Quantcast

Breaking down each WPS preseason roster

posted by All White Kit
Friday, March 4, 2011 at 1:16am EST

All White Kit offers coverage of women's soccer around the world from a fan's perspective. AWK will feature the latest news, analysis, and commentary on the women's game. Match reports, scores, schedules, standings and opinion pieces will be on share. We aim to become a resource for any follower of women's soccer.

This is a companion to Chris’ preseason wall charts post. The following is a breakdown of each preseason squad including the amount of returning players, free agents, draftees, WPS newcomers and former players. The last category includes players who may have appeared for a WPS team before but was cut either in preseason or mid-season.

General thoughts and a rundown of the most valuable free agents still on the market below. Feel free to point out the inevitable error or omission.

Atlanta Beat (19)

Returnees: Chalupny, Sesselmann

Free agents: Dowling, Lloyd, Whitehill, Mitts, Reynolds, Trotter, Whitworth

Draftees: Lencyzk, Wright

League newcomers: Bethke, Butler, Flanagan, Jesolva, Strnadova

Old faces, new places: Salem (2010 SBFC), Lipsher (2010 Boston), Larsen (2010 SLA)

Boston Breakers (31)

Returnees: Angeli, Bogus, Buehler, Cheney, Cox, Dieke, Hemmings, LePeilbet, Moore, Naeher, Osborne, Scott, Smith

Free agents: O’Hara

Draftees: Palmer, Taylor, Winters

League newcomers: Andrews, Blayney, Brown, Collins, DeMaio, Matjekane, McCann, Mollon, Scasna, Southwick

Old faces, new places: Davis (2010 Chicago), Schoepfer (2010 SBFC), Cross (2010 Boston), Zimmeck (2009, 2010 Boston)

magicJack’s Washington Freedom (25)

Returnees: DeVanna, Huffman, Marshall, McLeod (not included in emailed press release), Moros, Sauerbrunn, Wambach

Free agents: Boxx, Dalmy, Ellertson, Masar, Myers, Rampone, Rasmussen, Schnur, Solo, Tarpley, White

Draftees: DaCosta, Davis, Fraine, Klingenberg, Press

League newcomers: Caldwell, Elliott

Philadelphia Independence (28)

Returnees: Adams, Buczkowski, DiMartino, DiMartino, Falk, Henderson, Johnson, Krzysik, Lindsey, Lohman, Magnusdottir, Rodriguez, Sanderson

Free agents: Barnhart, Boquete, del Rio, Kai, McNeill, Rapinoe, Robinson

Draftees: Barnes, D’Agostino, Farrell, Farrelly, Fowlkes, Rynier, Stoltenberg

Old faces, new places: Jeffers (2009 CRS preseason)

Sky Blue FC (27)

Returnees: Bardsley, Branam, Dallstream, D. Johnson, Kalmari, O’Reilly, Taylor

Free agents: Aluko, Asante, Blank, Dew, Fletcher, Heath, Kerr, Long, Nogueira, Sjogran (From Malmo)

Draftees: Alkek, Mautz

League newcomers: Arnold, L. Johnson, Lawrence, Medeiros, Newsome, Toulouse

Old faces, new places: Guthrie (2010 FCGP), Wenino (2009 CRS)

Western New York Flash (26)

Free agents: Averbuch, Bock, Cameron, Chapman, Edwards, Engen, Fountain, Goebel, Harris, Marta, Parker, Riley, Sinclair, Seger, Wilson, Zerboni

Draftees: Augustin, Bowers, Reed

League newcomers: Brandao, Davison*, Sahlen*, MacDonald, Koning

Old faces, new places: Marquez (2010 Breakers preseason), French (2009 SBFC)

  • There was an odd discrepancy between the rosters posted on the WPS main site and the rosters included in the emailed press release. Christine Sinclair apparently wasn’t a member of the WNY Flash for a few hours, Erin McLeod has re-appeared on mJ’sWF roster (weird) and Boston added another handful of players when no one was looking.

  • Aya Miyama’s goal in Japan’s 2-1 loss to the USWNT in the Algarve Cup yesterday was a reminder of what we’ll be missing this season. Neither Miyama nor her compatriot Homare Sawa are included in any preseason rosters. That’s probably because it’s a World Cup year but it’s always sad to lose internationals of such a high caliber.

  • The Beat are the only team that must add players before the March 30 deadline. Five more to go before they have a 24 player roster. Chris Henderson’s email immediately after the rosters were released: “First glance…THE BEAT DIDN’T SIGN ANYONE ELSE. NINETEEN PLAYERS LOLOLOLOLOLOL.”

  • Kristi Eveland is not included in SBFC’s preseason roster.

