WPS Weekly
August 25, 2009 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) News Release
WPS Championship presented by MedImmune
Saturday, August 22 - The Home Depot Center, Carson, CA
Sky Blue FC 1, Los Angeles Sol 0
Sky Blue FC Returns Home with Trophy
After winning Saturday's WPS Championship presented by MedImmune, 1-0, over 2009 Regular Season Champions Los Angeles Sol, Sky Blue FC returned to New Jersey over the weekend for a week of WPS Championship celebration events.
In order to have the WPS Championship trophy on-hand for all Sky Blue FC fans to see, Sky Blue FC General Manager Gerry Marrone hand-carried the trophy on the plane flight home. Talk about a valuable carry on!
WPS Championship Trophy Presentation
Rutgers Women's Soccer Home Opener
Rutgers vs. UMBC
Tuesday, August 25 | Gates open at 6 pm, Kickoff at 7 pm
Yurcak Field - Piscataway, NJ
WPS Championship Celebration
with the Sky Blue FC team
Wednesday, August 26 | Party at 7 pm
Charlie Brown's - Highland Park, NJ
Sky Blue Soccer School Team Camp
with the Sky Blue FC players
Thursday, August 27 | 6-8 pm
Heavenly Farms Field - East Brunswick, NJ
Brazilian night with Rosana and Francielle (TBD)
Newark, NJ
Friday, August 28
TBD
WPS Championship MVP Awarded to Heather O'Reilly
Scoring the game's only goal in the 16th minute and making a key defensive play in the 51st minute against Los Angeles Sol's Aya Miyama were the two biggest plays that highlighted an excellent day on the pitch for Sky Blue FC midfielder Heather O'Reilly. Based on her performance, she was selected as WPS Championship MVP by the media in attendance at The Home Depot Center for Saturday's game.
"I'm so proud of this group, but I think that we'd all agree that the MVP of this group is Christie Rampone," said O'Reilly upon receiving the award. "What she's done for this group has been unbelievable. For her to take up the role of coach, captain amongst all the other roles that she has in life is pretty incredible, so we owe a lot to you - so thank you, Christie. We're just so proud of this group."
Sky Blue FC Player/Coach Christie Rampone Expecting Second Child
SOMERSET, N.J. (Aug. 24, 2009) - Sky Blue FC player/coach Christie Rampone is pregnant with her second child. Rampone, who led the team to the inaugural Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) championship this past weekend, guided the team through the playoffs as the captain and the head coach while almost three months pregnant, adding another amazing twist to the team's Cinderella run to the title.
Rampone became the player/coach for Sky Blue FC on July 30, after the sudden resignation of then head coach Kelly Lindsey.
The WPS Championship Game on Aug. 22, in which Rampone and her teammates shut down a potent Los Angeles Sol attack to win 1-0, was preceded by gritty playoff wins over the Washington Freedom (2-1) and Saint Louis Athletica (1-0), both on the road over favored opponents. Rampone played all 90 minutes in three games in the summer heat and humidity within eight days. Her final competitive game for a while will be the WPS All-Star game next Sunday in Saint Louis.
Rampone, who is nominated for a number of WPS awards - D efender of the Year, Coach of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year, which will be announced Saturday evening before the WPS All-Star Game - is due in late March. She is targeting a June return for the next WPS season. She is also projected to resume her U.S. National Team duties as captain next summer.
Rampone has experience coming back from pregnancy. She took most of 2005 off to have her first child, daughter Rylie, who was born on Sept. 29 of that year. She made her return to the US National Team lineup just 112 days later against Norway at the Four Nations Tournament in China, starting and playing the first 67 minutes. In July, she underwent emergency laparoscopic surgery due to a ruptured ovarian cyst, returning to the Sky Blue FC lineup two and a half weeks later.
"It's been a eventful year to say the least, but the timing of this pregnancy is perfect because I was able to finish off this amazing first season and hopefully get back in time to make a major contribution to Sky Blue FC in 2010," said Rampone. "There is a tradition among some US National Team players to time pregnancies right after the Olympics. But I wanted to support, and be part of, the first season of Women's Professional Soccer."
Said Sky Blue FC General Manager Gerry Marrone, "The icing on the cake was winning the inaugural WPS Championship. This is the cherry on top. As part of our Sky Blue FC family, we couldn't be happier for Christie. She's an amazing human being."
Colleges Celebrate WPS Champions
Colleges keep close tabs on their former players. Some of the top women's collegiate soccer programs in the country celebrated their alumni who became WPS champions with news and notes this week. Notre Dame had eight players in the WPS Playoffs including WPS Champions Kerri Hanks and Jen Buczkowski. The University of North Carolina featured four Tar Heel graduates on Sky Blue FC, while the University of Connecticut (Meghan Schnur) and University of Tennessee (Keeley Dowling) celebrated their player's success with stories online and photos in their media guides.
WPS All-Star Game presented by U.S. Coast Guard
Sunday, August 30 - The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park, Fenton, MO, 4:30pm CT
WPS All-Stars vs. Umeå IK
WPS All-Star Game - TV Schedule
Sunday, August 30
Pregame Show - Fox Soccer Channel, 5pm ET/2pm PT
Kickoff - Fox Soccer Channel, 5:30pm ET/2:30pm PT
Tuesday, September 1
Re-Air - Fox Soccer Channel, 5pm ET/2pm PT
Thursday, September 3
Re-Air - Fox Soccer Channel, 3am ET/12am PT
Get to Know: Umeå IK
On Sunday, Aug. 30 the WPS All-Stars face Umeå IK in the WPS All-Star Game presented by the Coast Guard (5pm ET/2pm PT on Fox Soccer Channel and webcast at womensprosoccer.com). Some background on Umeå IK:
Umea's Season
In the middle of a two-month break in Sweden's top league, Damallsvenskan, Umeå (12-2-2, 38 points) sits in first place with a two-point lead over the second-place Linköpings FC (11-3-2, 36 points) and has outscored opponents by a 42-11 margin. The Damallsvenskan's second half commences on Sept. 26 with the final day of play set for Nov. 7.
