PRO SOFTBALL	PRO SOCCER	PRO BASKETBALL
NPF: HERE SAVANNAH BROWN Philadelphia Force Link: HERE CARRI LETO MARTIN (retired) New England Riptide Link: HERE 2004-08 ARCHIVES HERE 2008-09 ARCHIVES HERE	WPS: HERE ANGIE WOZNUK St. Louis Athletica Link: HERE NATALIE SPILGER Chicago Red Stars Link: HERE	HEATHER MOLZEN Lemvig Basket club Dameligean League (Denmark, 09-10) ADVENTURER Roz Savage has started her 3-year mission to row solo across the Pacific Ocean from the USA to Australia. BLOG

Washington State's Heather Molzen (El Capitan) signs professional contract to play in Denmark. (WSU courtesy photo)

Molzen, who is currently spending time with her family in Lakeside, heads overseas on August 10 for the start of the Danish season, which runs from September through April. She signed a contract to play with Lemvig Basket, a basketball team in the Dameligaen League, the highest level of competition in Denmark.

"We are proud of Heather's numerous accomplishments at WSU, both athletically as well as academically," said WSU head coach June Daugherty. "The opportunity to play basketball overseas is a credit to her talent and hard work."

Molzen was a four-year letterwinner with the Cougars, appearing in each of the team's 60 games over her last two seasons. She combined to make 56 starts her junior and senior years, and became the first player in school history to start 30 games in a season in 2007-08.

Molzen led the team in both rebounding average (6.0 per game) and total rebounds (179) as a senior, ranking 11th in the Pacific-10 Conference in the former. As a junior, Molzen led the Cougars in total rebounds (128; 4.3 per game), and finished second on the team in scoring (203 points; 6.8 per game).

Lemvig Basket, located in Lemvig, Denmark, recently completed its first season in the Dameligaen (8-14 record; 7th of 9 teams), missing the playoffs in its debut season by only one game.

"We signed Heather Molzen for the coming season because we want to make our team stronger on the inside, and at the same time keep the flexibility," Lemvig Basket chairman Rene Jakobsen said. "She is a perfect match, being able to fill in at different positions. We also feel that Heather will be a great role model for our younger players."

At El Capitan, Molzen was a three-time All-East County performer, once leading the region in both field goal shooting (61.5 percent) and blocks.

Molzen is the first local player to play pro ball in Northern Europe since former Santana standout center LESLIE ELLIS did so in Norway (Tromso AC) during the early 1990s.

Savannah Brown Catcher, Philadelphia Force

Leadoff hitter Stacy May paced Chicago with a pair of basehits.

Brown, who played for the Rockford (Ill.) Thunder last season, entered at catcher in the 5th inning, even though former Georgia Tech teammate Jessica Sallinger was the starting pitcher for the Force. Brown went 0-for-1.

Angie Woznuk (left) Defender, St. Louis Athletica

© East County Sports.com
CARSON (5-31-09) — ANGIE WOZNUK, who played on all six levels of the U.S. National Soccer team program in her amateur career, made her Southern California debut as a professional on Saturday (May 30), but her St. Louis Athletica fell to the Los Angeles Sol, 2-0, at Home Depot Center.

Woznuk, a defender, was credited with one shot. but the Sol, owners of the best record (6-1-2) in Women's Professional Soccer, held a 16-8 advantage in shots. Included were goals by Camille Abily in the 35th minute and former San Diego Spirit (WUSA) striker Shannon Box in the 50th minute.

Woznuk, an El Cajon resident, started for NCAA women's soccer national champion University of Portland, then was drafted 15th overall in the WPS draft by St. Louis, which rests in the middle of the 7-team pack at 2-3-2 overall.

© East County Sports.com
LAGOS, Portugal (3-5-09) — El Cajon's ANGIE WOZNUK scored the tournament's first goal in the 2009 Algarve Cup, leading the United States past Denmark, 2-0, at Municipal Stadium. For Woznuk, a defender, it was her second career international goal.

The Algarve Cup, now in its 16th edition, is the world's most prestigious women's football (soccer) tournament behind only the Women's World Cup and the Olympics.

Update — Sweden won its third Algarve Cup by nipping defending champion USA in a penalty shootout after the teams played to a 1-1 draw in the final. Denmark finished in third place. Hope Solo, a teammate of Woznuk for the St. Louis Athletica, was tabbed the tournament's most outstanding player.

