 National Teams. Osborne played with the full team for the first time in 2003. In 2007, she competed in her first World Cup, where she had multiple starts for the USWNT and to-date has 59 caps for the senior team.

Since 2010, Osborne competed with the Boston Breakers in WPS and in WPSL-Elite, where she served as team captain.

"It was a tough decision to leave the Boston Breakers, they are a great organization in a great city with great fans," she said. "I was honored captaining the team all 3 seasons."

"But I am so excited to be in such a great city as Chicago with so many friends and family and to be surrounded by so many other great athletes and teams in Chicago."

The Red Stars will continue to fill out their roster by announcing four other free agents in the near future, as well as taking part in a supplemental draft on February 7, in which they have the #4 pick in each round.

The Chicago Red Stars were selected as one of 8 teams to compete in the new NWSL (National Women's Soccer League) that was formed and organized by the U.S. Soccer Federation, beginning play in April 2013. The other teams include Boston Breakers, Washington Spirit (DC), FC Kansas City, Sky Blue FC (NJ), Portland Thorns FC, Seattle Reign FC, and Western NY Flash. The Red Stars were league finalists in WPSL in 2011 and in WPSL Elite in 2012, and National Cup Champions in 2012.


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