What is your criteria for being a U.S. women player, because you list some U.S. born players who represent Ireland and are playing in Europe, but not others?
The criteria is women who were born in the U.S. and are playing for leagues/clubs outside of the U.S. It's not a complete list, so add if you know of others.
Nikki Cross and Allison Lipsher are playing for Newcastle Jets in Australia's W-League. http://www.newcastlejets.com.au/default.aspx?s=wleague_newsdisplay&id=36069
Kendall Fletcher is playing for Melbourne Victory in the Australia W-League (our highest level of women's play). Lydia Vandenbergh is playing for Sydney FC. Natasha Kai "unfortunately could not be signed for the whole 2010/11 season by Canberra United due to her last minute US obligations" but may be signed for the second half of the season.
U.S. WomenPlayers playing in Australia's W League. Nikki Cross, 25, Defender, Newcastle Jets Kendall Fletcher, 26, Defender, Melbourne Victory Alison Lipsher, 24, Goalkeeper, Newcastle Jets Alex Singer, 23, Defender, Perth Glory Lydia Vandenbergh, 26, Defender, Sydney FC
Back to the Norway bit: Kristin Eggert switches from Donn to Amazon Grimstad. As Donn went bankrupt, all the players are free to play wherever they choose. That includes Kelsey Hood, Elyse Shelger, Lana Bowen and Shannon Smyth. I have not registered any interst for the players yet, but it's early days yet (the season ended in early november). It would surprise me if Shelger could be bothered to play in Norway after Donn. Also Fløya, with Lauren Johnston and Leah Morales, were relegated, so there's a chance that they might reconsider their career and move out.
I notice there are a lot of players in their first year... is this business as usual, going apart for a year and then coming back, or is American soccer players leaving the country something new? And if it's new, does it have something to do with the WPS (maybe before, women didn't try to play professional anyway, now they try and fail in America, and then go play elsewhere instead) or has some agency discovered that there's a market for female soccer players overseas?
Most likely it is a combination of reasons. This past season many younger players who had aspirations to play professional soccer in the WPS did not make the initial WPS rosters (Sol's demise meant 22 player positions lost) or they were released mid-season (Athletica's folding resulted in another 22 player positions lost) and they opted to play abroad. Other players chose to play abroad from the onset and did not try out for WPS teams. Yes, there is a market for female players overseas and there are agents and agencies helping to place U.S. players on teams abroad. Players also learn about opportunities to play abroad through their college and club coaches who have contacts abroad. It is uncertain how many of the first year players playing abroad will stay on for a second year. It will depend upon their experience (quality of league, quality of coaching, their own play and contributions to team, opportunities for player advancement and whether the team they were playing on was financially sound and survived relegation). The WPS lost yet another team (Gold Pride) and Chicago's status is still undecided. WPS teams have not renewed options for several players so there is an abundance of free agents, some of whom are considering playing abroad.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Jennifer Nobis (formerly of the Boston Breakers) signed with Pitea. http://www.3g-sports [/FONT]
Thor/KA sign Makoski and Schumacher-Hodge. http://ourgamemagazine.wordpress.co...f-manya-makoski-and-marisha-schumacher-hodge/
Not sure if the FA Super League teams are recruiting U.S. players. Below is a response from FA Super League when asked if there were opportunities for players outside of Great Britain to play. "Per European legislation, the League will be open to players eligible to be living/working in the UK, and it will be up to Clubs to manage interest and ensure that their players meet all EU employment laws etc. If players are interested in playing in the League, it is recommended that they contact Clubs directly to find out further information."
Thanks so much for posting this. Since I presume those same rules apply to the men"s side, I see no reason for the teams to not be beating down the doors of at least a few Americans!
In the rivalry section, Micol notes that four Americans have joined 2nd Frauen-Bundesliga club BV Cloppenburg. I hope more American players (and their agents) look to play overseas.
Shannon Smith is now at Amazon Grimstad in Norway, and Fiona O'Sullivan is joining Pitea IF in Sweden.
