The 2002 Women's United Soccer Association season was the second season for WUSA, the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. The regular season began on April 13 and ended on August 11. The playoffs began on August 17, with the championship match between played on August 24 between the Carolina Courage and the Washington Freedom.
Changes from 2001 Prior to the season the Bay Area CyberRays, the champions in the previous season, changed their name to the San Jose CyberRays
All-Star Game
The WUSA All-Star game was played for the first time after the completion of the 2002 season, with the South squad defeating the North 6–1 in front of 14,208 spectators at PGE Park in Portland, Oregon. Rookie Abby Wambach of the Washington Freedom was awarded the game MVP after scoring twice.
Competition format The regular season began on April 13 and ended on August 11. Each team played a total of 21 games, three against each opponent (either twice at home and once away or vice versa). This caused an uneven schedule with teams hosting either 10 or 11 home games each. The four teams with the most points from the regular season qualified for the playoffs. The regular season champions and runners-up hosted the fourth- and third-placed teams, respectively, in the single-game semifinals on August 17. The winners of the semifinals met at Herndon Stadium for the final on August 24.
Standings
Playoffs
Semi-finals
Founders Cup II
Awards AwardPlayerClubMost Valuable Player Marinette PichonPhiladelphia ChargeOffensive Player of the Year Marinette PichonPhiladelphia ChargeDefensive Player of the Year Danielle SlatonCarolina CourageGoalkeeper of the Year Kristin LuckenbillCarolina CourageRookie of the Year Abby WambachWashington FreedomCoach of the Year Mark KrikorianPhiladelphia ChargeHumanitarian Award SissiSan Jose CyberRaysTeam Community Service AwardBoston BreakersTeam Fair Play AwardBoston BreakersReferee of the Year Kari Seitz Source:
Statistical leaders
Top scorers RankPlayerNationClubGoals1KátiaSan Jose CyberRays152Marinette PichonPhiladelphia Charge143Birgit PrinzCarolina Courage124Danielle FotopoulosCarolina Courage11Charmaine Hooper Atlanta Beat11Dagny MellgrenBoston Breakers117Tiffeny Milbrett New York Power10Abby WambachWashington Freedom109Mia Hamm Washington Freedom8Emily Janss New York Power8Kristine LillyBoston Breakers8
Top assists RankPlayerNationClubAssists1Maren MeinertBoston Breakers152Kristine Lilly Boston Breakers13Hege RiiseCarolina Courage134Danielle FotopoulosCarolina Courage105SissiSan Jose CyberRays9Abby WambachWashington Freedom9Bettina WiegmannBoston Breakers98Zhao LihongPhiladelphia Charge8Shannon MacMillan San Diego Spirit8Tiffeny Milbrett New York Power8Birgit PrinzCarolina Courage8Pu WeiWashington Freedom8
See also
List of WUSA drafts
References
External links WUSA Website (archive.org) WUSA on Fun While It Lasted