Umea's History
Umeå was founded in 1985 and has won seven Damallsvenskan titles since 2000 including the last four. Umeå also won the 2003 and 2004 UEFA Women's Cup competitions, which crown Europe's top women's club team. In 2002, 2007 and 2008, Umeå were runners-up for the UEFA Women's Cup. Several of Sweden's and the world's top players have suited up for Umeå including Marta, Hanna Ljungberg and Malin Möstrom.
Who to Watch
Ramona Bachmann, Forward
The Swiss forward is the second-leading goalscorer in the Damallsvenksan with 14 goals. She also has five assists on the season.
Johanna Frisk and Frida Ãstberg, Defenders
The Los Angeles Sol and Chicago Red Stars defenders, respectively, both hail from Sweden and will suit up for Umeå on Sunday. Both defenders played for Umeå prior to joining WPS.
Malin Möstrom, Midfielder
Sweden's national team captain from 2001-2006, Möstrom is now retired from international soccer but still plays for Umeå.
Carola Söberg, Goalkeeper
The lone goalkeeper on the roster, Söberg is Umeå's second-string 'keeper behind Ulla-Karin Rönnlund who is with Sweden for the Euros. Söberg has played in seven matches for Umeå this season and allowed five goals.
Mami Yamaguchi, Midfielder
After winning the 2007 MAC Hermann Trophy as the NCAA's best player, Yamaguchi decided to forgo her senior season at Florida State and signed with Umeå.
WPS All-Star Game presented by U.S. Coast Guard - Media Schedule
Friday, August, 28th
Afternoon WPS All-Stars arrive
Evening UMEÃ IK trains (The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park)
Saturday, August 29th
10:30am WPS All-Star Game PR Reception / Photo Op (Hilton Ballpark, St. Louis)
1:15pm Live Streaming Interviews
1:30pm Player Q&A & Kids Clinic (The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park)
2pm - 5pm Team practice window (The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park)
6:30pm Doors Open to Awards Gala (Sheraton Chalet)
Sunday, August 30th
12:00pm Fan Fest Opens (The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park - Fields 2 & 3)
12:30pm Funky Butt Brass Band (Bud Light Party Tent)
1:30pm Box Office & Will Call Open
2:30 pm Doors Open to Stadium
2:45pm Big Bamou (Bud Light Party Tent)
3:20pm Team warm-ups
4pm Pregame Show (FSC)
4:30pm Kick-Off
6:30pm Post Game Activities (Fan Fest Area)
Public After-Party
WPS All-Star Game Training Interviews on Saturday to Be Webcast
WPS will be featuring an online interview broadcast live from The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 2:15pm ET / 1:15pm CT, with a twist: fans will determine the questions!
A player from every team will be interviewed just prior to Saturday's practice in Fenton, MO. Fans can post questions now at the Fan Corner and visit My WPS All-Star to learn more about how fans can get involved in Sunday's WPS All-Star Game presented by U.S. Coast Guard.
WPS Year-End Awards to Be Announced Saturday at All-Star Awards Ceremony
Women's Professional Soccer will announce its year-end 2009 WPS Awards on Saturday, August 29 at the Sheraton Chalet in St. Louis, MO, the night before the WPS All-Star Game presented by U.S. Coast Guard. Six categories will have awards presented, of which three included fan voting as part of the award selection process, including Player, Defender and Goalkeeper of the Year.
The league has formally named its Player of the Year Award after the great U.S. Women's National Team player and Olympic champion Michelle Akers to be called the "Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award." The nominees are:
Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award
Eniola Aluko (F) Saint Louis Athletica
Sonia Bompastor (M/D) Washington Freedom
Shannon Boxx (M) Los Angeles Sol
Lori Chalupny (M) Saint Louis Athletica
Marta (F) Los Angeles Sol
Hope Solo (GK) Saint Louis Athletica
Abby Wambach (F) Washington Freedom
MedImmune Defender of the Year Award
Anita Asante (D) Sky Blue FC
Tina Ellertson (D) Saint Louis Athletica
Allison Falk (D) Los Angeles Sol
Amy LePeilbet (D) Boston Breakers
Christie Rampone (D) Sky Blue FC
Goalkeeper of the Year Award
Jenni Branam (GK) Sky Blue FC
Caroline Jonsson (GK) Chicago Red Stars
Karina LeBlanc (GK) Los Angeles Sol
Erin McLeod (GK) Washington Freedom
Hope Solo (GK) Saint Louis Athletica
Hint Water Sportswoman of the Year
Nancy Augustyniak Goffi (D) Boston Breakers
Amanda Cinalli (F) Saint Louis Athletica
Stephanie Cox (D) Los Angeles Sol
Jaimel Johnson (GK) Chicago Red Stars
Tiffeny Milbrett (F) FC Gold Pride
Christie Rampone (D) Sky Blue FC
Cat Whitehill (D) Washington Freedom
Other awards that will be presented include the PUMA® Golden Boot Award to the league's leading goal scorer and the AdvoCare WPS Coach of the Year Award to the top coach in WPS, in which all league current coaches are nominated.
Women's Professional Soccer Stories from August 25, 2009
- WPS Weekly - WPS
- Sky Blue FC Player/Coach Christie Rampone Expecting Second Child - Sky Blue FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
