Somerset, N.J. (Friday, December 10, 2010) – Sky Blue FC of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) completed a blockbuster trade with the Atlanta Beat today, with the team receiving midfielder Angie Kerr, forward Eniola Aluko and Basking Ridge, New Jersey, native Tobin Heath in the deal. In exchange for the three premier players, Atlanta will receive a pair of 2011 first round draft picks from Sky Blue FC, in addition to future considerations.

“Acquiring three high quality and experienced players like Aluko, Tobin and Angie gets us really close to solidifying our team on all three lines,” Sky Blue FC head coach Jim Gabarra stated. “This deal greatly increases the excitement about our upcoming season, and it will surely provide our fans with some very entertaining soccer in 2011.”

A member of the English National Team, Aluko brings to Sky Blue FC some incredible firepower on the offensive end of the field. In two seasons in WPS, the Birmingham native has registered 15 goals and four assists, starting 36 of the 39 matches in which she has played. Her nine goals in 2009 ranked her sixth overall in the league. On the international scene, she has remained one of the top scoring threats for the Three Lionesses since debuting for her country at just 17-years-old in 2004.

Heath, who was the first overall selection in the 2010 WPS Draft, was rated the number two recruit in the nation after completing a standout career at Ridge High School in New Jersey. She also played locally for the PDA Wildcats and was named the New Jersey Player of the Year in 2005 by both Gatorade and the Newark Star-Ledger. She then went on to play for the University of North Carolina and won three NCAA College Cup Championships (2006, 2008, 2009). She became the youngest member of the U.S. National Team in 2008 at the age of 19, playing for the Gold Medal winning American side at the Olympics that summer in Beijing.

Kerr provides Sky Blue FC with additional experience at the national team level, both as a youth player and with the senior team. The California native has made 37 starts in 40 games played over two WPS seasons, starting with Saint Louis Athletica before making the move to the Beat in 2010. She contributed three goals and an assist to the offensive cause in Atlanta last year, and the University of Portland graduate also has an NCAA College Cup Championship on her resume (2005).

“One of our major priorities this offseason was to address our attacking and goal scoring side, and Aluko was always one of our primary targets,” Gabarra continued. “Tobin is a player I have always appreciated because of her attacking abilities, as well as her being a really creative 1v1 player. Without a doubt, she will be very entertaining back here in front of her hometown fans. Angie Kerr is also a very intelligent soccer player who will fit in well with our midfield, making this trio a huge addition for our team.”

Sky Blue FC General Manager Gerry Marrone also shared the same excitement as Gabarra.

“Adding three players of this caliber only makes us wish the season was closer to kicking off,” he remarked. “A lot of negotiating went into this deal, and we could not be any more pleased to see it get done. The great fans of Sky Blue FC are in for a very entertaining season in 2011, and we encourage everybody to call us today to pick up their season tickets!”

Season tickets for Sky Blue FC start as low as $99, and all fans who wish to secure their place for the 2011 campaign can do so now by calling 888-SBFC-TIX. The team also offers flex ticket packages that start with as little as four games, and those can also be purchased today by calling 888-SBFC-TIX.

Somerset, N.J. (Monday, December 6, 2010) – Along with the recent addition of midfielder Allie Long, Sky Blue FC of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) has completed its second free agent signing of the offseason. The team formally announced today that midfielder Carolyn Blank, who is a native of Toms River, New Jersey, will be joining the organization in 2011 when it aims to return the league championship to the Garden State.

“We are very pleased that Carolyn decided to sign with Sky Blue FC,” head coach Jim Gabarra stated. “She brings us a nice defensive presence in the midfield. She also has a lot of upside, and we are looking forward to working with her.”

Blank was drafted by Saint Louis Athletica in the 2010 WPS Draft and started all six matches she played there, contributing a goal to the offensive cause. When the team closed operations, she was then signed by the Atlanta Beat as a free agent and went on to make eight more starts in 13 games played. Playing mostly from a holding position in the midfield, the former U.S. Youth National Team player tallied a total of seven shots in 1358 minutes of play.

