June 3, 2005
CHICAGO - U.S. Women's National Team head coach Greg Ryan has named former Arizona State University soccer All-American Amy LePeilbet among the 24 players named to a training camp roster prior to the first domestic match of the year against Canada on June 26 at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in Virginia Beach, Va. (3 p.m. ET live on ESPN2).
The U.S. roster features three players that started matches on the back line at the 2004 Olympics in Markgraf, Heather Mitts and Cat Reddick. Bolstering that group is LePeilbet, who was a member of the USA's 2004 Olympic Residency Camp, earning six caps at the beginning of the year.
The U.S. team will convene in Charlottesville, Va., on June 19 for five days of training at the University of Virginia before bussing to Virginia Beach to make final preparations for the match against the long-time border rivals. Ryan will choose 18 players to suit up for the 35th meeting all-time between the teams. It will be the first action for the U.S. team since the highly successful run to the Algarve Cup title in Portugal last March.
Ryan has called in a mixture of 2004 Olympic gold medallists, up-and-coming talent, veterans who have not worn the U.S. jersey in a while and players getting their first call-ups. The roster includes 10 players who helped the USA to the gold medal in Athens, Greece last year and an additional seven players who were on the roster for the USA's Algarve Cup triumph in March.
"These friendly games will allow me to evaluate a large pool of talented players," said Ryan. "I want to provide these individuals with the opportunity to earn a spot on the U.S. Women's National Team. I am looking for players inside and outside the box, from former National Team players to WUSA standouts to young players in our U-20 and U-21 National Teams."
Tickets begin at $18 and go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, June 2, at 10 a.m. ET on-line at ussoccer.com, by phone at 757-671-8100, at all Ticketmaster outlets throughout Virginia (including Farm Fresh and Ukrop Super's), and at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex (9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday). Groups of 20 or more can order through U.S. Soccer at 312-528-1249. The Virginia Beach Sportsplex opened in 1998 and holds 10,000 fans with 6,000 seats and room for another 4,000 on a grassy berm.
"I anticipate that the rosters will change significantly from game to game," Ryan added. "My primary goals in 2005 are to identify players who will compliment our current group of exceptional core players and create a positive and dynamic chemistry both on and off the field. Those are the first keys to success."