Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the return of goalkeeper Kristen Funk, and midfielders Monica Lam-Feist and Amy Vermeulen to the club's 2011 W-League roster. Whitecaps FC also announce the acquisition of defender Erica Campanelli - pending United States Soccer Federation approval.
“These additions help lay the foundation for a strong season,” said Hubert Busby Jr., Whitecaps FC women’s team head coach. “Kristen continues to show improvement and has proven that she is capable of playing at this level. Monica and Amy are both talented players who played a key role in last year’s success, while Erica brings tremendous leadership qualities to the backline.”
Funk, 20, returns for her second season with Whitecaps FC women. The young goalkeeper has also spent the past three seasons playing with Trinity Western University, starting 38 career matches with 20 shutouts. With Funk standing tall in goal, the Spartans captured back-to-back Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship titles in 2008 and 2009. The Calgary, Alberta, native sported an impressive 0.45 goals-against average in 2009, as she started 11 out of 13 appearances for the Spartans and was named to the CIS Championship tournament all-star team. In addition to making a number of key saves, Funk earned a pair of clean sheets in the semifinals and finals to help secure Trinity Western’s second national title in as many years. In 2008, she recorded three shutout wins to lead Trinity Western to the CIS Championship. Funk also represented Canada at the 2009 International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia.
Lam-Feist, 20, returns for her fifth season with Whitecaps FC after starting six of her 11 appearances last season, scoring her first goal for the club in a 2-1 win over the two-time defending W-League champion Pali Blues on June 19, 2010. A graduate of the Whitecaps FC Prospects program, the Surrey, BC, product has started 22 of her 28 career appearances for 1,780 total minutes of action. For the past two years, Lam-Feist has also played NCAA Division I soccer with the University of Wisconsin. In two seasons with the Badgers, Lam-Feist has started all 42 of her appearances, registering four goals and three assists. This included two goals within a minute against Marquette University in the 2010 NCAA tournament to take the match to overtime. Internationally, Lam-Feist has represented Canada at the U-17 and U-20 levels. She was twice named Canadian U-17 Female Player of the Year and was Canada’s top goalscorer at the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Chile.
Vermeulen, 27, returns for her fourth season with Whitecaps FC, having scored four goals while starting ten of her 13 appearances last season. In 31 career appearances for the club, Vermeulen has started 28 matches for 2,181 total minutes of action, scoring seven goals and recording four assists. Prior to joining the 'Caps, Vermeulen played for Ottawa Fury, where she scored four goals during the 2006 season, including a hat-trick that helped the Fury qualify for the W-League Final Four tournament in Vancouver that season. A two-sport athlete, Vermeulen played both soccer and hockey at the University of Wisconsin. On the soccer field, the Melfort, Saskatchewan, product served as team captain during her senior year and received All-Big Ten First Team honours in 2004 and All-Big Ten Second Team honours in 2005. A Canadian international, Vermeulen scored four goals in 26 appearances at the U-20 level, while she has scored one goal in 12 senior international appearances with Canada.
Campanelli, 22, joins Whitecaps FC after two seasons as captain with W-League side Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, starting all 14 of her appearances for 1,254 minutes of action and recording one assist. Campanelli also played NCAA Division I soccer at the University of Texas the last four years. The native of Plano, Texas, started every game in the Texas backline since she was a freshman, as she totalled two goals and three assists for seven points in 89 starts. This past season, Campanelli captained the Longhorns, starting all 22 matches and assisting on two goals. She was the only Longhorn to play every minute possible during the 2009 season and helped Texas record a school-record 11 shutouts during the 2008 season, as Texas registered a program-low 14 goals over 21 matches. In her freshman season, she started all 24 matches, helping Texas post ten shutouts while scoring her first career goal in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, as the Longhorns got past Big 12 Conference rivals Texas A&M. Internationally, Campanelli has represented the United States at the U-15 and U-16 levels.
In 2011, defending W-League Western Conference champions Whitecaps FC will play their regular season home schedule at seven different home venues throughout the province of British Columbia, as part of the Whitecaps Women's Soccer Series presented by Kia - in partnership with the Girls Metro Soccer League (GMSL).
Whitecaps FC will kick off their 2011 home schedule on Sunday, May 22, at 4 p.m. PT, when they battle Seattle Sounders women at Percy Perry Stadium in Coquitlam, BC. Five days later, the 'Caps will host Colorado Rush at Chilliwack's Exhibition Stadium at 7:30 p.m. PT. Additional home venues include Surrey's Newton Athletic Park Field on Friday, June 10; Whistler's Myrtle Philip Field on Friday, June 24; Richmond's Hugh Boyd Stadium on Canada Day (Friday, July 1); and Penticton's Kings Park Field on Friday, July 8. The team concludes the regular season at Langley’s McLeod Athletic Park Field on Friday, July 15.
Whitecaps FC begin the 2011 season on the road against W-League expansion outfit Victoria Highlanders FC at Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford, BC, on Sunday, May 15, at 4 p.m. PT.
Ticket information for the 2011 Whitecaps Women's Soccer Series will be announced shortly. For additional information, visit whitecapsfc.com or call 604.669.WAVE (9283).
