FOR RELEASE ON: April 15, 2005

The New Jersey Wildcats made a big move to bolster their roster today with the announcement that United States Women’s National Team standouts Cat Reddick and Lindsay Tarpley will join the team for the 2005 season. With Reddick leading the defense and with Tarpley on the attacking end, the Wildcats will be looking for a return trip to the W-League Championship game. The addition of the two international stars gives the Wildcats three gold medalists on their roster for 2005 along with forward Heather O’Reilly.

Both Reddick and Tarpley were major factors for the USWNT when they led the team to the gold medal at the Athens Olympics last summer. Tarpley appeared in all six games while Reddick made five appearances. Tarpley connected for the first goal of the game as the US topped Brazil 2-1 in the championship game.

“The signing of Lindsay and Cat is another monumental occasion for the Wildcats franchise,” said Wildcats General Manager Patric Santo Pietro. “I think it will be a tough task for us to win our first 17 games of the season like we did last year, but with Tarpley and Reddick on the field we’ve got a good chance. Their proven level of success and their international experience will be major assets for the Wildcats.”

Reddick and Tarpley also teamed with O’Reilly to lead the University of North Carolina to a perfect 27-0 season and the NCAA Tournament title in 2003. Tarpley starred on the offensive end leading the country in scoring with 23 goals and 27 assists while Reddick led a Tar Heels defense that shut out all six of its opponents in the NCAA Tournament. O’Reilly was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player of the tournament as she broke a school record for goals in an NCAA Tournament with eight while Reddick was the Defensive MVP.

“We’re very excited to add two of our country’s brightest stars,” said Wildcats Head Coach Charlie Naimo. “Ever since the 2003 NCAA championship, I dreamed about reuniting Cat and Lindsay with Heather on the Wildcats. I’m hoping this trio will bring their winning ways and attitudes to this team like they have done for UNC and the US National Team.”

Reddick has six goals in 78 appearances for the USWNT dating back to her debut with the team in 2000. The 23-year old Birmingham, Alabama native was the youngest player on the team and played in all but 45 minutes of every match in the 2003 Women’s World Cup. She scored the first two goals in a 3-0 victory over North Korea and also assisted the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory over Norway in the quarterfinals. She most recently appeared for the USWNT in March when she started in all four games of the Algarve Cup as the US claimed its third straight title.

Reddick was a three-time All-American at UNC and she also won the MAC Hermann Award as the top women's college player in the country in 2003. As a senior, she played in just 13 of 27 matches due to the Women’s World Cup before leading the Tar Heels on their championship run. She also led UNC to the an NCAA title in 2000 while earning Most Valuable Defensive Player of the NCAA Final Four honors before helping the school to an undefeated regular season and the NCAA Final Four in 2001.

“I’m flattered that the future of the US defense is going to call New Jersey home this summer,” Naimo said. “Cat will come in and be a leader from day one. She’s not only a great defender with international experience but she is a back that will help us mix a more direct element into our quick, short passing style. There are not many players, if any, that strike a long ball like she does.”

Tarpley made her debut with the USWNT in 2003 and has eight goals in her 37 appearances since. The 21-year old Kalamazoo, Michigan native most recently appeared for the National Team at the 2005 Algarve Cup where she appeared in all four games. Tarpley was a major factor at the 2002 U-19 Women’s World Championship as the US won the first-ever youth world championship for women. Her goal in sudden-death overtime gave the US a 1-0 victory over Canada in the championship game.

Tarpley put together a stellar 2003 season for UNC when she led the country in scoring. She a consensus All-America selection and was also the consensus National Player of the Year. Her 73 points was the highest single-season total since Mia Hamm accomplished the feat in 1993. Tarpley played in just 14 games for UNC in 2004 after fracturing her right fibula on September 24th. In her freshman year, she led the Tar Heels in scoring with 16 goals and 15 assists for 27 points while earning numerous Freshman of the Year honors.

“Lindsay brings one of the best soccer minds and tremendous versatility to the table,” Naimo said. “Most likely she will play behind the forwards for us but I love knowing that she can play up top and wide too. I can see her being the next big ‘#10’ not only for the Wildcats but also for the United States.”

The Wildcats kick off the 2005 season on May 13th when they travel to face the Boston Renegades at Bowditch Stadium. After opening with three games on the road, New Jersey returns home to host the New Hampshire Lady Phantoms on May 21st at 7:30 p.m. at Mercer County Community College.

For more information, visit the Wildcats on the internet at www.njwildcats.com.

