On Sunday, April 11, the Chicago Red Stars will make their 2010 season debut on the road against Sky Blue FC.

Red Stars fans who have not been following off-season developments may not recognize their team when they see them this year. Of the 18 players who made up the 2009 roster, only eight remain: Marian Dalmy, Ella Masar, Ifeoma Dieke, Brittany Klein, Megan Rapinoe, Cristiane, Natalie Spilger and Karen Carney.

So what happened to the other Red Stars? After the 2009 season, the team decided not to exercise their option for Carli Lloyd; she was claimed in the free agent market by Sky Blue FC and is now part of their 18-player roster. Heather Garriock decided not to stay in WPS and returned to Australia to play while Frida Östberg decided to retire from soccer altogether. The Philadelphia Independence selected both Danesha Adams and Nikki Krzysik in the WPS expansion draft. Caroline Jönsson had already signed a new contract when, a few days before the WPS draft, she asked for her release because the expanded 24-game schedule for 2010 would extend into September and interfere with her plans to attend university in Sweden. In the ensuing rush to secure a new goalkeeper before the draft, the Red Stars traded Lindsay Tarpley to St. Louis Athletica in exchange for their backup keeper, Jillian Loyden. Jill Oakes asked to be released from her contract after learning that she was expecting a baby later this year. Chioma Igwe was released during the preseason and was claimed by the Boston Breakers, where she earned a spot on their 18-player roster. The Red Stars also waived Lydia Williams after the 2009 season ended.

Of the four players on the Red Stars developmental roster, only Lydia Vandenbergh remains, perhaps owing partly to her double-duty performance as the team’s Portuguese translator for Cristiane. Michelle Wenino joined SC Freiburg in the Women’s Bundesliga in Germany while Jamiel Johnson spent her pre-season with the Washington Freedom, where she eventually lost out to Meagan McCray for the lone goalkeeper spot on their developmental squad.

So who, in addition to the aforementioned Jillian Loyden, are the new faces Red Stars fans will have to familiarize themselves with this season? Kate Markgraf, one of the three national team players allotted to the Red Stars prior to last season, returns to the team after giving birth to twins last year. To replace the three international players who left the team, the Red Stars drafted and signed Swedish forward Kosovare Asllani and English midfielder Katie Chapman. A third player selected by the Red Stars in the international draft was unable to join the team due to health concerns but, at the eleventh hour, the Red Stars signed Brazilian midfielder Formiga, formerly of FC Gold Pride, in the free-agent market. Also acquired in the free agent market was Julianne Sitch, formerly of Sky Blue FC and DePaul University, who has been playing at midfield during the preseason.

The remaining four spots on the Red Stars 18-player roster were filled by players selected in the WPS draft: first round pick Whitney Engen, a defender from UNC, second-round pick Jessica McDonald, a forward from UNC, and third-round pick Kelsey Davis, a goalkeeper from the University of Portland. UNC forward Casey Nogueira, who was selected by the Los Angeles Sol in the first round of the WPS draft, also joins the Red Stars roster, having been selected by the team in a dispersal draft held after the demise of the Los Angeles franchise.

Joining Lydia Vandenbergh on the developmental roster this year are three more players selected in the WPS draft: third-round pick Meghann Burke, a goalkeeper from the University of Portland, fourth-round pick Michelle Weisenhoffer, a forward from Notre Dame and seventh-round pick Jackie Santacaterina, a midfielder from the University of Illinois.

So what can fans expect from the 2.0 version of the Chicago Red Stars? In their first preseason game against the Washington Freedom, the defense played out-of-sync in the first half and gave up two goals. On the bright side, they adjusted in the second half to keep the ball out of the net and eventually scored once themselves, losing the game 2-1. However, the offense then struggled to score a single goal in a 1-0 win over Notre Dame, although they eventually finished their preseason with a 9-0 rout over the University of Illinois. Nevertheless, fans shouldn’t delude themselves into thinking the Red Stars can produce similar results against the faster and more physical defenses of the WPS. But they can expect their team to remain playoff contenders throughout the season while providing entertainment aplenty in a league that this year is absolutely steeped in talent.

In fact, it’s oozing talent. And you won’t want to miss any of it. To keep plugged in, Red Stars fans in possession of an Apple iPhone will be able to download a free app that will allow them to watch all Red Stars home games that are webcast. For details, visit the Apple itunes store at:
http://itunes.apple.com/app/id365045806?mt=8