2016 Chicago Red Stars season


The 2016 Chicago Red Stars season was the eighth season of the soccer club and its fourth season in National Women's Soccer League.
After a banner 2015 season, the team expected to do well again. The club ended the regular season at third place, and played the play-off semi-final at Boyds, Maryland against Washington Spirit on September 30, falling 2–1 and did not reach the championship match.
This season the Red Stars returned to Toyota Park for its home games, where it last played on a regular basis during its 2010 season in Women's Professional Soccer league. In 2016 season, the Red Stars honored the retirements of several long time members; Michelle Lomnicki, Julianne Sitch, Jackie Santacaterina, and Lori Chalupny. The jersey number 17 worn by Chalupny, a 3-year captain, an Olympic gold medalist and a FIFA world champion was retired in honor of her accomplishments.
After the season, National team coach Jill Ellis called up 5 Red Stars, Christen Press, Alyssa Naeher, Arin Gilliland, Casey Short and Danielle Colaprico to national team training camp. On October 7, NWSL announced the voting results of NWSL Best XI and NWSL Second XI; while Press and Gilliland were named to Best XI; 5 Red Stars, Naeher, Julie Johnston, Short, Colaprico and Vanessa DiBernardo were named to NWSL Second XI.
In the off-season 8 Red Stars, the highest number in team history, went to play in Australia on loan to W-League sides; Samantha Johnson to Melbourne Victory;
Jen Hoy and Arin Gilliland to Newcastle Jets;
Alyssa Mautz and Vannesa DiBernardo to Perth Glory;
and Katie Naughton, Danielle Colaprico and Sofia Huerta to Adelaide United.
Chicago Red Stars loaned the largest number of players to W-League, 4 more than any other NWSL club.

First-team squad

;Roster
Players who are under contract to play for the club in 2016 NWSL season.

;College draft
Players selected by the club in 2016 NWSL College Draft.
Naughton, Gorden and Raetzman joined the Red Stars first team; Flaws, Jordan, C Johnson and Ellenwood joined the Red Stars Reserves team which competes in Women's Premier Soccer League. Janelle Flaws played for 45 minutes in NWSL regular season, in an away match against Washington on July 9.
;Amateur call-up
Amateur players listed below were called up during the absence of international players training or playing for the national team at the 2016 Olympics or international friendly
PlayerHome townCollegeRef
Brianna SmallidgeGKPort Orchard, WashingtonSeattle University
Jannelle FlawsFWGlenview, IllinoisUniversity of Illinois
Kassidy BrownMFLake Zurich, IllinoisUniversity of Illinois
Rebekah RollerMFBrookfield, WisconsinDePaul University

