Conference Championships: Path to College Cup

Six teams have inked their spots to the MWC Championship, which will be held Nov. 4-7, in Provo, Utah. San Diego State finished the regular season on a high note as it defeated TCU on the road, 4-1, Friday evening at Garvey-Rosenthal Stadium in front of a facility-record 2,713 fans. The victory improves the Aztecs' record to 12-3-5 overall and 5-0-2 in the Mountain West Conference, while the Horned Frogs fall to 9-9-0 (2-5-0 MWC). The Aztec's will finish in second place as BYU claims the MWC title with a win over Wyoming on Saturday night. New Mexico outshot UNLV 32-12 in route to a 2-0 victory giving TCU the 6th and final spot in the MWC Championships. BYU and SanDiego State take their byes into Thursday as they wait the outcome of the quarterfinal matches on Wednesday - TCU will play Utah at 12:00pm MT and New Mexico will take on Wyoming at 3:00pm MT. Semi-Finals will continue on Thursday and the Championship match will be held on Saturday. The MWC Champion will receive and automatic berth into the NCAA College Cup. BYU and San Diego State have an opportunity to receive at-large bids if they do not take the tournament title. It is possible for the MWC to have 3 teams advance to the NCAA College Cup.

UCF (15-3-1) will face the winner of No. 4 seed UTEP (13-5-0, 7-4-0) and No. 5 seed UAB (11-6-2, 5-4-2), who will play in the match to kick off the championship at 5 p.m. CT Wednesday. The Blazers knocked off UTEP in the regular season in a 1-0 overtime decision. UAB earned the tournament bid with a 2-1 victory against Memphis in the final regular-season game on Thursday, Oct. 29.

No. 3 seed and two-time defending C-USA champion Memphis (13-6-0, 8-3-0) will square off against host and No. 6 seed SMU (7-10-1, 5-5-1) in the 7:30 p.m. match. The Tigers shut out SMU, 2-0, in the regular season on Oct. 16. The winner of that match will play second-seeded Colorado College (12-5-2, 8-2-1), who leapt over Memphis in the standings with a dramatic come-from-behind victory against rival UTEP. CC freshman Brittney Lyman scored a conference-record five goals in a 5-2 win over the Miners in tonight's final match of the regular season to secure the bye. Colorado College will play the Memphis-SMU winner on Friday at 7:30 p.m. CT.

A complete schedule of the 2009 Conference USA Women's Soccer Championship follows.

2009 CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH SCHEDULE

Wednesday, November 4
Match 1 - (4) UTEP vs. (5) UAB - 5 p.m.
Match 2 - (3) Memphis vs. (6) SMU - 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 6 (Semifinals)
Match 3 - (1) UCF vs. UTEP/UAB winner - 5 p.m.
Match 4 - (2) Colorado College vs. Memphis/SMU winner - 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 8 (Finals)
Match 5 - Semifinal Winners - 1 p.m. (CBS College Sports)

All times are Central.
All Matches played at Westcott Field (Dallas, Texas)

JATO Media Presents: NCAA D1 Women's Soccer

JATO Media Presents….
TCU Women’s Soccer @ University of New Mexico Lobos

Saturday, October 3rd
UNM Soccer Complex @ 5:00pm MT (6:00pm Texas Time)
Pre-Game begins at 4:45pm MT

GoFrogs.com
FORT WORTH, Texas - Fans not able to attend today's conference game at New Mexico can following the game live by clicking on the live audio link, which is located on the schedule page and below.

Webstreaming play-by-play analyst Jay Fitzgerald will call the match live from the UNM Soccer Complex on Saturday night. Start time is set for 6 p.m. CT.

LISTEN LIVE

LIVE VIDEO via USTREAM on JATOTV

*We are experimenting with USTREAM to bring you LIVE BROADCASTS of games and special events involving TCU Soccer. There is a chance that it will not work this Saturday but we are going to try and get it up. We are sorry in advance for any problems that we may experience.

You can also chat during the game on the JATOTV Channel on USTREAM.

WPS Post-Championship

by WPS - Staff Report
08/25/2009 - 04:18 p.m.

