1999 Women’s World Cup Champions to Appear on SportsCenter, ESPN FC, espnW and Other Platforms
espnW’s Julie Foudy, captain of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team that captured the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, will be joined by two of her 1999 teammates Kristine Lilly and Kate Markgraf to headline ESPN’s comprehensive analysis, news and information coverage of the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada.
The three are among the most accomplished and decorated players in international women’s soccer, collectively with five World Cup titles and six Olympic gold medals among them and combined 825 international appearances for the USWNT.
Foudy will provide analysis for ESPN’s news and information programs including SportsCenter and ESPN FC, and offer previews, reports and commentary for espnW.com.
Lilly and Markgraf will join ESPN FC beginning Saturday, May 30, from Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., the site of the USWNT’s final send-off match before the World Cup, against South Korea.
Additionally, ESPN digital anchor Antonietta “Toni” Collins will join the rotation as a host of ESPN FC during the Women’s World Cup. ESPN reporter Bob Holtzman will follow the U.S. team throughout the tournament, providing updates for SportsCenter.
espnW will be onsite providing original content for all 52 games of the tournament – with a collection of veteran writers from espnW, ESPN FC and ESPN.com, including Andrea Canales, Jim Caple, Jeff Carlisle, Kate Fagan, Ben Gladwell, Graham Hays, Doug McIntyre, D’Arcy Maine, Elizabeth Merrill, Graham Parker and Sarah Spain. espnW will provide comprehensive coverage of the Women’s World Cup at espnW.com/WWC, which will include automated stats, rosters, game previews and recaps powered by ESPN FC.
Bios:
Canales covers Liga MX and Mexico National Team for ESPNFC.com.
Caple is an award-winning columnist and senior writer for ESPN.com, who has reported from 17 World Series, nine Olympic Games and six continents.
Carlisle has covered MLS and the U.S. national teams for ESPN since 2005, and provided on-site coverage from the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. He began his soccer journalism career in 2002 when he wrote for QuakeMagic.com, covering the San Jose Earthquakes and the WUSA’s San Jose CyberRays.
Collins joined ESPN in 2013 as a digital anchor. She played for the Mexican Women’s National Team’s under-19 squad and has previously reported on MLS’ FC Dallas, among other assignments. Collins also contributes to various platforms for ESPN Deportes.
Fagan has been a columnist for espnW.com since 2012 who has covered a variety of sports for the site, including college and professional basketball, women’s soccer, the NFL and more. She spent three seasons reporting on the Philadelphia 76ers for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 2009 – 2012 and played women’s basketball at the University of Colorado from 1999 – 2004. Last October, she wrote the in-depth profile “After the Storm” about USWNT star Abby Wambach for espnW and ESPN The Magazine.
Foudy is one of the most accomplished female soccer players in the world. She joined ESPN in 2005 as women’s soccer and FIFA World Cup analyst. Following her work during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Foudy’s role at ESPN was expanded to include serving as a features reporter and a spokesperson for select company initiatives. She served as a host, analyst and reporter for ESPN’s productions of the the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups and was an analyst during ESPN’s presentation of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In 2015, Foudy was named espnW’s primary representative at major sporting events.
Gladwell is a writer for ESPNFC.com, covering international soccer.
Hays began his career with ESPN in 1999, and has since become one of the preeminent women’s college sports writers in the country, covering basketball, soccer and softball for espnW. In 2015, Hays was honored with the Mel Greenberg Media Award from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association for his women’s college basketball writing.
Holtzman joined ESPN in November 2000 as a Cincinnati-based reporter. He primarily covers stories that are featured on the network’s award-winning news and information shows including SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown, Outside the Lines and Baseball Tonight. A seasoned international sports reporter, Holtzman has covered the U.S. National Soccer Teams for SportsCenter and other shows.
Lilly is the most-capped player in international soccer history, appearing 352 times for the USA. A midfielder, she scored 130 goals in her career – good for fourth-most all-time — and played in five Women’s World Cups. Lilly is a three-time U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the year. She was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2014.
MacIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and a U.S. Soccer Insider for ESPNFC. He has covered American and international soccer since 2002.
Maine is a staff writer for espnW, covering culture and sports, and highlighting some of the top trending sports social media topics the espnW’s The Buzz. She previously served as SportsNation’s mobile correspondent, hosting chats from some of the biggest sporting events in the country.
Markgraf was one of the best defenders in U.S. Women’s National Team history. Though she was the least experienced starter in 1999, having joined the team a year earlier, Markgraf helped anchor the defense for the United States’ 1999 Women’s World Cup winning team. Markgraf played in 201 international matches from 1998 – 2008, the seventh-most in the U.S. women’s team history. She previously served as an analyst for ESPN during the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Merrill is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine who has written extensively on the NFL and several Olympic sports. She previously wrote for The Kansas City Star and The Omaha World-Herald.
Parker is a soccer columnist for ESPNFC.com and Grantland where he writes “The Designated Player” column, and serves as the chief U.S. soccer writer for The Guardian US
Spain is the co-host of espnW Presents: Spain & Prim on ESPN Radio, a SportsCenter anchor for ESPN1000 and has been an espnW columnist since 2010, covering a variety of sports including the NFL, NBA and soccer.
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