Player movement

5FWZakiya Bywaters18.01.2013in ––2013 College DraftUCLA Bruins
2FWJen Hoy18.01.2013in16.04.20162013 College DraftPrinceton Tigers
4MFAlyssa Mautz07.02.2013in16.04.20162013 Supplemental draftChicago Red Stars
––DFMichelle Lomnicki07.02.2013in––2013 Supplemental draftSky Blue FC
10MFVanessa DiBernardo17.01.2014in––2014 College DraftUniversity of Illinois
––DFTaryn Hemmings01.09.2014in––SignedFortuna Hjorring
––MFLori Chalupny4 9 2014in––SignedChicago Red Stars
––DFAbby Erceg4 9 2014in––SignedFF USV Jena
16DFSamantha Johnson05.09.2014in16.04.20162014 preseason trialUSC Trojans
––FWAdriana Leon15.01.2015in––2015 Player allocationChicago Red Stars
––FWMelissa Tancredi15.01.2015in––2015 Player allocationChicago Red Stars
––MFRachel Quon15.01.2015in––2015 Player allocationChicago Red Stars
3DFArin Gilliland16.01.2015in16.04.20162015 College draftUniversity of Kentucky
24MFDanielle Colaprico16.01.2015in16.04.20162015 College draftUniversity of Virginia
11FWSofia Huerta16.01.2015in16.04.20162015 College draftSanta Clara University
12FWCara Walls16.01.2015in16.04.20162015 College draftUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
18GKMichele Dalton16.04.2015in16.04.2016SignedKvarnsvedens IK
34MFMary Luba02.09.2015in16.04.2016SignedMarquette University
––MFBrittany Bock22.10.2015in––2015 NWSL waiver wireHouston Dash
14DFTaryn Hemmings02.11.2015out––Expansion draftOrlando Pride
––DFAbby Erceg10.11.2015out––TradeWestern New York Flash
––FWAdriana Leon10.11.2015out––TradeWestern New York Flash
––DFWhitney Engen10.11.2015in––TradeWestern New York Flash
10MFVanessa DiBernardo12.11.2015out––LoanPerth Glory
––DFWhitney Engen23.11.2015out––TradeBoston Breakers
1GKAlyssa Naeher23.11.2015in16.04.2016TradeBoston Breakers
6DFCasey Short24.11.2015in16.04.2016SignedAvaldsnes IL
––MFLori Chalupny8 12 2015out––Retire––
8DFJulie Johnston13.01.2016in16.04.2016Player allocationChicago Red Stars
23FWChristen Press13.01.2016in16.04.2016Player allocationChicago Red Stars
5DFKatie Naughton17.01.2016in16.04.2016College draftUniversity of Notre Dame
14DFSarah Gorden17.01.2016in16.04.2016College draftDePaul University
15MFCourtney Raetzman17.01.2016in16.04.2016College draftUniversity of Kentucky
––FWJanelle Flaws17.01.2016in––College draftUniversity of Illinois
––DFAdrienne Jordan17.01.2016in––College draftUniversity of Northern Colorado
––DFCandace Johnson17.01.2016in––College draftUniversity of Missouri
––FWAshleigh Ellenwood17.01.2016in––College draftUniversity of Arkansas
––MFAmanda DaCosta25.01.2016in16.04.2016TradeWashington Spirit
––FWMelissa Tancredi08.02.2016out––Player allocation––
––DFMichelle Lomnicki01.03.2016out––Retire––
––MFRachel Quon14.03.2016out––Career on hold––
10MFVanessa DiBernardo14.03.2016in14.04.2016ReturnPerth Glory
––DFCandace Johnson14.03.2016out––Not on roster––
––FWAshleigh Ellenwood14.03.2016out––Not on roster––
––FWBrittany Bock15.03.2016out––Not on roster––
5FWZakiya Bywaters29.03.2016out––Not on roster––
7MFTaylor Comeau11.04.2016in23.04.20162016 preseaon trialPortland Thorns FC
––DFAdrienne Jordan11.04.2016out––Not on roster––
––FWJanelle Flaws11.04.2016out––Not on roster––
1GKAlyssa Naeher18.05.2016out22.06.2016Friendly/OlympicsUSWNT
8DFJulie Johnston18.05.2016out22.06.2016Friendly/OlympicsUSWNT
23FWChristen Press18.05.2016out22.06.2016Friendly/OlympicsUSWNT
9FWStephanie McCaffrey22.07.2016in23.07.2016TradeBoston Breakers
1GKAlyssa Naeher12.08.2016in27.08.2016Olympics eliminationUSWNT
8DFJulie Johnston12.08.2016in27.08.2016Olympics eliminationUSWNT
23FWChristen Press12.08.2016in27.08.2016Olympics eliminationUSWNT

Management and Staff

;Front Office
;Coaching Staff
;Results summary
;Results by Round

Match results

Preseason

On February 8 Chicago Red Stars announced its preseason schedule.

National Women's Soccer League

Regular season

Postseason playoff

NWSL awards

Squad statistics

Source: NWSL
Squad statistics are of regular season matches only
Key to positions: FW - Forward, MF - Midfielder, DF - Defender, GK – Goalkeeper

Chicago Red Stars team awards

On October 5 Chicago Red Stars announced the winners of 2016 team awards. For the third time in 3 years Julie Johnston was the recipient of the award for Defensive Most Valuable Player. For second consecutive year, Christen Press was named the Most Valuable Player, and Vanessa DiBernardo the Unsung Hero. New Red Star Alyssa Naeher, with 75% save percentage, was named the Iron Women of Character, while another new Red Star Casey Short was named the Rookie of the Year.
;Team Most Valuable Player
Christen Press
;Defensive Most Valuable Player
Julie Johnston
;Rookie of the Year
Casey Short
;Unsung Hero
Vanessa DiBernardo
;Iron Woman of Character
Alyssa Naeher

Images