BOYDS, MD - October 2, 2009 - With the option period expiring and the free agency period for Women’s Professional Soccer beginning on Wednesday, September 30, the league’s nine franchises, including the Washington Freedom, announced which players’ options were exercised.  The option period expired this past Tuesday, and the WPS posted the free agent list on the transactions page of the WPS league website.

In addition to the announcement on waiving the options of Emily Janss, Parissa Eyorokon, and Kati Jo Spisak which allows them to become free agents, the Washington Freedom has also declared Kristin DeDycker, Katie Forbis, Christen Karniski and Joanna Lohman as free agents.

Within the league, notable U.S. national team players who are free agents (2009 team in parentheses) include Carli Lloyd (Chicago Red Stars), Leslie Osborne (FC Gold Pride) and Heather Mitts (Boston Breakers) among others. Notable internationals who have become free agents for this off-season include Brazilian forward Cristiane, who played this season for the Chicago Red Stars, and her countrywomen Formiga (FC Gold Pride) and Daniela (Saint Louis Athletica).

Free agents are free to negotiate and sign with any WPS team. Developmental players all automatically become free agents and can be signed to a full player contract at any time. The first formal pre-season team rosters will be announced in February just prior to training camp. WPS rosters during the regular season include 18 players and up to four additional developmental players.

List of Washington Freedom Player Transactions as of 9/30/2009:

Abby Wambach - under contract for 2010
Sonia Bompastor - under contract for 2010
Brianna Scurry - under contract for 2010
Cat Whitehill – 2010 option exercised
Lisa De Vanna – 2010 option exercised
Erin McLeod – 2010 option exercised
Sarah Huffman – 2010 option exercised
Rebecca Sauerbrunn – 2010 option exercised
Alexandra Long – 2010 option exercised
Jill Gilbeau – 2010 option exercised
Rebecca Moros – 2010 option exercised
Alexandra Singer – 2010 option exercised
Homare Sawa – 2010 mutual option exercised

Emily Janss – 2010 option waived
Parissa Eyorokon – 2010 option waived
Kati Jo Spisak – 2010 option waived
Kristin DeDycker – Free Agent
Katie Forbis – Free Agent
Christen Karniski – Free Agent
Joanna Lohman – Free Agent

A full league-wide listing of the free agents and other off-season WPS transactions can be found on the transactions page at: http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/news/transactions-09.aspx.