Eclipse Select's Chicago Red Stars Preview Series

CHICAGO (April 13, 2013) - The National Women’s Soccer League kicks off its first campaign this weekend, with the Chicago Red Stars opening against Seattle Reign FC on Sunday (5 p.m., Village of Lisle – Benedictine University Sports Complex).

The Red Stars roster consists of five players with ties to Eclipse Select Soccer Club: midfielders Leslie Osborne and Julianne Sitch, defenders Rachel Quon and Jackie Santacaterina and goalkeeper Taylor Vancil.

Slide Tackles Communications caught up with all five players. Here are a few snippets:

Leslie Osborne / Chicago Red Stars

LESLIE OSBORNE (Brookfield, Wis.): On reuniting with Eclipse Select President Rory Dames, the Red Stars’ head coach:
“Rory had a huge impact on me when I was a youth player, and at an instrumental age. He has been a mentor and a coach that influenced me as a person and as a player. For me to have the opportunity to come back and play for him again as a professional and be close to my family is a very unique opportunity, and it felt right to do. We have a very good relationship with our communication and respect, so I really appreciate that. I have already learned a lot in the last month playing for him again. I’m excited to continue to grow as a player and person, and as a professional from him, as well.”

Rachel Quon / Chicago Red Stars

RACHEL QUON (Lake Forest, Ill.): On what it was like getting drafted by the Red Stars in January:
“Although the memory was a little blurry since it was only 6 a.m. back at Stanford when the draft was happening, I was very excited to find out I would be playing in Chicago once again. I was grateful to know that I could continue pursuing my passion and do what I love every day.”

Julianne Sitch / Chicago Red Stars

JULIANNE SITCH (Oswego, Ill.): On having the chance to play her home games within 15 miles of her hometown:
“I’ve been lucky to have such a great following through my community, family and friends. They have been supporting me my whole career and it’s great to be able to play close to home for them. They’ve sat through some bad weather to support me. For all of that, I am very grateful to have people like them in my life.”

Jackie Santacaterina / Chicago Red Stars

JACKIE SANTACATERINA (Geneva, Ill.): On the training environment among the Red Stars team and the anticipation of the league:
“I am so happy that the league is back up and running. It’s a competitive, cutthroat environment, but it makes you work and earn your spot every single session. You can learn so much by just watching the example our veteran players have set. I get to train with Olympians and World Cup champions. I’ve taken something positive away from training every day.”

Taylor Vancil / Chicago Red Stars

TAYLOR VANCIL (South Elgin, Ill.): On what it means to represent the Red Stars and community having been a local product through her club days at Eclipse Select:
“Having gone to St. Charles North High School, living in that area for a few years, and playing for Eclipse, it has been such a cool experience to come back and see familiar faces. It means a lot to me to be able to represent the Chicago Red Stars. From the top down, it is such a fantastic organization of hard working people who want nothing more than to provide good role models for kids and to help grow the women’s professional game here in the U.S. It doesn’t get much better than being able to show girls in middle school and high school that you can achieve your dreams if you’re willing to work hard and keep a positive attitude. I hope that we will be able to maintain the NWSL so that girls across the country will have something to aspire to for years to come.”

For the latest Eclipse Select Soccer Club news, visit EclipseSelect.org, and for more about the Chicago Red Stars, visit ChicagoRedStars.net.

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' 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.

Red Stars' Weissenhofer feeling at home

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Michele Weissenhofer is the definition of homegrown -- a local product from Naperville, Ill., a collegiate athlete a short trek away at Notre Dame, and now a professional soccer player for the Chicago Red Stars of Women’s Professional Soccer.

And she is loving every minute of her professional experience.

“How could I not be happier being able to wake up every morning and play the game I love and actually get paid for it?” Weissenhofer said.

But long before Weissenhofer became a pro, she firmly planted her soccer roots in the soccer fields sprawled out across the Chicagoland area. Weissenhofer played youth soccer locally for the Eclipse Select soccer club along with current Red Stars teammate and Geneva, Ill., native Jackie Santacaterina.

The familiarity of having local players she grew up playing with in the Red Stars training sessions is something Weissenhofer appreciates as she continues her transition into professional soccer in Chicago.

“It’s so much fun to be able to play with [Santacaterina] again, and we do know our tendencies obviously more than others because we’ve played together for such a long time,” Weissenhofer said. “I think it allows us to improve our individual games together, and we work hard at that.”

Read more at ChicagoRedStars.com.