Soccer America Names 16 W-League Players As Preseason All-Americans

Soccer America announced Wednesday their list of 2009 preseason All-America female players and, of the 22 named, 16 have had experience in the United Soccer Leagues W-League, including three members of the two-time, back-to-back league champion Pali Blues -- senior defender Whitney Engen and senior midfielder Tobin Heath, both of whom play collegiately at North Carolina, and UCLA senior forward Lauren Cheney.

Here are the list of W-League experienced players named to the magazine's preseason First and Second Team All-American squads:

FIRST TEAM

GOALKEEPER
Alyssa Naeher, Penn State, senior - Western Mass Pioneers (2006)

DEFENDERS
Becky Edwards, Florida State, senior - Washington Freedom
Whitney Engen, North Carolina, senior - Pali Blues
Brittany Taylor, Connecticut, senior - Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues

MIDFIELDER
Tobin Heath, North Carolina, senior - Pali Blues

FORWARDS
Lauren Cheney, UCLA, senior - Pali Blues
Nikki Marshall, Colorado, senior - Colorado Force
Casey Nogueira, North Carolina - Cary Lady Clarets

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SECOND TEAM

GOALKEEPER
Erin Guthrie, senior, Jersey Sky Blue (2007, now known as Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)

DEFENDER
Bri Young, sophomore, Texas A&M - Real Colorado Cougars

MIDFIELDERS
Hailey Beam, senior, Charlotte - Charlotte Eagles
Amanda DaCosta, junior, Florida State - Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues
Elisabeth Redmond, senior, Duke - New Jersey Wildcats/Jersey Sky Blue

FORWARDS
Laura Heyboer, sophomore, Michigan State - Kalamazoo Outrage/West Michigan Firewomen
Corky Julien, senior, James Madison - Ottawa Fury/Laval Comets
Sydney Leroux, sophomore, UCLA - Vancouver Whitecaps (2005)