The 2010 FC Gold Pride season was the team's second and final season as a professional women's soccer team. FC Gold Pride played in the Women's Professional Soccer league (WPS), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. After finishing in last place during the 2009 season, the team won the 2010 WPS Championship on September 26, 2010, 4–0 over Philadelphia Independence. On November 16, FC Gold Pride announced that it had ceased operations.
Summary 2009–10 off-season moves The only player FC Gold Pride lost to the 2009 WPS Expansion Draft was defender Leigh Ann Robinson, chosen by the Atlanta Beat. Over the course of the offseason, the club traded Allison Whitworth to the Beat for the 10th- and 12th-overall picks in the 2010 WPS Draft, lost team co-captain Leslie Osborne and assists leader Tiffany Weimer to the Boston Breakers in free agency, loaned Eriko Arakawa back to her former Nadeshiko League club NTV Beleza for the remainder of her WPS contract, waived contract options for Adriane, Érika, and Formiga, and in February 2010 also waived Brandi Chastain.
The club signed Canadian player Candace Chapman on October 8, 2009, and after scouting the 2009 UEFA Women's Championship, the club signed Norwegian international Solveig Gulbrandsen on December 10.
FC Gold Pride acquired Los Angeles Sol player Camille Abily in exchange for midfielder Tina DiMartino, FC Gold Pride's top 2009 WPS Draft pick, and the 14th-overall pick in the 2010 draft and rights to a 2009 international discovery player. In the 2010 WPS Draft, FC Gold Pride selected 2009 Hermann Trophy winner Kelley O'Hara, New Zealand international Ali Riley, and 2008 U-20 World Cup champions Becky Edwards and Kaley Fountain, among others.
The Los Angeles Sol ceased operations not long afterward, and in the ensuing 2010 WPS Dispersal Draft FC Gold Pride acquired Marta, Kiki Bosio, and Lindsay Browne. The club separately signed Sol goalkeeper Brittany Cameron as a free agent.
Regular season
FC Gold Pride started fast and kept its momentum running throughout the 2010 season. Despite the departure of Solveig Gulbrandsen in July and waiving draft pick Kaley Fountain, the Pride dominated the league's regular season.
Championship On September 26, FC Gold Pride won their first WPS Championship by defeating the Philadelphia Independence 4–0.
Three members of the team garnered end of season honors: Marta was named Player of the Year and won the Golden Boot, both for the second consecutive season; Nicole Barnhart was named Goalkeeper of the Year; and Ali Riley was named Rookie of the Year. On November 16, 2010, after the close of the 2010 season, the league announced that FC Gold Pride had folded and would not return for the 2011 season.
Team Squad .
Transactions + 2010 FC Gold Pride draft selections Name College 1 3 FW Kelley O'Hara Stanford 10 DF Ali Riley Stanford 2 12 DF Becky Edwards Florida St. 20 FW Kaley Fountain Wake Forest 4 32 GK Erin Guthrie Rutgers 5 41 MF Ashley Bowyer Ohio St. 6 50 DF Elizabeth Harkin Arizona St. 7 59 DF Lauren Wilmoth UCLA
Transfers in: Shannon Boxx, June 4, from Saint Louis Athletica via dispersal
Transfers out: Solveig Gulbrandsen, July 17, to Stabæk IF
Waived or released: Ashley Bowyer, June 4, released Kaley Fountain, June 4, released but retained as a developmental player; later waived, signed with Atlanta Beat on Aug. 9
Competitions Key
Regular season
Regular season standings
Results summary
Results by matchday
WPS Championship
Statistics + Regular-season player statistics Name 20 MF 1713 1103 14 00 1 GK 2121 1880 00 00 11 FW 167 675 00 00 77 MF 2019 1,705 15 60 4 DF 2222 1,958 10 10 18 GK 33 270 00 00 5 DF 2121 1880 00 20 17 DF 42 270 00 00 19 DF 1510 972 11 10 14 DF 2420 1,815 11 20 14 DF 51 62 00 00 13 MF 1610 899 00 00 21 GK 01 10 00 00 8 MF 86 441 12 00 10 FW 2424 2,160 196 30 15 FW 2215 1,237 62 00 7 FW 1816 1,445 65 40 3 DF 2323 2,045 03 10 12 FW 2323 2,054 109 10 16 MF 11 27 00 00 9 FW 2415 1488 00 20 2 MF 51 167 01 00 Total 3929 190
Awards WPS awards Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award: Marta Goalkeeper of the Year: Nicole Barnhart Rookie of the Year: Ali Riley WPS Golden Boot: Marta Regular-season champions League champions
WPS All-Star Team
+ 2010 WPS All-Star Team selections Name Selected as Nicole Barnhart Replacement Rachel Buehler Starter Shannon Boxx Starter Marta Starter, captain Kelley O'Hara Selection Christine Sinclair Starter
Further reading
References