KENNESAW, GA (Jan. 17, 2012) – The Atlanta Beat of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) today announced six players, including their No. 1 overall draft pick, are headed to the 2012 CONCACAF Olympic Women’s Qualifying Tournament from Jan. 19-29 in Vancouver, B.C. The top two of eight teams will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Defender Lauren Sesselmann is the only Beat player to join the Canadian Women’s National Team (CWNT). “I’m looking forward to see how well Lauren (Sesselmann) plays with the Canadian team,” said Beat head coach James Galanis. “I am just so excited for her because I know how hard she works, and she totally deserves to play at this level. I think we are all interested in seeing her play in the actual Olympics because that will be a huge accomplishment for her.”

Meanwhile, The U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) includes five other Beat players and remains virtually identical to last year’s World Cup roster. One change is newcomer and No. 1 WPS Draft pick, Atlanta's Sydney Leroux.

“I’m excited that we have a new player in the mix who wasn’t in the World Cup (Sydney Leroux) and that will change the environment a bit in a positive way,” said USWNT head coach Pia Sundhage. “As always, we are excited to play the next game and we will be prepared.”

In addition to Leroux, The U.S. roster includes Beat defenders Rachel Buehler, Amy LePeilbet and midfielders Carli Lloyd and Kelley O’Hara. O’Hara, a versatile player from Fayetteville, Ga., is listed as a defender for the tournament.

“It’s exciting for our team in general,” said Galanis, “and it’s even more of a reason to be excited about the future of the Atlanta Beat since five of our players are representing this country. It speaks a lot about our organization and our goals as a club that we are able to attract players of such a high caliber.”

The U.S. team arrived in Canada on Monday, Jan. 16 and will train for three days before opening its Group B competition against the Dominican Republic on Friday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. PT. All the U.S. games will be televised live on the Universal Sports Network. The USA continues first round action against Guatemala on Sunday, Jan. 22 (4:30 p.m. PT) and finishes group play against Mexico on Tuesday, Jan. 24 (7:30 p.m. PT).

Canada’s group stage matches are Jan. 19 against Haiti, Jan. 21 against Cuba, and Jan. 23 against Costa Rica in Group A. The top two teams from the four-team group advance to the semi-final stage where the two winners will qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

“I wish all the Atlanta Beat players all the best in qualifying, and I have full faith that all of them are going to shine and that all of them are going to be in the Olympics come July.”

All Atlanta Beat players report for preseason on March 1, 2012.


2012 ATLANTA BEAT ROSTER
Sydney Leroux (USA)
Katy Frierson
Kate Deines
Carli Lloyd (USA)
Val Henderson
Stephanie Cox (USA)
Yael Averbuch
Rachel Buehler (USA)
Amy LePeilbet (USA)
Lauren Sesselmann (Canada)
Alli Lipsher
Kelley O'Hara (USA)
Katherine Reynolds
Angela Salem
Lauren Fowlkes
Rebecca Moros
Nikki Washington
Christen Press

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ABOUT WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
Women’s Professional Soccer Women’s Professional Soccer is the world’s best soccer league for women, featuring stars from the U.S. National team and around the globe. WPS completed its third full season of competition in August as Western New York Flash (Rochester, NY) earned the 2011 WPS Championship, following FC Gold Pride (2010) and Sky Blue FC (2009) into the record books as the League’s top teams. The 2011 field of teams included Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC (New Jersey), magicJack (Florida) and Western New York Flash. For more information, visit the WPS official website at www.womensprosoccer.com or follow along via our social media networks at www.twitter.com/womensprosoccer and www.facebook.com/womensprosoccer.

About the Atlanta Beat
The Atlanta Beat joined Women’s Professional Soccer as one of two expansion clubs in the 2010 season. Atlanta entrepreneur T. Fitz Johnson secured the rights to the Atlanta team in September 2008 before the club officially became a WPS franchise on June 18, 2009. The Beat play all WPS home games in Kennesaw, Ga., at KSU Soccer Stadium, the world’s only women’s soccer specific stadium of this magnitude. Atlanta’s new team takes on the same name as the market’s former Women’s United Soccer Association club which was the only WUSA team to reach the playoffs in every season. The Beat's colors are Ferrari Red, Championship Gold, and Black. SEASON TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! Call 678-298-4716 for more information or visit www.TheAtlantaBeat.com.

About WellStar
WellStar Health System is the official jersey sponsor and Healthcare provider for the Atlanta Beat of Women’s Professional Soccer. WellStar, a not-for-profit health system, includes Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone, Paulding and Windy Hill hospitals; WellStar Physicians Group; Urgent Care Centers; Health Place; Homecare; Hospice; Atherton Place; Paulding Nursing Center; and WellStar Foundation. For more information, call 770-956-STAR or visit www.wellstar.org.