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WPSL players prepare
for the WNT's trip to the Four Nations Tournament in China Jan.
18-22
From Press Services
Chicago, IL - The U.S. Women’s National
Team head coach Greg Ryan has called in 28 players for a week of training
at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. The training camp will be
held Jan. 3-9, after which, Ryan will select the final 20 for the Jan. 18-22
Four Nations Tournament in Guangzhou, China.
This will be the fifth time
the US has traveled to China for the tournament. They participated in 1998,
2002, 2003 and 2004, winning in 1998, 2003 and 2004 against four of the strongest
teams in the world. The US will play Norway on opening day, Jan. 18th, then
France on the 20th and will finish the tournament against the host, China,
on the 22nd. All games will kick off at 3 a.m. ET.
The training camp roster
features several top Women's Premier Soccer League players from last season
including: Abby Wambach (Ajax America Women), a leading US goal scorer from
2005 (four goals, five assists) and a top WPSL scorer from 2005 (5 goals,
3 assists); Shannon Boxx (Ajax America Women), one of 3 finalists for FIFA
Women’s World Player of the Year; Leslie Osborne (California Storm),
a member of the 2004 Olympic Residency Camp, helped the Storm get to the
2005 WPSL Championship Finals; Stephanie Lopez and Megan Rapinoe (Elk Grove
Pride) of the 2005 NCAA Champion Portland Pilots and the U.S. team that took
third at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship in Thailand.
Rapinoe scored in the third place match and won 3-0
over Brazil. She was also a WPSL point leader in 2005 (6 goals, 4 assists
in 7 games).
This will be Rapinoe’s
first call-up to the senior team. Lopez has one senior team cap, earned at
the Algarve Cup last year, and is still age-eligible for the 2006 FIFA U-20
Women’s World Championship. ROSTER BY POSITION
(WPSL players in bold) GOALKEEPERS (4): Nicole
Barnhart, Jenni Branam (Denver Diamonds 2004), Briana Scurry, Hope Solo;
DEFENDERS (8): Lori Chalupny, Kendall Fletcher, Tina Frimpong, Amy LePeilbet,
Stephanie Lopez (Elk Grove Pride 2002-2005), Heather Mitts, Jill Oakes, Christie
Rampone: MIDFIELDERS (9): Shannon Boxx (Ajax America Women 2005), Carli Lloyd,
Kristine Lilly, Marci Miller, Leslie Osborne (California Storm of Sacramento
2005), Lindsay Tarpley, Stacey Tullock, Aly Wagner, Angie Woznuk; FORWARDS
(7): Danielle Fotopoulos, Tiffeny Milbrett, Heather O’Reilly, Megan
Rapinoe (Elk Grove Pride 2002-2005), India Trotter, Abby Wambach (Ajax America
Women 2005), Christie Welsh.
More information on this story as well as the detailed
roster can be found at www.ussoccer.com
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