“On both a team as well as a personal level, I am very excited about Carolyn coming to New Jersey to play for Sky Blue FC,” General Manager Gerry Marrone said. “In addition to being a Jersey Girl, she also played soccer for PDA (Players Development Academy), which is a great supporter of our organization. She will be a valuable asset to us, both on and off the field.”

After securing four Most Valuable Player Awards and becoming the all-time leading scorer at Toms River High School East, Blank continued her soccer career at West Virginia University. She helped the Mountaineers to the NCAA Tournament in each season she played in Morgantown, receiving NSCAA All-America accolades after both her junior and senior years. She also holds the program record with 92 games played, all of which were starts. For her college career, she totaled 13 goals and seven assists.

Not only does this signing mark the return of Blank to New Jersey, it will also be the second time that she has worn a Sky Blue kit. Prior to her junior season at West Virginia University, she played for Jersey Sky Blue, which was the USL W-League club that preceded the current professional team.

Somerset, N.J. (Thursday, December 9, 2010) – Sky Blue FC of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced today that English National Team defender Anita Asante is returning to the team for the upcoming season of play. Asante was a key member of the Sky Blue FC back line in 2009, helping the franchise to the inaugural WPS Championship.

“I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with Anita again,” said Sky Blue FC head coach Jim Gabarra, who brought Asante to the Washington Freedom last year. “We look forward to having her on our back line this season, and it is an extra bonus to see her returning to Sky Blue FC. She was one of the first defenders we targeted for our team, and her versatility only extends how valuable she will be for us.”

Asante started 16 games for Sky Blue FC in 2009, playing as a central defender. She helped anchor a defensive front which eventually brought the first-ever league crown to the Garden State, allowing only a single goal in three road victories during the playoffs. This past year, she made stops with Saint Louis Athletica and the Chicago Red Stars before Gabarra made the move to bring her to Washington, registering eight starts in 13 total matches in 2010.

“This is an exciting move for both Sky Blue FC and the supporters of our organization,” General Manager Gerry Marrone stated. “Anita was a major contributor to our championship run in 2009, and she was always a huge fan favorite off the pitch. We have said from the beginning of the offseason that our goal is to return the WPS Trophy to New Jersey, and Anita is a player we feel will play a pivotal role in making that happen.”

A native of London, Asante has been a member of the English National Team since 2004, helping the Three Lionesses to the 2009 Cyprus Cup Championship. She also played every minute of four games for England in the 2007 FIFA World Cup. Prior to arriving in WPS, she spent 10 years with Arsenal before signing with Chelsea Ladies of the English Women’s Premier League in 2008. Among her club highlights in Europe include a stellar 2006-07 campaign that saw the Lady Gunners win the UEFA Women’s Cup, FA Women’s Cup, FA Women’s National Premier League Championship and FA Women’s Premier League Cup.

I am very pleased to announce that Dan Borislow, a communications entrepreneur and inventor of the magicJack internet telephone product, has purchased a controlling interest in Washington Freedom through one of his companies effective today. We are so pleased to welcome Dan Borislow to Freedom and to the League. He will bring energy and new ideas to the organization and passion and commitment to women’s soccer. We would like to take this moment to thank the Freedom staff and our dedicated President/General Manager, Mark Washo. We are grateful to the amazing Freedom players who give their fans exciting sports experiences that are second to none. They bring passion, good will and tireless community service to their jobs and our lives every day. Finally, we wish to thank you loyal and beloved Freedom fans. After 10 years of operations and 5 seasons of professional play, we are delighted to put the reins in the capable hands of Dan Borislow, who comes to the table with a vision for the future of Women’s Professional Soccer and an understanding of the role the league plays in inspiring girls to excel as athletes and people. See you at the games!

