Jersey Sky Blue News Release - www.skybluesoccer.com

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

BEDMINSTER, NJ -- Jersey Sky Blue will embark on its quest for the W-League Championship next year with at least one recent champion on its roster. Fresh off winning an NCAA Women’s College Cup title with the University of North Carolina, Tobin Heath has joined the roster for the expansion side Sky Blue Soccer announced today. A native of Basking Ridge, NJ, Heath will be making a homecoming with Jersey Sky Blue, which will play its home games at her alma mater Ridge High School.

Heath is coming off a stellar freshman season at UNC that culminated in an NCAA national championship earlier this month. The United States Youth National Team regular was a key component in the Tar Heels championship run starting 22 of the 23 games that she played in to help her team to a 27-1 final record. For the season, Heath was fifth on the team in scoring with four goals and nine assists for 17 points.

“We are so excited to have Tobin sign, it’s an amazing fit,” said Jersey Sky Blue head coach Charlie Naimo. “She’s a perfect player for Sky Blue – a local player on her way to becoming one of the best in the country. Not only will she impact our team but she will get to put her tremendous skill on display at her alma mater.”

Heath also brings an extensive international background with her to Sky Blue. She has been a member of United States Youth National Teams on the Under-16, U-17, U-20, and U-21 levels. Last August, she delayed the start of her college career to travel to Russia with the US U-20 National Team for the 2006 FIFA Women’s World Championship. She appeared in four games as the United States posted a fourth- place finish. She also joined the US U-21 National Team for a trip to Holland last April.

Prior to attending North Carolina, Heath was one of the most sought after college prospects in the nation with SoccerBuzz ranking her the second-best prospect in the country. Before skipping her senior season to concentrate on training, the New Jersey star led Ridge to the 2003 NJSIAA Group III State Championship. The Red Devils went 22-0 in 2003 and 22-2 in 2004 behind Heath, who was a 2004 NSCAA High School Girls All-American and a 2005 and 2006 Parade All-American. After her junior season, Heath was named the 2004 Star-Ledger Girls High School Player of the Year and the 2004 Gatorade New Jersey Girls High School Player of the Year.

“Tobs is playing on a world class level right now,” Naimo said. “She might be the best 1v1 player I have seen since Kelly Smith. It’s just a matter of time before she gets her first cap with the full national team. I think the next Olympics in 2008 will be calling her name.”

Heath first made her mark in the W-League at a young age. As a 16-year old, she made a big impression on a national stage starring in the 2004 W-League Championship game with the New Jersey Wildcats. Heath’s play was so strong that she was named to the W-League Championship All-Tournament Team.

Season passes for the inaugural Jersey Sky Blue season are on sale now on the internet at the Sky Blue Soccer website http://www.skybluesoccer.com/. Jersey Sky Blue will call Ridge High School its home for the 2007 season. The 2007 W-League Schedule will be officially announced in mid-December.

SKY BLUE PROFILE: Tobin Heath
• Hometown: Basking Ridge, NJ
• Born: May 29, 1988
• Recently completed a stellar freshman season at the University of North Carolina helping the Tar Heels to the 2006 NCAA Women’s College Cup Championship
• Helped UNC to a 27- 1 mark that included an ACC Tournament Championship
• Posted four goals and nine assists to finish fifth in scoring on UNC with 17 points
• Played the 2004 and 2005 W-League seasons with the New Jersey Wildcats making seven appearances with one goal and one assist
• Played in both games during the 2004 W-League Championship weekend as a 16-year old earning a spot on the W- League Championship All-Tournament Team as the Wildcats lost to Vancouver in a shootout in the final
• Made four appearances for the United States Under-20 National Team that finished fourth at the 2006 FIFA Women’s World Championship in Russia
• Joined the US Under-21 National Team in April 2006 for a trip to Holland
• Played on the US U-16 National Team from 2002-04 and the US U-17 National Team from 2004- 05
• Ranked as the #2 recruit in the country by SoccerBuzz heading into college
• Attended Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, NJ and led the Red Devils to a 22-2 record in 2004 and a 22-0 mark in 2003 that included an NJSIAA Group III State Championship
• Named the 2004 Star- Ledger Girls High School Player of the Year and the 2004 Gatorade New Jersey Girls High School Player of the Year
• Earned 2004 NSCAA High School Girls All-America and 2005 & 2006 Parade All-America honors
• Named the Parade 2006 Midfielder of the Year
• Named to the NSCAA Girls Youth All-America Team in 2003, 2004, and 2005
• Earned first team honors on the 2003 and 2004 Associated Press All-State team
• Member of the PDA Wildcats club team that captured the 2003 US Youth Soccer U-15 National Championship

photo courtesy Robyn McNeil