The Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States. The league suspended operations on September 15, 2003, shortly after the end of its third season, after making cumulative losses of around US$100 million.
Mariel Margaret Hamm-Garciaparra is an American former professional soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion. Hailed as a soccer icon, she played as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team from 1987 to 2004. Hamm was the face of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the first professional women's soccer league in the United States, where she played for the Washington Freedom from 2001 to 2003. She played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team and helped the team win four NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship titles.
Tiffeny Carleen Milbrett is an American former professional soccer forward who was a longtime member of the United States women's national team. In May 2018 the National Soccer Hall of Fame announced Milbrett will be enshrined in the Hall. A native of Oregon, she starred at the University of Portland where she scored a then school record 103 goals during her career. She won an Olympic gold medal in 1996 in Atlanta and a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. She also played in three World Cups, winning in 1999. She is in the top five all-time in the United States national soccer team in three offensive categories.
San Jose CyberRays was a professional soccer team that played in the Women's United Soccer Association. The team played at Spartan Stadium on the South Campus of San José State University in San Jose, California. Stars included U.S. National Team star Brandi Chastain, WUSA Goalkeeper of the Year LaKeysia Beene, and leading scorer Julie Murray. Other memorable CyberRays were Brazilians Sissi and Katia, Tisha Venturini, and "ironwoman" Thori Bryan, who played every minute of the first season. They were coached by Ian Sawyers, who received WUSA Coach of the Year honors in 2001.
Mary Abigail Wambach is an American retired soccer player, coach, and member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. A six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, Wambach was a regular on the U.S. women's national soccer team from 2003 to 2015, earning her first cap in 2001. As a forward, she currently stands as the highest all-time goal scorer for the national team and is second in international goals for both female and male soccer players with 184 goals, behind Canadian Christine Sinclair. Wambach was awarded the 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year, becoming the first American woman to win the award in ten years. She was included on the 2015 Time 100 list as one of the most influential people in the world.
Cynthia Marie Parlow Cone is an American soccer executive and president of the United States Soccer Federation. A former professional soccer player, she is a two-time Olympic Gold medalist and 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup champion. As head coach in 2013, Parlow Cone led the Portland Thorns FC to clinch the inaugural National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) championship title.
Christie Patricia Pearce is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defender. She is the former captain of the United States national team. Pearce is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and also a two-time world champion in FIFA Women's World Cup.
Carla Werden Overbeck is a retired American soccer player and longtime member and captain of the United States women's national soccer team. She is currently an assistant coach of Duke University's women's soccer team, where she has been coaching since 1992, overseeing Duke's defensive unit principally. She was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2006.
Ann Kristin Aarønes is a Norwegian former footballer. She first played for Spjelkavik IL, then for Trondheims-Ørn and the Norwegian national team. Later she played for the WUSA's New York Power, during the club's first season of play in 2001.
Thomas Dorby Sermanni is a Scottish football coach and former professional player, who mostly works in women's football. He has previously managed the Australia women's national team, the United States women's national team from 2013 to 2014, the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League from 2016 to 2018, and the New Zealand women's national team from 2018 to 2021.
Harry A. Merlo Field at the Clive Charles Soccer Complex is a 4,892-capacity soccer-specific stadium in Portland, Oregon on the campus of the University of Portland where it serves as home to the school's soccer teams. From March 29, 2015 until the end of 2016, the stadium played host to the Portland Timbers' USL side Portland Timbers 2.
Gro Espeseth is a former Norwegian footballer, world champion and olympic champion.
Sara Eve Hess is a retired American professional Olympic medalist soccer player. Whalen played for the United States Women's National Soccer Team from 1997 to 2000, won an Olympic silver medal with the team, and was a founding player of Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA).
Charles Duccilli is an American former soccer forward who played in the North American Soccer League and American Soccer League who led the ASL in scoring in 1971 and 1972. He later coached at the professional, collegiate and youth levels.
A women's Olympic Football Tournament was held for the second time as part of the 2000 Summer Olympics. The tournament features 8 women's national teams from six continental confederations. The 8 teams are drawn into two groups of four and each group plays a round-robin tournament. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams advanced to the knockout stage, beginning with the semi-finals and culminating with the gold medal match at Sydney Football Stadium on 28 September 2000.
Deborah Kim Keller is an American retired soccer forward and former member of the United States women's national soccer team.
Kelly Ann Lindsey is an American soccer coach and former defender who played for the United States women's national soccer team and the San Jose CyberRays of Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). She is currently the Royal Moroccan Football Federation women's football director.
The 2001 season is the Philadelphia Charge's first season competing in the Women's United Soccer Association league, the top division of women's soccer in the United States, and first competitive season. The team was coached by Mark Krikorian.
The 2002 WUSA All-Star Game was the first Women's United Soccer Association All-Star Game, a soccer match involving all-stars from Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). Two teams comprised the best players from all eight league franchises met at PGE Park, Portland, Oregon, on September 21, 2002. The WUSA All-Stars South won the game 6–1, with goals from Abby Wambach (2), Hege Riise, Kylie Bivens, Charmaine Hooper and Shannon MacMillan, while Marinette Pichon scored for the WUSA All-Stars North. WUSA All-Stars South forward Abby Wambach was named as the game's Most Valuable Player. Kari Seitz refereed the game, which was attended by 14,208 spectators and broadcast live on PAX TV.
The women's soccer tournament at the 1998 Goodwill Games was held from July 25 to 27, 1998. It was the first time women's football was played at the Goodwill Games, and the second time the sport was played overall. No men's tournament was held in 1998. It was also the last football tournament at the Goodwill Games, as the sport was dropped in 2001. All matches were played at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, New York, United States.
