The 2015 Chicago Red Stars season was the seventh season of the soccer club and its third season in National Women's Soccer League. For the first time in NWSL the Red Stars advanced to the playoffs by finishing second in regular season. In addition, the team held the first place for ten consecutive weeks, from week 4 to week 13. However, the club could not reach the NWSL championship, as in the playoffs semi-final the Red Stars lost to the reigning Champion FC Kansas City, by a score of 0–3. It was the club's final season playing home games at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex.
First-team squad
Roster Players who were under contract to play for the club in 2015 NWSL season.
Reserve players of first-team Reserve players who appeared in the club's game day rosters during regular season. They should not be confused with the Chicago Red Stars Reserves team which compete in Women's Premier Soccer League.
Squad correct as of August 16, 2015
Player movement
5 FW Zakiya Bywaters in –– 2013 College Draft UCLA Bruins2 FW Jen Hoy in 2013 College Draft Princeton Tigers4 MF Alyssa Mautz in 2013 Supplemental draft Chicago Red Stars13 DF Michelle Lomnicki in 2013 Supplemental draft Sky Blue FC10 MF Vanessa DiBernardo in 2014 College Draft Illinois Fighting Illini –– FW Hayley Brock in –– 2014 College Draft Maryland Terrapins14 DF Taryn Hemmings in Signed Fortuna Hjorring (loaned to)17 MF Lori Chalupny in Signed Chicago Red Stars6 DF Abby Erceg in Signed FF USV Jena (loaned to)16 DF Samantha Johnson in Returned Sydney FC (loaned to)7 MF Shannon Boxx in Player allocation Chicago Red Stars8 DF Julie Johnston in Player allocation Chicago Red Stars23 FW Christen Press in Player allocation Chicago Red Stars19 FW Adriana Leon in –– Player allocation Chicago Red Stars1 GK Karina LeBlanc in Player allocation Chicago Red Stars9 FW Melissa Tancredi in –– Player allocation Chicago Red Stars11 FW Rachel Quon in Player allocation Chicago Red Stars –– FW Stephanie McCaffrey in –– 2015 College draft Boston College3 DF Arin Gilliland in 2015 College draft University of Kentucky24 MF Danielle Colaprico in 2015 College draft University of Virginia20 FW Sofia Huerta in 2015 College draft Santa Clara University12 FW Cara Walls in 2015 College draft University of Wisconsin–Madison –– FW Nicole Setterlund in –– 2015 College draft Washington State University 28 FW Rachel Tejada in 2015 College draft Illinois State University –– FW Stephanie McCaffrey out –– Traded Boston Breakers –– FW Nicole Setterlund out –– Retired –– 5 FW Zakiya Bywaters out –– Recovering from surgery –– –– FW Hayley Brock out –– Returned to school ––18 GK Michele Dalton in Signed Kvarnsvedens IK17 MF Lori Chalupny out World Cup United States7 MF Shannon Boxx out World Cup United States8 DF Julie Johnston out World Cup United States23 FW Christen Press out World Cup United States19 FW Adriana Leon out –– World Cup Canada1 GK Karina LeBlanc out World Cup Canada9 FW Melissa Tancredi out –– World Cup Canada25 DF Kelley McCloskey –– in Preseason trial University of San Diego26 MF Jackie Esterkamp –– in Preseason trial Cincinnati Christian University29 DF Lillie Toaspern –– in Preseason trial Washington University in St. Louis20 GK Monica Gonyo –– in Preseason trial Loyola University Chicago6 DF Abby Erceg out World Cup New Zealand34 MF Mary Luba in Signed Marquette University31 DF Leigh Jakes –– in Preseason trial NiceFutis32 DF Natalie Horner –– in Preseason trial University of Kentucky6 DF Abby Erceg in World Cup elimination New Zealand19 FW Adriana Leon in World Cup elimination Canada1 GK Karina LeBlanc in World Cup elimination Canada9 FW Melissa Tancredi in World Cup elimination Canada17 MF Lori Chalupny in World Cup final United States7 MF Shannon Boxx in World Cup final United States8 DF Julie Johnston in World Cup final United States23 FW Christen Press in World Cup final United States7 MF Shannon Boxx out Retired ––
