Current, Former Illini Join Chicago Red Stars
May 14, 2012 | Soccer
May 14, 2012
Official Masar Announcement | Official DiBernardo, Mutz Announcement | Chicago Red Stars Website
CHICAGO - Illinois soccer rising-junior midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo and rising-senior forward Shayla Mutz were named to the Chicago Red Stars roster for the summer season, as announced by the team on Monday afternoon. DiBernardo and Mutz are veterans of the Red Stars organization, with both helping Chicago to the WPS Championship Game during the 2011 season. DiBernardo and Mutz will join former Illini All-American Ella Masar with the Red Stars, as Masar was named a member of the team on May 4, 2012.
DiBernardo earned NSCAA All-America and All-Great Lakes Region honors as a sophomore, producing 17 goals and five assists to earn Big Ten Midfielder of the Year. DiBernardo, who has also spent time training and competing with the U.S. U-20 and U-23 National Teams, provided eight game-winning goals during the 2011 Illini campaign - the most in a single season in program history.
Mutz - a two-year starter at forward with 62 career appearances entering the 2012 campaign - finished the Homer Glen, Ill., native's junior season as one of six Illini to tally double-digit points, earning 11 on three goals and five assists. Mutz showed a penchant for clutch scoring in 2011, providing the game-winning goal in overtime against Louisville while assisting on the game-winners against Wisconsin and No. 11 Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game.
Masar is currently overseas playing for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) of the French Division I Féminine and will conclude the season in France prior to returning to Illinois. Masar has played in 14 games with PSG, scoring the second-most goals on the squad (5), while totaling 895 minutes of action. A 2006 graduate of the University of Illinois, Masar previously spent time with the Red Stars during the 2009-10 seasons while also playing with Magicjack of the Women's Professional Soccer League (WPSL). As a member of the Orange and Blue, Masar totaled 74 points on 27 goals and 20 assists, including 13 game-winning marks, earning four All-America honors in the process.
The Red Stars begin their 2012 WPSL season on Sunday, May 20, against FC Indiana and will host seven home contests in the Chicagoland area throughout the summer months. More information on the team and upcoming season can be found on the Chicago Red Stars official website here.