WPS Championship presented by MedImmune Saturday, August 22 – The Home Depot Center, Carson, CASky Blue FC 1, Los Angeles Sol 0

Sky Blue FC Returns Home with TrophyAfter winning Saturday’s WPS Championship presented by MedImmune, 1-0, over 2009 Regular Season Champions Los Angeles Sol, Sky Blue FC returned to New Jersey over the weekend for a week of WPS Championship celebration events.

In order to have the WPS Championship trophy on-hand for all Sky Blue FC fans to see, Sky Blue FC General Manager Gerry Marrone hand-carried the trophy on the plane flight home. Talk about a valuable carry on!

WPS Championship Trophy Presentation
Rutgers Women's Soccer Home OpenerRutgers vs. UMBC
Tuesday, August 25 Gates open at 6 pm, Kickoff at 7 pm
Yurcak Field – Piscataway, NJ

WPS Championship Celebration with the Sky Blue FC team
Wednesday, August 26 Party at 7 pm
Charlie Brown's – Highland Park, NJ

Sky Blue Soccer School Team Camp with the Sky Blue FC players
Thursday, August 27 6-8 pm
Heavenly Farms Field – East Brunswick, NJ

Brazilian night with Rosana and Francielle (TBD) Newark, NJ
Friday, August 28 TBD

Colleges Celebrate WPS Champions
Colleges keep close tabs on their former players. Some of the top women’s collegiate soccer programs in the country celebrated their alumni who became WPS champions with news and notes this week. Notre Dame had eight players in the WPS Playoffs including WPS Champions Kerri Hanks and Jen Buczkowski. The University of North Carolina featured four Tar Heel graduates on Sky Blue FC, while the University of Connecticut (Meghan Schnur) and University of Tennessee (Keeley Dowling) celebrated their player’s success with stories online and photos in their media guides.

WPS All-Star Game presented by U.S. Coast Guard
Sunday, August 30 – The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park, Fenton, MO, 4:30pm CT
WPS All-Stars vs. Umeå IK

WPS All-Star Game - TV Schedule Sunday, August 30
Pregame Show – Fox Soccer Channel, 5pm ET/2pm PT
Kickoff – Fox Soccer Channel, 5:30pm ET/2:30pm PT
Tuesday, September 1Re-Air – Fox Soccer Channel, 5pm ET/2pm PT
Thursday, September 3Re-Air – Fox Soccer Channel, 3am ET/12am PT

Get to Know: Umeå IK
On Sunday, Aug. 30 the WPS All-Stars face Umeå IK in the WPS All-Star Game presented by the Coast Guard (5pm ET/2pm PT on Fox Soccer Channel and webcast at womensprosoccer.com).

Some background on Umeå IK:
Umea’s Season In the middle of a two-month break in Sweden’s top league, Damallsvenskan, Umeå (12-2-2, 38 points) sits in first place with a two-point lead over the second-place Linköpings FC (11-3-2, 36 points) and has outscored opponents by a 42-11 margin. The Damallsvenskan’s second half commences on Sept. 26 with the final day of play set for Nov. 7.
Umea’s History Umeå was founded in 1985 and has won seven Damallsvenskan titles since 2000 including the last four. Umeå also won the 2003 and 2004 UEFA Women’s Cup competitions, which crown Europe’s top women’s club team. In 2002, 2007 and 2008, Umeå were runners-up for the UEFA Women’s Cup. Several of Sweden’s and the world’s top players have suited up for Umeå including Marta, Hanna Ljungberg and Malin Möstrom.

Who to Watch
Ramona Bachmann, Forward
The Swiss forward is the second-leading goalscorer in the Damallsvenksan with 14 goals. She also has five assists on the season.
Johanna Frisk and Frida Östberg, Defenders

The Los Angeles Sol and Chicago Red Stars defenders, respectively, both hail from Sweden and will suit up for Umeå on Sunday. Both defenders played for Umeå prior to joining WPS.

Malin Möstrom, Midfielder
Sweden’s national team captain from 2001-2006, Möstrom is now retired from international soccer but still plays for Umeå.

