RED STARS ANNOUNCE 2016 ROSTER

CHICAGO – The Chicago Red Stars announced today their regular season roster for the 2016 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season. A year after finishing the best season in team history, the Red Stars, led by head coach Rory Dames, are returning a core group of talent for the upcoming season.

After an 8-3-9 finish in 2015, the Red Stars return 12 players from last year’s team, including Christen Press, Julie Johnston and Danielle Colaprico. The Red Stars team MVP and NWSL Best XI forward Christen Press, who ranked second in the league in goals scored despite playing in just eleven regular season matches, returns for her third season in Chicago. Johnston, the breakout star with the U.S. Women’ National Team in 2015, who was also named to the NWSL Best XI, now becomes a veteran on the Red Stars backline. The 2015 NWSL Rookie of the Year, Danielle Colaprico, enters her second-year with Chicago and recently earned her first call-up with the U.S. Women’s National Team.

Fellow U.S. Women’s National Team member Alyssa Naeher will join the Red Stars after being acquired in a trade with the Boston Breakers. After being named the 2014 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year she came back just as strong in 2015, managing to rank second in the league in saves despite missing games due to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Red Stars will look to continue to build its young talent with the signing of NWSL College Draft picks Katie Naughton, Sarah Gorden and Courtney Raetzman. Chicago was able to find the best talent from the local clubs in the 2016 draft, who all hail from Elk Grove.

Naughton, the 19^th overall draft pick, returns to Chicagoland after an amazing career at Notre Dame. Naughton and Raetzman each played for Sockers F.C. during their youth club days and will receive the opportunity to play professionally alongside each other back in Chicago. Gorden, drafted out of DePaul, will play for Dames once again after playing her club career for Eclipse Select.

Chicago also announced today the signing of trialist Taylor Comeau. Comeau appeared in nine games for the Portland Thorns as an amateur call-up in 2015. A standout at University of California, Berkeley from 2011-2014, she was named to the NSCAA Second-Team and All-Pacific Team her senior year.

2016 Roster
ROSTERED PLAYERS (19 of 20 spots filled):
GOALKEEPERS (2): Michele Dalton, Alyssa Naeher (FP-USA)
DEFENDERS (6): Arin Gilliland, Sarah Gorden*, Samantha Johnson, Katie Naughton*, Casey Short, Julie Johnston (FP-USA)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Danielle Colaprico, Taylor Comeau*, Amanda Da Costa, Vanessa DiBernardo, Mary Luba, Alyssa Mautz, Courtney Raetzman*
FORWARDS (4): Jen Hoy, Sofia Huerta, Christen Press (FP-USA), Cara Walls

FEDERATION PLAYERS (FP): 3
INTERNATIONAL ROSTER SPOTS FILLED (INT’L): 0
*Pending final approval by the league.

The Chicago Red Stars start the 2016 NWSL regular season this Saturday, April 16, on the road against Houston Dash; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Central). On Saturday, April 23, the Red Stars will kick-off at Toyota Park for the first time this season against Western New York Flash at 6 p.m. (Central). Season and single-game tickets for Chicago Red Stars home games are currently on sale and available here or by calling 773-697-8699.

Taylor Comeau
Position: Midfielder
Nationality: USA
Date of Birth: July 21, 1993
Height: 5-6
Hometown: Los Gatos, Calif.
Previous Club: Portland Thorns

Sarah Gorden
Position: Defender
Nationality: USA
Date of Birth: September 13, 1992
Height: 5-4
Hometown: Elk Grove, Ill.
College: DePaul University

Katie Naughton
Position: Defender
Nationality: USA
Date of Birth: February 15, 1994
Height: 5-10
Hometown: Elk Grove Village, Ill.
College: University of Notre Dame

Courtney Raetzman
Position: Midfielder
Nationality: USA
Date of Birth: April 9, 1994
Height: 4-11
Hometown: Elk Grove, Ill.
College: University of Kentucky