The roster announced for the United States Women’s National Team for the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany this summer included an all-time high in alumni for the W-League with 15 former players on the squad named by Pia Sundhage. The World Cup team, the fourth since the founding of the league in 1995, features players representing 18 current and former W-League franchises.
The 15 W-League alumni for the upcoming tournament eclipse the 13 that were on the last roster in 2007. There were eight W-League alumni in 2003 and a dozen on the first 1999 squad.
W-League alumni returning from the 2007 roster are Abby Wambach, Lindsay Tarpley, Heather O’Reilly, Carli Lloyd, Shannon Boxx and Christie Rampone. It is the third tournament for Wambach and the fourth consecutive for Rampone, the lone remaining member of the 1999 Women’s World Cup Champions. Wambach played for the Rochester Ravens as a teenager in 1998 and Rampone was a member of the New Jersey Lady Stallions the same year.