Carola Söberg, Goalkeeper
The lone goalkeeper on the roster, Söberg is Umeå’s second-string ‘keeper behind Ulla-Karin Rönnlund who is with Sweden for the Euros. Söberg has played in seven matches for Umeå this season and allowed five goals.

Mami Yamaguchi, Midfielder
After winning the 2007 MAC Hermann Trophy as the NCAA’s best player, Yamaguchi decided to forgo her senior season at Florida State and signed with Umeå.

About WPS Championship presented by MedImmuneMedImmune is a proud sponsor of WPS and is the presenting sponsor of the 2009 WPS Championship. MedImmune teamed up with WPS for “Don’t Play with the Flu”™, a national education campaign about the importance of seasonal flu vaccination. MedImmune and WPS are committed to helping parents and families put up a good defense against seasonal flu. More information is available at www.DontPlaywiththeFlu.com.

Monday Night Futbol: Community Soccer Program

Staff Writers
JATO Athletics and Stricker Soccer continue to join forces to bring quality soccer programs to local associations and communities. The goal of the programs is to develop young players to maximize their development at the age and level they are playing at, to enhance the player’s experience and training, and to teach them to compete at a higher level.

JATO and Stricker Soccer operate weekly soccer training programs where young people can learn to develop a positive self-image, self-confidence, and other positive character traits through their interest and participation in soccer based on a philosophy of Positive Coaching. What makes winning kids is being built up, not down!

The staff coaches make the extra effort to understand and offer positive help to players, rather than negative criticism. Winning Kids, not winning games! Interest and enthusiasm are the only requirements for playing. A positive environment is created where all involved will benefit.

The Monday Night Futbol Program is free to all players in the Colleyville Soccer Association (CSA). Academy Soccer through the Colleyville SC is now an option for U6-U10 players within the CSA. For more information click or call... http://www.jatoathletics.com/ or http://www.colleyvillesoccer.net/ or 817-460-JATO (5286).

JATO Media Production

WPS PLAYOFFS ARE HERE

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Aug. 9, 2009) – Under warm and sunny conditions at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, the inaugural regular season of Women’s Professional Soccer came to a close on Sunday with a 1-1 draw between FC Gold Pride and Saint Louis Athletica. But it was two exciting games earlier on the weekend that determined the final WPS Playoff berths in WPS Week 20.

With a 3-1 victory by the Washington Freedom over Sky Blue FC on Saturday evening, the Freedom clinched third place in the WPS Standings and will again host Sky Blue FC in a rematch at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 4pm ET/1pm PT. On Sunday afternoon, the New Jersey-based Sky Blue FC clinched the fourth and final spot in the WPS Playoffs when the Boston Breakers lost at home in a nail-biter to the Los Angeles Sol, 2-1. With the score tied 1-1 and Boston pushing everyone up late in the game for a score – and a potential playoff berth – the Sol sealed Boston’s fate when Shannon Boxx converted a stoppage-time PK. The loss eliminated any playoff hopes for the Breakers, who needed a victory over the Sol to edge Sky Blue FC for the final WPS Playoff berth.

Two teams, Saint Louis Athletica and Los Angeles Sol, already secured their playoff destiny prior to Week 20. The Athletica host the winner of the WPS First Round between Washington and Sky Blue FC in the WPS Super Semifinal on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 7pm ET/6 CT at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo.

As regular season champions, the Los Angeles Sol await the winner of the WPS Super Semifinal in the WPS Championship presented by MedImmune on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 4pm ET/1pm PT at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Changing Elite Girls Soccer in the United States

For Immediate Release
MILWAUKEE, WI (Tuesday, April 28, 2009) The Elite Clubs National League (“ECNL”) announced the inaugural member clubs for the 2009-2010 season. The ECNL will kick-off its inaugural season at the Eclipse Select Challenge Cup August 14-16, 2009 in Chicago, IL, and will continue with year-long competition in conjunction with multiple national showcase events that culminates in the ECNL National Championship in Seattle, WA in July 2010. In addition, the ECNL will provide a subsidized player identification program for players to be scouted for youth national teams in conjunction with the US Club Soccer ID2 Program.