-Maureen Hendricks, Chairwoman

Lines announced as Head Coach

ELMA, N.Y. (Dec. 1, 2010) – The Western New York WPS franchise officially unveiled its team name, the Western New York Flash, and logo yesterday in press conferences held in Buffalo and Rochester.  The 2011 WPS expansion side also announced that it will play its home games at the 14,000-seat Marino Auto Stadium, home of the USLPRO Rochester Rhinos, in Rochester, N.Y.

The WNY Flash is owned by Joe Sahlen and will be based at Sahlen Sports Park in Elma, N.Y., located 23 miles east of Buffalo and 70 miles southwest of Rochester.  Sahlen is the fourth generation owner and operator of Sahlen’s – a family owned premium meat distributor and packing company in Buffalo.

Former New Zealand National Team player Aaran Lines will serve as the team’s head coach.  In 2010, Lines led the Buffalo Flash to an undefeated record and Championship Title within the USL W-League.  Lines holds a UEFA B coaching license and is serving as the Advanced Training Instructor at Sahlen Sports Park.

As a player, Lines logged 41 appearances for the New Zealand National Team and participated in the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cups.  He also played professionally for 16 years including stints with German club Werder Berman, Ruch Chorzow of the Polish First Division, Dresden of the German Second Bundesliga, the Auckland Football Kingz of the Australian National League (A-league), and VfL Osnabruck of the German Second Bundesliga.

Alexandra Sahlen joined the Buffalo Flash in 2009 as the team’s president and will continue in that role with the WNY Flash.  Alexandra Sahlen’s extensive soccer resume includes helping to lead Niagara University to its first ECAC and MAAC Championship appearances, competing for the Rochester Rhinos from 2006-2008 and starting at outside back for the Buffalo Flash championship squad.  She also coached in the NCAAs and coached the Empire United 91/92s to their first NYSW Championship in 2009.

The WNY Flash will kick off its inaugural WPS season in April 2010.  For more information, visit www.buffaloflashsoccer.com. 

Versatile Midfielder Begins Free Agency Signings for New Jersey Club (Photo by Tony Quinn, ISI Photos)

Somerset, N.J. (Tuesday, November 30, 2010) – Sky Blue FC of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) officially put its free agency period into full swing today, announcing the signing of midfielder Allie Long. The New York native, who spent the past two seasons with current Sky Blue FC head coach Jim Gabarra as a member of the Washington Freedom, brings to New Jersey a talented player capable of performing at multiple positions.

“The versatility that Allie has as a player is something which will be very valuable for us,” Gabarra stated. “She can play in an attacking midfield role, and she also did a very good job last year as a holding midfielder. She will give us a lot of options relative to how we set up our midfield, regardless of whether it is with three or four players.”

WPS clubs will have some hardships to overcome with the FIFA Women’s World Cup on tap for next summer, and having a player of Long’s caliber for the full season is something Gabarra feels will be crucial for Sky Blue FC.

“In planning for next year with the World Cup, we are looking to bring in the best talent we can, but we also know there is a certain period of time that we will be without some top players,” he remarked. “Allie is a first-rate midfielder who is very close to being on the national team, and the fact she will be here for the whole season makes her a very important player for us.”

In two seasons for the Freedom, Long played in a total of 39 matches and made 32 starts, including all 21 of the contests she appeared in 2010. Despite playing from a holding midfield position, she was able to contribute two goals and an assist to the offensive cause last year, adding those numbers to a two-goal effort during her rookie campaign.

“We are very excited to get the free agency period started, and we know that Allie will be an important part of our plan for the 2011 season,” Sky Blue FC General Manager Gerry Marrone said. “As an organization, we are focused on giving our fans the best possible product that we can, and Allie is a player we feel accurately reflects those intentions.”

Long was taken in the first round of the 2009 WPS Draft when Washington made her the seventh overall selection. She had a stellar college career prior to arriving in WPS, playing a pair of seasons at Penn State before transferring to the University of North Carolina. She twice received All-Big Ten accolades with the Nittany Lions and eventually capped off her college campaign by winning the 2008 NCAA National Championship as a member of the Tar Heels.

Note: All team transactions must be approved by WPS before becoming official.

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