Jan. 16, 2007

CHICAGO, ILL. - U.S. women's national team coach Greg Ryan has named his 20-player roster for the 2007 Four Nations Tournament Jan. 26-30 in Guangzhou, China, against Germany, England and China. Six Tar Heel players have been named to the U.S. National Team which will play in this event -- defenders Lori Chalupny and Catherine Reddick, midfielder Yael Averbuch and trio of talented front runners -- Lindsay Tarpley, Heather O'Reilly and Casey Nogueira.

Defender Kate Markgraf (153 caps) will captain the U.S. team in the absence of Kristine Lilly. Ryan named six other players who were members of the 2004 Olympic team: goalkeeper Briana Scurry, defenders Cat Whitehill and Heather Mitts, midfielder Angela Hucles and forwards Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O'Reilly.

Ryan named three uncapped players to the roster: 2006 ACC Offensive Player of the Year Yael Averbuch, 20, from the champion University of North Carolina, Lauren Cheney, 19, who scored 19 goals as a freshman at UCLA last season, and Casey Nogueira, 17, who played a major role for UNC at the 2006 Women's College Cup.

U.S. ROSTER:
GOALKEEPERS: Briana Scurry (U.S. residency), Hope Solo (U.S. residency);
DEFENDERS: Lori Chalupny (U.S. residency), Tina Frimpong (U.S. residency), Stephanie Lopez (Univ. of Portland), Kate Markgraf (U.S. residency), Heather Mitts (U.S. residency), India Trotter (Florida State Univ.), Cat Whitehill (U.S. residency);
MIDFIELDERS: Yael Averbuch (Univ. of North Carolina), Angela Hucles (U.S. residency), Carli Lloyd (U.S. residency), Joanna Lohman (Washington Freedom), Marci Miller (U.S. residency), Leslie Osborne (U.S. residency) ;
FORWARDS: Lauren Cheney (UCLA), Natasha Kai (U.S. residency), Casey Nogueira (Univ. of North Carolina), Heather O'Reilly (Univ. of North Carolina), Lindsay Tarpley (U.S. residency).