WPS Adds Players to 2009 WPS All-Star Game Roster

Women’s Professional Soccer announced the complete selections to its 18-player 2009 WPS All-Star Team on Friday by selecting players to replace original selections with previous National team commitments.

Five players were automatic selections as the next-highest vote-getters to replace players from the First XI who are unavailable due to the 2009 European Championships including Alex Scott (D, Boston Breakers), Kelly Smith (M, Boston Breakers), Camille Abily (M, Los Angeles Sol), Eniola Aluko (F, Saint Louis Athletica) and Sonia Bompastor (M, Washington Freedom).

The changes to the First XI based on votes received (bolded; listed by position, club team and national team):

WPS All-Star Team Starters
Karina LeBlanc    GK    Los Angeles Sol        Canada   
Tina Ellertson          D    Saint Louis Athletica  United States
Amy LePeilbet        D    Boston Breakers       United States
Christie Rampone   D    Sky Blue FC             United States*   
Shannon Boxx        M    Los Angeles Sol        United States
Lori Chalupny        M    Saint Louis Athletica  United States
Formiga                 M    FC Gold Pride          Brazil*
Aya Miyama          M    Los Angeles Sol        Japan*
Megan Rapinoe     M    Chicago Red Stars    United States*
Cristiane                 F    Chicago Red Stars    Brazil*
Marta                     F    Los Angeles Sol        Brazil
*next highest vote-getter to replace First XI 

In addition, WPS All-Star Team Head Coach Abner Rogers and WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci named an additional seven at-large players to the roster, including:
   
WPS All-Star Team At-Large Selections (Commissioner/All-Star Team Head Coach)
Brittany Klein         M       Chicago Red Stars     United States
Kristine Lilly           F        Boston Breakers         United States
Heather O’Reilly    M        Sky Blue FC              United States
Christine Sinclair     F        FC Gold Pride            Canada
Hope Solo            GK      Saint Louis Athletica    United States
Abby Wambach     F        Washington Freedom    United States
Cat Whitehill          D        Washington Freedom    United States
   
“This is a fantastic roster of talented players who together make up a world class WPS All-Star Team that will put on a great show of soccer in St. Louis,” said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci.

“I can’t think of a better way to end our terrific inaugural season than by celebrating our league’s teams and players with a weekend soccer festival right in the heart of America.”

The 2009 WPS All-Star Game features the WPS All-Stars against Swedish league champions Umeå IK at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, MO, on Sunday, Aug. 30 with kick-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised live nationally on Fox Soccer Channel and regionally on select Fox Sports Net affiliates (check local listings) with coverage starting at 5:00 p.m. ET with a half-hour pre-game show prior to kick-off.

For information or to reserve tickets for the 2009 WPS All Star Game call 1-888-STL-GOAL or visit www.SaintLouisAthletica.com. Group and individual tickets are now on sale. The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park is currently the home field of the Saint Louis Athletica and has a rich soccer tradition dating back almost three decades to when it opened in 1982.

The previous story was excerpted from a press release by the WPS. What's News is the alternate profile of Bleacher Report writer Todd Civin and is used to publish from press releases by the WPS, AHL and the Eastern and Can Am Baseball Leagues.