{
    "title": "National Women\u2019s Soccer League announced best XI Selections",
    "modified_at": "2026-05-05 13:39:10",
    "published_at": "2013-09-04 19:50:00",
    "url": "https://news.canadasoccer.com/national-womens-soccer-league-announced-best-xi-selections",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/WVEd",
    "culture": "en",
    "language": "EN",
    "subtitle": "The National Women\u2019s Soccer League (NWSL) announced the Best XI selections for the 2013 NWSL season.",
    "slug": "national-womens-soccer-league-announced-best-xi-selections",
    "body": "<p>Washington Spirit midfielder Diana Matheson is the sole Canadian in the inaugural Best XI, which is comprised of seven allocated players from Canada&rsquo;s and USA&rsquo;s women&rsquo;s national teams and four non-allocated players. FC Kansas City had the most selections of any team with four.</p><p>The NWSL Best XI team (listed at position, alphabetically by last name):</p>\n<div\n    class=\"table-container\"\n    style=\"\"\n>\n    <table\n        class=\"table table-bordered\"\n    >\n                            <tbody>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Position</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Player</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Club</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Country</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Note</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Goalkeeper</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Nicole Barnhart</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>FC Kansas City</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>10 shutouts</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Defender</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Christie Rampone</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Sky Blue FC</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>1.20 GAA</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Defender</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Leigh Ann Robinson</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>FC Kansas City</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>5 assists</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Defender</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Becky Sauerbrunn</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>FC Kansas City</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>1.0 GAA</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Defender</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Brittany Taylor</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Western New York Flash</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>3 goals, 4 assists</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Midfielder</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Lori Chalupny</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Chicago Red Stars</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>5 goals, 4 assists</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Midfielder</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Jess Fishlock</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Seattle Reign FC</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Wales</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>4 goals</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Midfielder</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Lauren Holiday</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>FC Kansas City</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>12 goals, 9 assists</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p><strong>Midfielder</strong></p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p><strong>Diana Matheson</strong></p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p><strong>Washington Spirit</strong></p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p><strong>Canada</strong></p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p><strong>8 goals, 3 assists</strong></p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Forward</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Sydney Leroux</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Boston Breakers</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>11 goals, 2 assists</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Forward</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Abby Wambach</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>Western New York Flash</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>USA</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>11 goals, 8 assists</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                        </tbody>\n            </table>\n</div>\n<p>NWSL Second XI features three additional Canadians &ndash; Goalkeeper: Adrianna Franch, Western New York Flash &ndash; Defenders: Rachel Buehler, Portland Thorns FC; Caitlin Foord, Sky Blue FC; Ali Krieger, Washington Spirit; Lauren Sesselmann, FC Kansas City &ndash; Midfielders: Megan Rapinoe, Seattle Reign FC; Desiree Scott, FC Kansas City; Erika Tymrak, FC Kansas City &ndash; Forwards: Alex Morgan, Portland Thorns FC; Lianne Sanderson, Boston Breakers; Christine Sinclair, Portland Thorns FC</p><p>The NWSL awards were voted on by a selection of journalists that cover the league on a consistent basis, club officials and NWSL players.</p><p>Voters for the Best XI provided selections for four (4) defenders and a combination of six (6) midfielders or forwards; with the ability to select a minimum of one (1) and a maximum of three (3) forwards. The Goalkeeper of the Year was automatically named to the Best XI.</p><p>The Second XI is comprised of the next leading vote getters at each position that did not make the Best XI.<br>\u200b</p><div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-6c54baa2-4aa2-411b-8214-333e8111da5e\">\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Paulo Senra</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Chief Communications &amp; Content Officer | Chef des communications et du contenu, Canada Soccer</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:psenra@canadasoccer.com\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"psenra@canadasoccer.com\"><svg class=\"icon icon-paper-plane release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-paper-plane\"></use>\n            </svg>psenra@canadasoccer.com</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"tel:(416)&nbsp;882-7919\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"(416)&nbsp;882-7919\"><svg class=\"icon icon-mobile release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-mobile\"></use>\n            </svg>(416)&nbsp;882-7919</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div>",
    "header": {
        "large": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/9bc76580-075d-41a8-82a4-83fe13acecf7/-/format/auto/",
        "release": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/9bc76580-075d-41a8-82a4-83fe13acecf7/-/format/auto/"
    },
    "contacts": [
        {
            "name": "Paulo Senra",
            "company": "Canada Soccer",
            "description": "Chief Communications & Content Officer | Chef des communications et du contenu",
            "email": "psenra@canadasoccer.com",
            "website": null,
            "address": null,
            "telephone": null,
            "mobile": "(416)\u00a0882-7919",
            "twitter": null,
            "facebook": null
        }
    ],
    "author": {
        "first_name": "Integration",
        "last_name": "Integration"
    },
    "format_version": 5
}