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Atlanta Beat Names 18-Player Active Roster for 2002 WUSA Season

April 1, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Atlanta Beat News Release


--16 Players Return from 2001 Founders Cup Finalist Squad; Two Reserves to be Named After Tuesday's Supplemental Draft--

ATLANTA (April 1, 2002) - The Atlanta Beat today announced its 18-player active roster for the 2002 Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) season that kicks off April 13, with the Beat playing host to the Philadelphia Charge in Atlanta's Herndon Stadium, at 7 p.m.

"We had a deep and talented roster coming into camp this year, but I feel that the best 18 players have been selected," said Atlanta Beat Head Coach Tom Stone. "We've brought back the core of the 2001 team and added another quality international player in Liping Wang to give us some added playmaking ability in the back and midfield which was one of our priority needs for the 2002 season. It's really quite an honor to be one of the 144 players to get a roster spot in the best women's soccer league in the world."

The 18-player active roster consists of 16 players that were on the Beat's 2001 Regular Season Champion and Founders Cup finalists' team, including stars Briana Scurry, Cindy Parlow, Charmaine Hooper, Sun Wen, Homare Sawa and Kylie Bivens. Two players, defenders Anna Kraus and Liping Wang, will be starting the 2002 season for the first time in an Atlanta Beat uniform. Liping Wang, a teammate of Sun Wen's on the 1999 Women's World Cup finalists Chinese National Team, filled the Beat's lone international spot that opened during the off season with the departure of Canadian Amy Walsh. Anna Kraus, a member of the Santa Clara Broncos 2001 NCAA national champion squad, was the Beat's first round draft pick in 2002.

The 2002 Atlanta Beat roster includes the following players:
Player Position DOB Previous Team
1 - Briana Scurry Goalkeeper 09/07/1971 U.S. National Team
2 - Liping Wang (I) Def/Mid 11/12/1973 Chinese National Team
3 - Emily Burt Forward 04/25/1975 Foothill FC (WPSL)
4 - Kylie Bivens Def/Mid 10/24/1978 Sacramento Storm
5 - Nikki Serlenga Midfielder 06/20/1978 U.S. National Team
6 - Sharolta Nonen Defender 12/30/1977 Canadian National Team
8 - Homare Sawa (I) Midfielder 09/06/1978 Japanese National Team
9 - Sun Wen (I) Forward 04/06/1973 Chinese National Team
10 - Charmaine Hooper (I) Forward 01/15/1968 Canadian National Team
12 - Cindy Parlow Forward 05/08/1978 U.S. National Team
14 - Kelly Cagle For/Mid 08/22/1974 Raleigh Wings (W-League)
15 - Julie Augustyniak Defender 02/01/1979 Atlanta Classics (W-League)
16 - Marci Miller Midfielder 12/04/1975 Chicago Cobras (W-League)
17 - Dayna Smith Defender 06/08/1974 Denver Diamonds (W-League)
18 - Anna Kraus Defender 07/29/1980 Santa Clara University
21 - Lisa Krzykowski Defender 09/10/1976 Chicago Cobras (W-League)
24 - Melanie Wilson Goalkeeper 10/05/1978 Memphis Futbol Club
25 - Nancy Augustyniak Defender 02/01/1979 Atlanta Classics (W-League)

Each WUSA team will have two open spots for reserve players. The Beat's reserves players will be named after the supplemental draft is completed Tuesday afternoon.

The Beat opened training camp on March 1, with 24 players in camp and cut down the roster to 22 on March 15, before heading to a week of spring training camp in Richmond, Va. The Beat tied the Boston Breakers 1-1, were defeated by the Washington Freedom 1-0 and defeated the New York Power 3-1 while in Richmond.

The Beat will play an exhibition game versus the Carolina Courage on Saturday, April 6, at 7 p.m. in Chattanooga, Tennessee at Finley Stadium, before opening the regular season on April 13. Tickets for the match versus the Courage on April 6 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Atlanta Beat at 1-877-SOCCER-1 or by calling the University of Chattanooga at Tennessee Arena Box Office at (423) 266-6627.

The Beat's opening game on April 13, is a rematch of the 2001 WUSA semifinal versus the Philadelphia Charge which the Beat won 3-2 on a Cindy Parlow golden goal in overtime. Tickets for the Beat's opening match are on sale now and can be purchased by calling TicketMaster In Atlanta, call (404) 249-6400 and from outside Atlanta call 1-800-326-4000. Fans can also find a link to TicketMaster on the Beat's web site at www.theatlantabeat.com. The first 10,000 fans into Herndon Stadium will receive a 2002 Atlanta Beat schedule magnet courtesy of The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

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