Geneva's Santacaterina Playing for Newest Women's Premier Soccer League Franchise

Geneva High School and University of Illinois alumna Jackie Santacaterina is playing soccer for the Chicago Red Stars, who announced this week that they 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.

But Red Stars fans are in for a treat as 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. Tickets are $10 for general admission seating. For more information, visit www.ChicagoRedStars.com.

"We will have familiar Red Stars players and other WPS players from last season to field the best women's soccer team between the coasts," Red Stars Co-Owner Arnim Whisler said. "The roster will also have some of the most exciting young players on the U.S. Women's National Team's U-23 roster, and several college all-stars and future professionals. We can't wait to see the Chicago Red Stars on the field again."

The Red Stars roster will include Santacaterina, a midfielder and U of I alumna; former Atlanta Beat and St. Louis Athletica forward Amanda Cinalli (a Notre Dame alumna); Elk Grove native and 2010 Red Stars defender Elise Weber (Notre Dame); Naperville native and 2010 Red Stars forward Michele Weissenhofer (Notre Dame); Aurora 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 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. Dames is a Chicago native and former standout at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights. Dames joined Eclipse in 1996 and has taken the club to national prominence. Soccer America named Eclipse the top girls soccer club in the nation in 2007 and 2008.

The Red Stars will announce their full 2011 WPSL schedule and roster additions shortly. For the latest news, visit www.ChicagoRedStars.com or the Women's Premier Soccer League's site at www.WPSL.info.

About the Chicago Red Stars

The Chicago Red Stars are playing in their first season in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) after spending the 2009 and 2010 seasons in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). The Red Stars play their public home games at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex in west suburban Lisle, Ill. Tickets are $10 for general admission seating. For tickets and more information about the Red Stars, visit www.ChicagoRedStars.com.

About the Women's Premier Soccer League

The WPSL is a 60-plus-team national league for the 2011 summer season, competing in five conferences, and is the largest women's soccer league in the world. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation.

The WPSL's mission is to provide the highest level of soccer, bring affordable and quality family entertainment to the community, display positive role models for youth and provide a stepping stone for aspiring professional and international-level players. For more information about the WPSL, visit www.WPSL.info.

Much of the information for this article comes from a press release provided by the Chicago Red Stars.