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The nominees for the Michelle Akers Player of the Year award are: Saint Louis Athletica's Lori Chalupny, Saint Louis Athletica's Hope Solo, the Washington Freedom's Abby Wambach, the Los Angeles Sol's Shannon Boxx, the Los Angeles Sol's Marta, Saint Louis Athletica's Eniola Aluko and the Washington Freedom's Sonia Bompastor. 

Fans Can Vote Online for Player, Defender and Goalkeeper of the Year

Awards to be Presented at 2009 WPS All-Star Game Awards Gala in St. Louis

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Aug. 18, 2009) – Women’s Professional Soccer announced the nominations for its year-end 2009 WPS Awards on Tuesday, which will be presented at the 2009 WPS All-Star Awards Gala in St. Louis, Mo. on August 29. Six categories will have awards presented of which three have fan voting as part of the award selection process, including Player, Defender and Goalkeeper of the Year. Nominations were selected by media and the seven 2009 WPS teams (except AdvoCare Coach of the Year, in which all seven coaches are on the ballot):

            Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award - VOTE NOW >> 

            Eniola Aluko (F)                     Saint Louis Athletica

            Sonia Bompastor (M/D)           Washington Freedom

            Shannon Boxx (M)                  Los Angeles Sol

            Lori Chalupny (M)                   Saint Louis Athletica

            Marta (F)                               Los Angeles Sol

            Hope Solo (GK)                      Saint Louis Athletica

            Abby Wambach (F)                 Washington Freedom

            MedImmune Defender of the Year - VOTE NOW >>

            Anita Asante (D)                    Sky Blue FC

            Tina Ellertson (D)                   Saint Louis Athletica

            Allison Falk (D)                      Los Angeles Sol

            Amy LePeilbet (D)                  Boston Breakers

            Christie Rampone (D)             Sky Blue FC

            Goalkeeper of the Year - VOTE NOW >> 

            Jenni Branam (GK)                 Sky Blue FC

            Caroline Jonsson (GK)            Chicago Red Stars

            Karina LeBlanc (GK)                Los Angeles Sol

            Erin McLeod (GK)                   Washington Freedom

            Hope Solo (GK)                      Saint Louis Athletica

            Hint Water Sportswoman of the Year (nominated by teams; voted on by players only)

            Nancy Augustyniak-Goffi (D)   Boston Breakers

            Amanda Cinalli (F)                 Saint Louis Athletica

            Stephanie Cox (D)                  Los Angeles Sol

            Jaimel Johnson (GK)              Chicago Red Stars

            Tiffeny Milbrett (F)                 FC Gold Pride

            Christie Rampone (D)             Sky Blue FC

            Cat Whitehill (D)                    Washington Freedom

Other awards that will be presented include the Golden Boot Award presented by PUMA® to the league’s leading goal scorer and the AdvoCare WPS Coach of the Year Award to the top coach in WPS, in which all league current coaches are nominated. Fan voting ends end on Friday, Aug. 21 at 5pm ET/2pm PT.

The 2009 WPS All-Star Game features the WPS All-Stars against Swedish league champions Umeå IK at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo., on Sunday, August 30 with kick-off scheduled for 5:30pm ET/4:30pm CT. The game will be televised live nationally on Fox Soccer Channel and regionally on select Fox Sports Net affiliates (check local listings) with coverage starting at 5:00 p.m. ET with a half-hour pre-game show prior to kick-off.

For information or to reserve tickets for the 2009 WPS All-Star Game call 1-888-STL-GOAL or visit www.SaintLouisAthletica.com. Group and individual tickets are now on sale. The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park is currently the home field of the Saint Louis Athletica and has a rich soccer tradition dating back almost three decades to when it opened in 1982.