Angie Woznuk Her US Soccer Page

WPS opens Mar. 29th

© East County Sports.com
ST. LOUIS (11-23-08) — ANGIE WOZNUK, the two-time Parade prep All-American soccer star from University of San Diego High, has been drafted by the St. Louis Athletica of the new Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league, which debuts this April.

Woznuk, an El Cajon resident, was the first pick in the third round (15th overall) in the WPS general draft.

Woznuk's standout career included am NCAA national championship with the University of Portland. She also captured the FIFA U-19 World Championship for Team USA, winning the Silver Ball award at the second most valuable player and the Bronze Foot award as the tournament's third-leading scorer.

At USDHS, Woznuk was tabbed the Gatorade Californian state player of the year. Now 23, Woznuk joined the U.S. Women's National Team in 2005. The new league is the forerunner to the WUSA (Women's United Soccer Association), which included the San Diego Spirit.

In 2009, WPS franchises will be: Los Angeles Sol, St. Louis Athletica, FC Gold Pride (San Jose), Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers, Washington (D.C.) Freedom and Blue Sky FC (New York/New Jersey). Joining in 2010 will be teams in Atlanta, Dallas and Philadelphia.

NORSEMEN IN THE PROS
Valhalla High is the lone high school in the nation with two alumni playing in National Pro Fastpitch – Rockford Thunder rookie catcher Savannah Brown (left) and New England Riptide all-star second baseman Carri Leto Martin. Brown was recently traded to the Philadelphia Force.
Carri Leto Martin New England Riptide	Savannah Brown Philadelphia Force

© East County Sports.com
LOWELL, Mass. (2-6-09/REVISED 2-9-09) – CARRI LETO MARTIN, a 3-time All-Star in National Pro Fastpitch, has been declared a free agent along with all of her teammates after the New England Riptide withdrew from the 2009 season due to economic duress. NPF commissioner Cheri Kempf made the announcement.

The second baseman is free to sign with any of the five remaining NPF franchises. Leto Martin could also rejoin the Riptide should the ballclub return for the 2010 season. A new schedule has been released to reflect this latest development.

However, Leto Martin may call it a career following her recent promotion on the Harvard University women's softball coaching staff.

"Because of my promotion to first assistant coach at Harvard – and the summer recruiting commitments that come along with it – I will not be playing in the league this year," Leto Martin exclusively told East County Sports.com.

In addition to her coaching responsibilites, Leto Martin plans to take classes toward her Master's degree this summer. With such a busy schedule, little time remains to play the game at the professional level.

Although Leto Martin did not officially close the door to her playing career, she added, "It was a good run."

It was also a nice run for the Riptide, one of the original six teams that joined the revamped Women’s Pro Softball League in 2004 which changed names shortly thereafter to the current league known as National Pro Fastpitch.

“It is with a very heavy heart that we have made this decision,” said Riptide owner Joe Adlman. “We would like to thank the community of Lowell, our sponsors, staff and especially our players for their support and contribution over the years."

Four other members of the Riptide (22-26 last season) were named to the 2008 All NPF team: pitcher Eileen Canney; first baseman, Lyndsey Angus; and outfielders Gina Carbonatto and Lisa Modglin. The franchise won the Cowles Cup championship in 2006.

Leto Martin captured a Cowles Cup in 2004 with the New York-New Jersey Juggernaut, then stayed with the franchise for two additional season after it moved and became the Philadelphia Force. She join the Riptide for the 2007 and 2008 campaigns.

2008 BIO – Carri Leto Martin, a fifth-year player and three time NPF All-Star, returns for her second year with the Riptide. Martin was part of the championship NY/NJ Juggernaut in 2004. She remained with the team during their move to Philadelphia where she had a breakout year. She led the team with a .307 batting average and a .371 on base percentage. This fine offensive year was capped off by being awarded the National Pro Fastpitch Defensive Player of the Year award. Martin continued her offensive onslaught with the Riptide in 2007, batting .296, second highest on the team. In 2002, Martin competed with the Team Smith Nationals which placed third at the prestigious Canada Cup. She ended her successful career at Northwestern University ranking in the top seven in ten different career offensive categories. Martin earned Northwestern Female Athlete of the Year honors in 2004 in addition to being a three time All-Big Ten selection.