Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release - www.whitecapsfc.com
Friday, April 8, 2011
VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that striker Sydney Leroux has been signed to the club’s roster for the 2011 United Soccer Leagues (USL) W-League campaign - pending United States Soccer Federation (USSF) approval.
"Sydney has always had a special attachment to Whitecaps FC, so we’re very pleased to welcome her back to her hometown club,” said Whitecaps FC women’s head coach Hubert Busby Jr. “Sydney brings power and pace to our attack-minded squad. She’s got a great attitude towards the game and is a proven winner."
Leroux, 20, returns to Whitecaps FC after originally playing for the team during the 2005 W-League season. The native of Surrey, British Columbia, is the youngest player to ever play for the club at the senior level. The 5-foot-7 forward made her debut at 15 years and 7 days old in a season-opening 2-0 victory over Arizona Heatwave, coming on in the 82nd minute and assisting on the second goal of the match. Leroux went on to play in three matches, recording two assists during that time.
“I’m very excited to be playing in front of my family and friends again,” said Leroux. “I’m going to work really hard for the team this year and I look forward to getting the season started.”
Internationally, Leroux has played for youth nationals sides of both Canada and the United States. Leroux was the youngest player in the 2004 U-19 Women’s World Championship when she made Canada’s roster as a 14-year-old. A dual-citizen, Leroux later switched to play for the United States. In 2008, Leroux played for the Americans at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, winning the tournament while earning the Golden Shoe as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals and the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player. Leroux is the most capped player and highest scorer for the United States at the U-20 level, netting 30 goals in 36 appearances. The young striker recently made her debut for the senior U.S. women’s national team, coming on as a substitute against Sweden in the Four Nations Cup on January 21, 2011.
Since 2008, Leroux has also been a member of the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins. Last season Leroux led the Bruins with 13 goals and 27 points. In 2009, Leroux tied a single-season school record with 23 goals and was named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann trophy given to the top player in the country. During her freshman season at UCLA, the prolific striker started 18 of her 19 appearances, scoring five goals with six assists for a total of 16 points while being named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team and a Third-team Freshman All-American by Soccer Buzz.