WPS Names First XII And Head Coach For All-Star Game

Women's Professional Soccer announced Tuesday the first 11 players to be invited to compete in the league's inaugural All-Star Game August 30 at Anheuser-Busch Park in Fenton, MO against Swedish league champion Umea IK.

The players were selected in voting between fans, media, team coaches and league players, with each segment counting equally.

These are not necessarily the starting 11 players for the game; merely, they are the top 11 players selected from the voting process.

Here are the First XII WPS All-Stars, listed by position and with their respective franchise:

2009 WPS ALL-STAR GAME FIRST XII

GOALKEEPER
Karina LeBlanc, Los Angeles Sol

DEFENDERS
Tina Ellertson, St. Louis Athletica
Amy LePeilbet, Boston Breakers
Alex Scott, Boston Breakers

MIDFIELDERS
Camile Abily, Los Angeles Sol
Sonia Bompastor, Washington Freedom
Shannon Boxx, Los Angeles Sol
Lori Chalupny, St. Louis Athletica
Kelly Smith, Boston Breakers

FORWARDS
Eniola Aluko, St. Louis Athletica
Marta, Los Angeles Sol

Marta was the highest vote-getter overall, earning 94% of the media's votes and the ballot of every league head coach, as no coach could vote for his or her own players. She was also second in the player's vote behind LePeilbet and fourth overall with the fans behind Hope Solo of the Athletica, Chalupny and Boxx.

Players selected Los Angeles Sol head coach Abner Rogers to be the head coach for the WPS All-Stars.

With many players in the First XII expected not to play in the game due to commitments to play for their national teams for the 2009 European Championships, WPS will announce later this week the players who received the next highest vote totals at their position who would fill vacant slots.