Westwood, Mass. (October 13, 2009) – The Boston Breakers have announced that defender Heather Mitts has signed with the Philadelphia Independence after one season with the Boston Breakers. 

The U.S. National Team defender and two-time Olympic gold medalist makes her return to Philadelphia after signing with the 2010 Women’s Professional Soccer expansion team as a free agent.  Mitts played with the Philadelphia Charge for three seasons in the WUSA, starting all 51 games for the Charge and helped the club to the WUSA playoffs in the first two years.  She was named a WUSA All-Star in 2003.

Mitts has continued to call Philadelphia home, where she lives with fiancé A.J. Feeley, who recently signed with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers as a free agent.  The quarterback played with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2001 to 2003 and again from 2006 to 2008.  

The 31-year-old was one of the first faces of the 2009 Boston Breakers.  Mitts was allocated to Boston on September 16, 2008 in the WPS Allocation of U.S. National Team Players, along with WUSA-era Breaker veterans Angela Hucles and Kristine Lilly.  Mitts saw playing time 19 matches in 2009, including one assist against Washington Freedom on June 24th.

“Heather was a pleasure to coach and was a role model for many of the young players with her professional approach to training and fitness,” said Breakers’ Head Coach Tony DiCicco.  “The Breakers will miss her but we fully understand the rationales behind her decision, as her and her fiancé are making their home in Philadelphia.” 

Mitts has been a member of the U.S. Women’s National team since 2004.  This year she became the 25th player in U.S. National Team history to earn 100 caps, after making her return to the National Team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics after missing the entire 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup due to a torn AC.  Prior to her professional soccer career, the Cincinnati native helped lead the University of Florida to its first and only NCAA title in 1999 and was twice named an NSCAA First-Team All-American.