Three Red Stars earn All-WPSL First Team accolades for 2011 campaign

Jackie Santacaterina - Chicago Red Stars

By Chicago Red Stars and WPSL Communications

The Women's Premier Soccer League announced Friday that Chicago Red Stars forward Michele Weissenhofer (Naperville, Ill.), midfielder Amanda Cinalli (Cleveland, Ohio) and defender Jackie Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.) have been named to the All-WPSL First Team. All three players were named to the WPSL All-Midwest Conference Team on Thursday.

Weissenhofer led the Red Stars in points (30) and assists (10), and tied for the team lead in goals (10) in 13 games played. Cinalli had 10 goals, two assists and 22 points in 13 matches. And Santacaterina contributed a goal and anchored a Red Stars defense that allowed only seven goals in 13 games, including a six-game shutout streak heading into the WPSL Semifinals.

Read more at WPSL.info.

Red Stars' Weissenhofer named WPSL Midwest Co-Player of Year

By Chicago Red Stars and WPSL Communications

Chicago Red Stars forward Michele Weissenhofer (Naperville, Ill.) was named the Women's Premier Soccer League Midwest Co-Player of the Year, and Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames was named WPSL Midwest Coach of the Year after guiding Chicago to a runner-up finish in the 2011 WPSL National Championship on July 31 at Benedictine University.

Weissenhofer, Red Stars midfielder Amanda Cinalli (Cleveland, Ohio) and Red Stars defender Jackie Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.) were named to the All-Midwest Team.

Weissenhofer shared the Midwest honor with FC Milwaukee Nationals forward Sarah Hagen. Weissenhofer had 10 goals and 10 assists during the 2011 campaign, and she factored into all of the Red Stars' goals during the WPSL Semifinal and Championship.

Read more at WPSL.info.

Red Stars advance to WPSL quarters

Chicago Red Stars Communications

DUBLIN, Ohio -- The Chicago Red Stars captured the Midwest crown on Sunday with another convincing victory, posting a 4-0 win over Midwest-North Division rival FC Milwaukee Nationals to advance to the quarterfinals of this year's Women's Premier Soccer League playoffs.

Leading the way for Chicago was Michele Weissenhofer (Naperville, Ill.) with two goals. Julie Ewing (Batavia, Ill.) and Amanda Cinalli (Cleveland, Ohio) also tallied scores as Chicago advances to face Tampa Bay Hellenic next weekend in Tampa, Fla.

Read more at WPSL.info.

Red Stars clinch Midwest-North

Red Stars Amanda Cinalli (L) and Shayla Mutz

Chicago Red Stars Communications

LISLE, Ill. -- The Chicago Red Stars posted their most dominant offensive performance of the season, defeating Minnesota Kings FC, 9-0, on Sunday to clinch the Midwest-North Division title in Women's Premier Soccer League play at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex.

Amanda Cinalli (Cleveland, Ohio) and Shayla Mutz (Homer Glen, Ill.) each netted two goals to lead the way for the Red Stars, who earned the division's top seed ahead of FC Milwaukee Nationals.

The top two seeds of the Midwest-North and Midwest-South advance to the postseason. With the Red Stars (8-1-0, 24 points) winning the Midwest-North, top-seeded Chicago currently is set to face FC Indiana if the standings hold. FC Milwaukee Nationals has clinched the No. 2 seed in the Midwest-North and would face Ohio Premier Women's SC if the current standings hold. Postseason details are forthcoming.

The Red Stars avenged a season-opening 1-0 loss to Minnesota on June 1. That match has been Chicago's lone blemish to date as the Red Stars have posted eight straight victories since.

For the latest Red Stars news, visit WPSL.info.

Red Stars' Cinalli earns WPSL honors

Amanda Cinalli -- Chicago Red Stars

Chicago Red Stars Communications

CHICAGO -- Chicago Red Stars midfielder Amanda Cinalli (Cleveland, Ohio) was named Co-Women's Premier Soccer League Player of the Week along with FC Dallas' Teresa Eamma. Cinalli had five goals over the team's four-game stretch from June 29 to July 3, scoring in three of those matches to help catapult Chicago into first place in the Midwest-North Division.

The University of Notre Dame alumna had a two-goal performance during a 4-0 win over the Madison 56ers on June 29, a two-goal effort in a 5-0 win over the Iowa Rush on July 2, and had the opening goal and game-winner during a 3-0 victory over Eclipse Select on July 3.

Cinalli and Red Stars defender Jackie Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.) were named to the WPSL Team of the Week VIII. Santacaterina, a University of Illinois alumna, scored a goal during the Red Stars' win over Iowa and anchored Chicago's defensive line, which allowed only two goals over its four-game stretch.

Read more at WPSL.info.

Red Stars join WPSL for 2011

J. Santacaterina, E. Weber, M. Weissenhofer

The Chicago Red Stars are joining the Women's Premier Soccer League for the 2011 season. The Red Stars played during the Women's Professional Soccer league's 2009 and 2010 seasons, and the organization elected to take a hiatus from WPS to shore up its investment group.

The team takes the pitch in the WPSL throughout June and July, with two home games taking place on July 2 and 10 at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex, 5700 College Road, in west suburban Lisle, Ill. Tickets are $10 for general admission seating. For more information, visit www.ChicagoRedStars.com.

The Red Stars roster will include former Atlanta Beat and St. Louis Athletica forward Amanda Cinalli (a Notre Dame alumna); Geneva, Ill., native and 2010 Red Stars midfielder Jackie Santacaterina (a University of Illinois alumna); Elk Grove, Ill., native and 2010 Red Stars defender Elise Weber (Notre Dame); Naperville, Ill., native and 2010 Red Stars forward Michele Weissenhofer (Notre Dame); Aurora, Ill., native and 2011 All-Big East Conference First Team midfielder Bri Rodriguez (West Virginia); former Chicago Red Eleven midfielder and current Lewis University (Romeoville, Ill.) women's assistant coach Kara Kabellis; and Batavia, Ill., native and recent University of Illinois defender Julie Ewing.

The Red Stars will be coached by Eclipse Select Soccer Club's Director of Coaching and Player Development, Rory Dames.

Read more at WPSL.info.