DiCicco Names First 13 Players for U.S. Women's National Team Residency Camp to Begin in January in Florida

CHICAGO (Thursday, October 29, 1998) - U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Tony DiCicco has named the first 13 women that will make up the 26-player residency camp beginning in early January, 1999, in Orlando, Fla., at the Lake Sylvan Park Training Facility in Seminole County. The U.S. tea

CHICAGO (Thursday, October 29, 1998) - U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Tony DiCicco has named the first 13 women that will make up the 26-player residency camp beginning in early January, 1999, in Orlando, Fla., at the Lake Sylvan Park Training Facility in Seminole County. The U.S. team will be based at the camp for five months as they engage in intense preparation for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup that begins June 19 at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The Opening Game doubleheader will feature the U.S. team and Opening Ceremonies.

DiCicco will name the final 13 players in the near future. All 26 players will live in Orlando for five months leading up the tournament. In addition to the players in residency, DiCicco will also call in several "floaters" for one-to-two week trials periods during the preparation. The American women will undergo the same camp program at the same facility that they used to prepare for both the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 1996 Olympics.

Following are the first 13 players invited to residency camp:

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM RESIDENCY CAMP -- FLORIDA, 1999
Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	DOB	Hometown	College	Caps/Goals
Akers, Michelle	Midfielder	5-10	150	2/1/66	Oviedo, Fla.	Central Florida	126/98
Chastain, Brandi	Midfielder	5-7	130	7/21/68	San Jose, Ca.	Santa Clara	78/16
Fawcett, Joy	Defender	5-5	130	2/8/68	Huntington Beach, Ca.	Cal	125/17
Foudy, Julie	Midfielder	5-6	130	1/23/71	Mission Viejo, Ca.	Stanford	137/24
Hamm, Mia	Forward	5-5	125	3/17/72	Chapel Hill, N.C.	UNC	156/101
Lilly, Kristine	Forward	5-4	130	7/22/71	Wilton, Conn.	UNC	162/61
MacMillan, Shannon	Forward	5-5	130	10/7/74	Escondido, Ca.	Portland	62/14
Milbrett, Tiffeny	Forward	5-2	125	10/23/72	Portland, Ore.	Portland	101/46
Overbeck, Carla	Defender	5-7	125	5/9/69	Chapel Hill, N.C.	UNC	127/7
Pearce, Christie	Defender	5-6	140	6/24/75	Point Pleasant, N.J.	Monmouth	36/2
Scurry, Briana	Goalkeeper	5-8	145	9/7/71	Dayton, Minn.	UMass	77
Sobrero, Kate	Defender	5-9	140	8/23/76	Bloomfield Hills, Mich.	ND	12/0
Venturini, Tisha	Midfielder	5-6	125	3/3/73	Modesto, Ca.	UNC	110/37

Of the 13 players named so far, 11 are the veterans of the 1996 gold medal team. DiCicco also named 22-year old defender Kate Sobrero, who has just 12 caps, but started both matches at the 1996 Goodwill Games. Up-and-coming defender Christie Pearce, who started all three games at NIKE U.S. Women's Cup '98, was also named.

"This is the core group of players that over past two years have established themselves as deserving of a spot in residency camp," said DiCicco. "The majority of these players have won a Women's World Cup, an Olympics, or both, and will carry us through to our goals in 1999."