The CAT REDDICK file

• Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
• Born: February 10, 1982
• Has 78 caps and six goals for the United States Women’s National Team
• Made her first appearance for the USWNT on July 6, 2000 against Italy
• Started in all four games of the Algarve Cup and posted an assist against Finland as the US claimed its third straight title
• Played in five games at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens as the US earned the gold medal
• Played in all but 45 minutes of every match in the 2003 Women’s World Cup and was the youngest player on the team
• Scored the first two goals in a 3-0 victory over North Korea and also assisted the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory over Norway in the WWC quarterfinals
• Voted as the U.S. Soccer Chevrolet Young Female Athlete of the Year in 2003
• Led the US Under-21 Women’s National Team to the Nordic Cup title in Denmark in 2003 – her fourth straight with the team
• Was a member of the US Under-18 WNT that won the gold medal at the 1999 Pan American Games
• Earned NSCAA All-America honors three times and was also a three-time All-ACC honoree at the University of North Carolina (2001, 2002, 2003)
• Won the MAC Hermann Award as the top women's college player in the country her senior year (2003)
• Had her #31 jersey retired – the 12th player to earn such an honor at UNC
• As a senior at UNC, she played in just 13 of 27 matches due to her Women’s World Cup commitments but still led UNC to a perfect 27-0 record and the NCAA Tournament Championship
• Named Defensive MVP of the Final Four and was also named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team
• Started the last 12 games posting six goals with five assists
• As a junior, she played in just 17 of UNC’s 27 games in 2002 due to national team commitments, but still had six goals and five assists
• Led the Tar Heels to the NCAA Final Four, scoring five goals in the five games before the semifinals
• Played in 23 games for UNC as a sophomore in 2001, scoring three goals with 10 assists while helping the Tar Heels to an undefeated regular season and a trip to the NCAA Tournament championship game
• Named to the All-Tournament Team as a freshman at the 2000 NCAA Final Four as the Tar Heels won the national title
• Honored as the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the NCAA Final Four
• Scored four goals and had five assists on the season for 13 points and was a member of the NSCAA Freshman All-America Team
• Attended Briarwood Christian School and led her team to four high school state titles
• Was a two-time Parade All-America selection (1999, 2000) and a two-time Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year for the State of Alabama
• Played club soccer for 10 years for the Alabama Attack winning five state titles

The LINDSAY TARPLEY file

• Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Born: September 22, 1983
• Has 37 caps and eight goals for the United States Women’s National Team
• Made her first appearance for the USWNT on January 12, 2003 against Japan
• Appeared in all four games of the 2005 Algarve Cup as the US claimed its third straight title
• Appeared in all six games at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens as the US earned the gold medal
• Scored the first goal of the game against Brazil in the championship game of the Olympics
• Named US Soccer’s 2002 Chevrolet Young Female Player of the Year
• Scored in sudden death overtime of the 2002 U-19 Women’s World Championship final against Canada to give the USA a 1-0 victory
• Scored 24 goals in 26 full U-19 international matches
• Will be a senior this fall at the University of North Carolina
• Played in just 14 games for UNC in 2004 after fracturing her right fibula September 24th and finished the season with five goals and four assists
• Named the 2004 Preseason National Player of the Year by Soccer Buzz
• As a sophomore in 2003, was named the National Player of the Year by Soccer America, Soccer Buzz, Soccer Times, Soccer Post, and Sports Illustrated on Campus
• Was a consensus All-America First Team pick in 2003 by Soccer Times, Soccer Buzz, Soccer America, Soccer Post, CSTV, and the NSCAA
• Was a finalist for the MAC/Hermann Award and the Honda Soccer Award
• Led Division I in scoring with 23 goals with 27 assists for 73 points and guided UNC to a perfect 27-0 record and an NCAA Championship
• Contributed two goals and two assists in the NCAA title game – a 6-0 victory over Connecticut
• Named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team and led all scorers in the tournament with 19 points on four goals and an NCAA Tournament record 11 assists
• A First-Team NSCAA All-American and one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Award
• Swept ACC awards with All-ACC, ACC Player of the Year, and Most Valuable Player of the ACC Tournament honors
• As a freshman, led the team in scoring with 16 goals and 15 assists for 27 points
• Named the Soccer America and Soccer Buzz Freshman of the Year
• Helped lead the Tar Heels to the NCAA Final Four and was named to the All-Tournament Team
• Named to the All-ACC First Team and All-ACC Tournament Team and was the ACC Rookie of the Year
• Attended Portage Central High School and scored 139 goals in her high school career
• Was an NSCAA All-American as a sophomore in 1999 and Parade All-American as a junior and senior in 2001 and 2002
• Named the nation's top high school forward by Parade in 2002
• Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year in 2002
• Was a First-Team All-State and a Michigan Dream Team selection as a freshman, sophomore, and junior
• Helped the Mustangs to the MSHAA state title as sophomore in 1999
• Played for the Michigan Hawks club team for three years winning three state titles and a Snickers Club U-18 National Title in 2001
• Named MVP of the U-18 National Championship and also won the Golden Boot as top scorer with six goals in three games

Photos: John Todd/ISI