Chicago Red Stars Unveil 2019 Preseason Roster

Chicago – The Chicago Red Stars have announced their roster for the 2019 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) preseason.

From the 2018 NWSL season, 18 players will return to Chicago, including Golden Boot winner and Best XI Sam Kerr and U.S. Women’s National Team standout and Red Stars captain Julie Ertz.

Joining the Red Stars for preseason will be six players from the 2019 NWSL Draft, including top overall pick and U.S. WNT defender Tierna Davidson (Stanford University), forward Maria Sanchez (Santa Clara University), forward April Bockin (University of Minnesota), defenders Kayla Sharples and Hannah Davison (Northwestern University) and forward Jenna Szczesny (Loyola University). Bianca St. George (West Virginia University) will report after her college graduation.

Head Coach Rory Dames called in two players from February’s tryouts; defender Chelsea Surpris (University of Texas) and midfielder Jill Vetere (University of Cincinnati).

Additionally, defenders Chandra Eigenberger and Zoey Goralski, midfielder Kelly Fitzgerald, and goalkeepers Megan Hinz and Alison Jahansouz were invited to the preseason camp.

U.S. WNT players Ertz, Davidson, Alyssa Naeher, and Casey Short along with Australian international Kerr will join the Red Stars shortly after international duty.

Chicago will play in their first preseason match on March 9 in a closed scrimmage against the University of Missouri. The team will then travel to Portland to face the Thorns, Reign FC, and U.S. U-23s on March 24, 27 and 30 respectively.

Dames will look to narrow down the roster before the team kicks off the regular season on the road against the North Carolina Courage on April 13th. The next weekend the Red Stars will host Portland for the 2019 home opener during a doubleheader event with the Chicago Fire.

2019 Red Stars Preseason Roster By Position
GOALKEEPERS (4): Emily Boyd, Megan Hinz (NRI), Alison Jahansouz (NRI), Alyssa Naeher (NYR)
DEFENDERS (13): Tierna Davidson (CDP/NYR), Hannah Davison (CDP), Brooke Elby, Chandra Eigenberger (NRI), Zoey Goralski (NRI), Sarah Gorden, Christina Murillo, Katie Naughton, Kayla Sharples (CDP), Casey Short (NYR), Bianca St Georges (CDP/NYR), Chelsea Surpris (NRI), Arin Wright
MIDFIELDERS (10): Morgan Brian, Danielle Colaprico, Vanessa DiBernardo, Julie Ertz (NYR), Kelly Fitzgerald (NRI), Alyssa Mautz, Nikki Stanton, Michele Vasconcelos, Jill Vetere (NRI), Erin Yenney
FORWARDS (6): April Bockin (CDP/NYR), Katie Johnson, Sam Kerr (NYR), Maria Sanchez (CDP), Jenna Szczesny (CDP), Yuki Nagasato

Key:
CDP– 2019 NWSL College Draft Pick
NRI– Non-Roster Invitee
NYR– Not Yet Reported to Camp