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Whalen Says Farewell to National Team

© Michelle Parke

Sara Whalen, former UConn standout, has said farewell to the U.S. Women's National Team. Whalen's primary reason for calling it quits was to focus on the New York Power and the upcoming inaugural season of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). She also cited a lack of playing as a secondary reason for ending her national team career.

Whalen left the team without any bitterness or anger. It simply was not as much fun as it should have been, Whalen said. She felt as if her heart was drifting away from the game and she did not want that to happen. Whalen also added the past four years were very taxing mentally and physically. She has signed on with Wilhelmina Sports, the athletic arm of the modeling giant, which books athletes fashion campaigns and commercial endorsements. Whalen will also continue to fulfill her Nike contract.

While on the national team, Whalen saw time on all three lines. She debuted with the team in April 1997 during the Nike Victory Tour, and she started in all three games of the U.S. Women's Cup. In 1998, Whalen played in 17 games off of the bench and scored her first international goal versus Iceland. 1999 was Whalen's breakthrough year. Under head coach Tony DiCicco, she played in 18 matches including the overtime period of the Women's World Cup final versus China. Whalen proved her versatility and blazing speed were valuable to the team. In 2000, a busy season for the national team , Whalen earned seven starts in the 22 games she played under new head coach April Heinrichs.

Whalen looks forward to being a part of the historic WUSA and she will certainly be a contributor to the New York Power.

For more information, visit www.newyorkpower.com.

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