  • It seems as if Alex Sahlen’s playing days are not yet behind her. Player-managers definitely exist but what about player-team presidents?

  • The league has an alarmingly small number of non-World Cup bound international players. The number currently stands at 14 out of 156 total players. That’s just 8% of the league.

  • The Independence have the second largest squad in preseason yet have just two goalkeepers listed. mJ’sWF, SBFC and the WNY Flash all have four GKs.

  • Amount of players to shed (or gain) before the March 30 24-player deadline: ATL + 5. Boston –7. mJ’sWF -1. Independence -4. SBFC -3. WNY Flash -2.

Available free agents worth a look at:

Jillian Loyden – Chicago’s former no. 1 may have lost her USWNT spot to Ashlyn Harris but that actually does wonders to her value. There’s a premium on quality non-World Cup players this year and Loyden fits the bill. So why has it taken so long for Loyden to land someplace? Her thumb injury (ever an awkward injury for a GK) is likely behind the delay.

Best fit: mJ’sWF, particularly if rumors of McLeod’s discontent are true. The team needs a dependable, experienced goalkeeper come World Cup time. Fraine and/or Myers can’t provide that.

Tiffeny Milbrett – Did I miss a press release about Milbrett’s retirement? If not, she’s theoretically still eligible to be picked up by a team. Milbrett has a knack for being habitually underrated and overlooked. Alongside Christie Rampone, the 38 year-old is among the only two 99ers still active in the game. The nippy forward scored in just about every other game she appeared in during her USWNT playing days and if last year was any indication, she still has plenty of game left. She was a key figure in FC Gold Pride’s lethal front line last season, contributing six goals and two assists.

Best fit: WNY Flash. If ever there was a no-brainer, this would be it. The WNY Flash have pretty much inherited most of what made FC Gold Pride great, including its elite strike corps of Marta and Christine Sinclair. Add on the fact that the only non-World Cup bound forwards are former Arsenal and Buffalo Flash product Gemma Davison and rookie Rose Augustin and the need becomes apparent. And last but not be least, Milbrett spent her WUSA days with the New York Power. Perhaps a return to New York state is written in the stars. Make this happen, guys!

Natalie Spilger - Spilger’s absence from the WPS transactions page has also been rather surprising. Spilger was a Red Stars staple and has proven to be a very capable full back. In addition to forwards, outside backs will be in high demand this summer. Plus, girl’s got charisma. Several second-tier players will likely be pushed out of the league this season. Spilger should not be one of them.

Best fit: Boston. The Breakers squad might end up looking pretty threadbare this summer, particularly in the backline. Spilger will add some experience to a defense that will be in desperate need of it.

Elise Weber – Weber is a thoroughly underrated young full back who found herself on the Red Stars’ doorstep after the Athletica folded last season. The Notre Dame alum is a trusty left-back who appeared in nearly every game for the Red Stars after arriving in Bridgeview.

Best fit: WNY Flash or mJ’sWF. Weber is a good player to have in reserve in case something unfortunate happens with Kandace Wilson. Same goes for mJ’sWF, as Sauerbrunn will more than likely be included in Sundhage’s WWC squad of 23.

Karina LeBlanc – 2009’s WPS Goalkeeper of the Year seems to be on the outside looking in more than ever before. Is LeBlanc simply stepping back and waiting to sign somewhere after the World Cup? Compound the Canadian international’s World Cup commitment with her shaky performances in net for the Independence last year and that might just be the case. Chicago’s hiatus served as a real blow to WPS, but few people felt it more than Karina LeBlanc.

Best fit: Tough one. If something goes horribly wrong for young GKs like Harris in Rochester or Naeher in Boston, could LeBlanc be an option? mJ’sWF could also be a possibility if McLeod does indeed jump ship and Borislow wants to drop more cash. If not, Philadelphia still has a goalkeeper vacancy but signing three no. 1’s would be a little ridiculous, and not only in terms of cost.

Players whose faces belong on milk cartons:

Chioma Igwe may have been a bit part player for both the Red Stars and Breakers but she could still contribute to a team in need of reinforcements. Brittany Klein. Remember her? It seems like her stellar stint with the Red Stars was a million years ago but the Freedom’s marginalization of her shouldn’t deter teams from checking up on the plucky midfielder. And Julianne Sitch; another Red Star cut adrift. Sitch has been hampered by injury as of late but her versatility shouldn’t be overlooked.

Send to Facebook

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Filed Under:  

View Original Post at allwhitekit.wordpress.com | View jennaawk's Full Profile

No one has commented on this yet. Be the first!

Leave Your Comment:  Read our comment policy

  |