In 2009-2010, the ECNL season will feature 40 of the top youth girls clubs in the United States in the U15-U17 age groups competing in a 12-game season. Teams in the ECNL will compete for individual age group ECNL National Championships and an overall ECNL Club National Championship.

In each age group, teams will be placed in two flights of 20 teams each, (Challenge A and Challenge B), based on team strength. The ECNL will host stand-alone events and partner with existing national showcase events for completion of a 10-game regular season. Upon completion of a 10-game regular season, multiple four team playoff groups in each flight will be established based on the regular season standings. The top four teams in each age group in the Challenge A division will compete for the ECNL National Championship and the winner will be crowned the age group ECNL National Champion. The bottom four teams in the Challenge A division will compete in a relegation playoff where the winning team will remain in the Challenge A division for the next season and the remaining three teams will be relegated to the Challenge B division. The top four teams in the Challenge B division will compete for the promotion playoff where the top three teams will be promoted to the Challenge A division for the next season.

“The ECNL is a great step for elite girls youth players in this country,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers (FC Milwaukee). “The ECNL is founded on the concept that elite female player development in the United States needs a structure that will reduce the total number of games on the schedule and increase the number of meaningful, quality games. The ECNL sets forth a vision that gives us a clear path to that goal –a national competition schedule and a national identification program linked to that competition.”

“A great deal of work has gone into making the ECNL a reality. That, coupled with the commitment of the clubs involved, provides very exciting prospects for us all moving forward. This league is going to be something very special,” said ECNL Vice President, Doug Bracken (Ohio Elite Soccer Academy).

2009-2010 ECNL clubs include some of the most accomplished girls youth clubs in the United States: Albertson Fury, New York; Arsenal FC, California; Atlanta Fire, Georgia; Bethesda SC, Maryland; Birmingham United, Alabama; CASL, North Carolina; CESA Premier, South Carolina; Challenge SC, Texas; Charlotte Soccer Academy, North Carolina; Colorado Rush, Colorado; Concorde Fire, Georgia; Connecticut FC, Connecticut; Crossfire Premier, Washington; Dallas Sting, Texas; D’Feeters, Texas; Eclipse Select, Illinois; FC Dallas, Texas; FC DELCO, Pennsylvania; FC Milwaukee, Wisconsin; FC Stars of Mass, Massachusetts; FC Virginia, Virginia; Freestate Soccer Alliance, Maryland; FSA SoccerPlus, Connecticut; Irvine Strikers, California; Lonestar SC, Texas; Minnesota Thunder, Minnesota; Mustang SC, California; Neusport FC, Nevada; Ohio Elite Soccer Academy, Ohio; Ohio Premier, Ohio; PDA, New Jersey; Pleasanton Rage, California; Real Colorado, Colorado; San Juan SC, California; SC Del Sol, Arizona; Sereno SC, Arizona; Solar, Texas; St. Louis Scott Gallagher, Missouri; Virginia Rush, Virginia; West Coast FC, California.

TCU Women's Soccer: Among Nation's Elite

TCU Women's Soccer is becoming one of America’s most up and coming college soccer programs, the Horned Frogs do not measure success by wins and losses alone, but in the style and quality of the performance of everyone involved. The players in the program are renowned for their extremely high speed of play and attacking mentality.

TCU finished with a 14-4-2 record and season-high national ranking of No. 28 and RPI of No. 24.
TCU is a known commodity, at least after the best season in history, this program is totally capable of winning a conference championship but a national championship is not far from their minds.

The TCU soccer program is just 19 years old this season, and after beginning play in the Mountain West Conference there has been a rebirth of a program – a target for others to chase, in 2008 they where top among the conference in many different statistical categories.

The players come from all over the country, and they too, themselves are proving to be some of the best players in the country.

The TCU soccer program is definitely hunting something down – the last couple of years have seen the Horned Frogs accomplish many firsts…the numbers the Frogs have put up in the last year are eye catching – they were 14-4-2 this year, they won their first post-season game and with that kind of a record come record crowds averaging over 1200 per game… to be the best in the MWC means you are among the nation’s best.. here is a video recap of the 2008 Frogs by JATO Media.


JATO Media Production