Whitecaps FC Women Bolster Team With Three More Canadian Internationals

Published on May 26, 2010 under U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release


VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC continue to bolster their women's squad as they added even more Canadian national team talent to the roster with the acquisition of prolific striker Melissa Tancredi, as well as defenders Melanie Booth and Robyn Gayle. The three veterans join the women's team for the upcoming United Soccer Leagues (USL) W-League season, which opens on Sunday, May 30, at Coquitlam's Percy Perry Stadium at 2:00 p.m. PDT.

Tancredi, 28, joins the Whitecaps from Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) side Saint Louis Athletica. Having been selected in the 2009 WPS International Player Draft, the native of Ancaster, Ontario, started 10 of her 15 appearances for the Missouri-based outfit for 914 minutes of action. Nicknamed ‘The Tank' due to her attacking ability, Tancredi has scored nine goals in 43 international appearances for Canada. Notably, she scored in all four matches in the 2008 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualification Tournament in Juarez, Mexico, and finished as the tournament's top goalscorer. She then helped Canada reach the quarterfinals of the 2008 Women's Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing, and represented her country at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China. Tancredi's collegiate career saw her win an NCAA Division I championship with the University of Notre Dame in 2004, where she was also named a finalist for the Missouri Athletic Club's (M.A.C.) Hermann Trophy - awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States' top male and female college soccer players - in 2003. Although primarily a defender at Notre Dame, Tancredi finished her career with 15 goals and 10 assists in 65 appearances for the Fighting Irish.

Booth, 25, joins the ‘Caps from former W-League Eastern Conference club Boston Renegades. Last season the native of Burlington Ontario made 10 appearances for the Renegades for 858 minutes of action. An integral part of the Canadian women's national team, Booth has made 44 senior team appearances, scoring one goal and adding three assists. Her international honours with Canada include a silver medal during her country's hosting of the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship, a second place finish at the 2006 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup in the United States, and a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The experienced defender also represented Canada at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China. At the collegiate level, Booth played for the Gators at the University of Florida from 2003 to 2007. As a member of the Gators, she started all but one of her 86 appearances for 7,147 minutes of action, scoring eight goals and adding 21 assists for 37 points.

Gayle, 24, joins the Whitecaps from former W-League Central Conference outfit FC Indiana Lionesses. The Canadian international's spell with the Lionesses in 2009 saw her play 11 matches for 945 minutes of action, as she helped the team to the W-League's Midwest Division championship. The native of Mississauga, Ontario, has also enjoyed a stellar career for the Canadian women's national team since making her debut in June 2006. This includes silver medals with Canada at her country's hosting of the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship and the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In addition, Gayle also represented Canada at both the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2008 Women's Olympic Football Tournament in China. In total, Gayle has made 29 international appearances for Canada. The Jamaican-born defender also had previous spells with the much-celebrated University of North Carolina Tar Heels and W-League club Ottawa Fury.

The Whitecaps will kick off the 2010 W-League season on Sunday, May 30, at 2 p.m. PT, when they battle Colorado Force FC at Percy Perry Stadium in Coquitlam, BC - hosted by Coquitlam Metro-Ford Soccer Club. The Whitecaps Women's Soccer Series is in partnership with the Girls Metro Soccer League (GMSL) and presented by BC Hydro, Flight Centre, HUB International, and Mr. Lube. This series promotes the women's regular season home matches at five different venues throughout the province of British Columbia; Coquitlam, Langley, Richmond, Burnaby, and Victoria. For a complete schedule of the 2010 Whitecaps Women's Soccer Series and ticket information, visit whitecapsfc.com/women or call 604.669.WAVE (9283).

ABOUT THE USL W-LEAGUE The United Soccer Leagues (USL) was founded in 1986, with the W-League's inaugural season taking place in 1995. The first and longest-standing women's league in North America, the W-League is USL's highest level of women's soccer in the United States and Canada. The 2010 USL W-League campaign features 29 teams in three regional conferences playing 10 or 12 regular season matches. The Western Conference is comprised of the following active teams: Colorado Force, Colorado Rush, Pali Blues, Santa Clarita Blue Heat, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps. The league is recognized throughout the world for providing elite competition for female players, while providing affordable family entertainment for fans across North America.

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