And Alex Singer to Sweden. http://ourgamemagazine.wordpress.co...-dalsjofors-after-australian-w-league-season/
From Our Game Magazine http://ourgamemagazine.wordpress.co...g-two-former-quickstrike-players-to-stjarnan/ Edmonds and Thompson to Stjarnan Both Kristen Edmonds and Ashley Thompson will play on a Stjarnan team that finished fourth in the 2010 Úrvalsdeild table with nine wins, four losses, and five draws (32 points), three points behind third-place Breiðablik, five points behind second-place Thor/KA, and 13 points back of the Úrvalsdeild champions, Valur. Edmonds played at Rutgers University (2005-2008). The midfielder/forward was on the 2010 preseason roster with Sky Blue FC of Women’s Professional Soccer. Former UCLA keeper Thompson also played last year for Quickstrike Lady Blues.
www.3g-sports.de: The Finnish Aland United signs three American players - Elizabeth Ruberry, Janelle Cordia and Felicia Schroeder.
Below is an updated list by country and league. It is not a complete list so edit as needed. Sources are BS posters, Our Game Magazine, 3G Sports, SoccerWay Women, etc. Australia (Nov. – Feb.) W League Nikki Cross, Newcastle Jets Kendall Fletcher, Melbourne Victory Alison Lipsher, Newcastle Jets Alex Singer, Perth Glory Lydia Vandenbergh, Sydney FC Brazil (November – April) Paulista Denmark (September - April) Elite Division 1 Megan Manthey, Fortuna Hjorring England I. Super League (April - ) II. Premier League (September - June) Brittany Toppert, Plymouth Argyle, Finland (April – October) I. Naisten Liiga Janelle Cordia, Åland United Liz Ruberry, Åland United Felicia Schroeder, Åland United II. Ykkonen Jaime Gillis, Gamlakarleby Bollklubb (GBK) France (September - June) Feminine Division Germany (September – May) I. Frauen-Bundesliga Alexander Krieger, Frankfort Gina Lewandowski, Frankfort Juliana Edwards, Saarbruecken Jaime Souza, Wolfsburg Daniel Sweeney, Saarbruecken Kat Tarr, SG Essen-Schönebeck Michele Weissenhofer, SG Essen-Schönebeck II. 2nd Frauen-Bundesliga Jackie Cruz, Cloppenburg Caitlin Howard, Cloppenburg Allison Scurich, TSV Crailsheim Chelsea White, Cloppenburg. Iceland (May – September) Urvalsdeild Kristen Edmonds, Stjarnan Manya Makoski, Thor KA Meagan McCray, Valur Marisha Schumacher-Hodge, Thor/KA Ashley Thompson, Stjarnan Italy (October – May) Femminile Serie A Ariana Criscione, Torres CF Aricca Vitanza, Orlandia 97 AS Japan (April – November) L1 Netherland (September – April) Vrouwen Eredivisif Caitlin Farrell, Twente Ashley Nick, Twente Norway (April – November) Toppserien Kristi Andreassen, Roa Kristin Eggert, Amazon Grimstad Shannon Smith, Amazon Grimstad Russia (May – October) Supreme Division Spain (September – May) Superliga Sweden (March – November) I. Damallsvenskan Jennifer Nobis, Pitea Fiona O'Sullivan, Pitea Alex Singer, Dalsjöfors II. Division I Switzerland (August – May)
Norway (April – November) Toppserien Kristi Andreassen, Roa - Nope, did not make the cut. She's thinking of her options. Kristin Eggert, Amazon Grimstad Shannon Smyth, Amazon Grimstad also Lana Bowen, Amazon Grimstad Autumn Browning, Trondheims-Ørn
Just saw on Twitter that Mallori L Malachi - developmental GK for Atlanta Beat signed with Iceland's Þróttur Reykjavík. @GKMLM Just signed a contract to play with Þróttur Reykjavík... Iceland here I come That means 3 US womens GKs have signed with with Iceland's Úrvalsdeild premier league. Meagan McCray - formerly with DCFreedom and FCGP, Ashley Thompson - WPSL and UCLA, and now Mallori Malachi - Atlanta Beat. Interesting.
American player Leah Morales has signed with Danish club Fortuna Hjorring. Fortuna is a top club in the best women's professional soccer league in Denmark. Fortuna Hjorring Wikipedia page (English) Fortuna currently sits in 1st place in the Danish 3F League with 42 points, a perfect 14-0-0 record, outscoring opponents 65-4 on the season. Here is the press release English press release courtesy of Google translate: "American Leah Morales is the latest arrivals new face of Fortuna squad. The 23-year-old midfielder has come to Fortuna from the home state of California via Tromso in northern Norway where she played in the fall of Toppserieklubben Fløya. Leah Morales is from San Luis Obispo in central California. Before she traveled to Norway, she played for four seasons at the college level for Cal Poly, which stands for California Polytechnic University. On the football field is Leah Morales is best as a central midfielder."