Management and staff Front Office Owner Arnim Whisler Coaching Staff Manager Rory Dames First Assistant and Goalkeeper Coach Trae Manny Second Assistant Coach Christian Lavers
Regular-season standings
Results summary
Results by round
Match results
Preseason
National Women's Soccer League
Regular season
Postseason playoff
NWSL awards AwardRecipientReferencePlayer of the week of week 2 Christen Press Player of the month of April Christen Press Player of the week of week 5 Sofia Huerta Player of the week of week 6 Sofia Huerta Player of the month of May Sofia Huerta Player of the week of week 21 Karina LeBlanc Rookie of the year 2015 Danielle Colaprico NWSL Best ElevenChristen PressJulie JohnstonNWSL Second ElevenArin GillilandDanielle ColapricoSofia Huerta
Squad statistics Source: NWSL
Key to positions: FW – Forward, MF – Midfielder, DF – Defender, GK – Goalkeeper 7 MF Shannon Boxx 4 2 231 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 17 MF Lori Chalupny 11 11 944 1 3 0 17 9 0 0 1 14 16 1 0 24 MF Danielle Colaprico 20 20 1776 1 0 1 10 5 2 46 1 18 15 3 0 10 MF Vanessa DiBernardo 20 19 1733 2 5 1 34 19 5 73 0 25 22 2 0 6 DF Abby Erceg 14 12 1085 0 0 0 5 3 1 0 0 6 0 2 0 3 DF Arin Gilliland 19 17 1533 0 2 0 13 5 2 0 4 10 4 0 0 14 DF Taryn Hemmings 18 17 1528 1 1 1 10 7 4 0 1 18 8 1 0 2 FW Jen Hoy 18 14 1110 4 4 1 25 15 3 0 12 15 3 0 0 20 FW Sofia Huerta 19 15 1343 6 3 1 36 20 3 0 17 11 12 0 0 31 DF Leigh Jakes 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 DF Samantha Johnson 14 13 1215 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 4 3 0 8 DF Julie Johnston 11 11 990 0 2 0 4 1 1 0 0 7 10 1 0 19 FW Adriana Leon 5 4 277 1 0 0 5 4 0 0 2 5 2 1 0 13 DF Michelle Lomnicki 12 7 614 0 1 0 4 0 2 0 0 6 4 2 0 34 DF Mary Luba 3 0 40 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 MF Alyssa Mautz 15 13 1076 2 3 0 16 4 1 1 3 16 8 0 0 25 DF Kelley McCloskey 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 23 FW Christen Press 11 10 931 10 2 3 50 27 0 0 17 7 2 0 0 11 DF Rachel Quon 17 12 1046 0 0 0 8 1 0 0 0 10 8 1 0 9 FW Melissa Tancredi 8 2 246 2 0 0 12 5 0 0 2 5 1 0 0 28 FW Rachel Tejada 2 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 12 FW Cara Walls 10 1 256 1 1 0 3 3 2 0 4 4 2 0 0
18 GK Michele Dalton 12 12 1080 6 1 5 113 58 47 11 .917 1 1 5 1 GK Karina LeBlanc 8 8 720 2 2 4 79 39 28 11 1.375 0 0 1
Chicago Red Stars team awards On September 23 Chicago Red Stars announced the winners of 2015 team awards. For the second time in 2 years Julie Johnston was the recipient of the award for Defensive Most Valuable Player, having been named Defender of the Year in 2014. Lori Chalupny who was the Team Most Valuable Player in 2014, was named the Iron Women of Character. Christen Press was named Team Most Valuable player, and was in 2014 the Golden Boot recipient. Danielle Colaprico was named the team's Rookie of the Year, while she was also the recipient of the NWSL Rookie of the Year. Vanessa DiBernardo who had a team high of 5 assists, and served a team high of 73 corner kicks, was named the Unsung Hero.
Team Most Valuable Player Christen Press
Defensive Most Valuable Player Julie Johnston
Rookie of the Year Danielle Colaprico
Unsung Hero Vanessa DiBernardo
Iron Woman of Character Lori Chalupny
Images
Notes
References
Match reports (preseason)
Match reports (regular season)
Match report (postseason playoff)