SF Nighthawks Sign Yang Zhou, Saturday Game in Napa
January 17, 2007

Former Chinese Women’s National Soccer Team Captain, Yang Zhou

San Francisco, CA - Early this week, the San Francisco Nighthawks signed former Chinese Women’s National Soccer Team captain, Yang Zhou to their roster for the upcoming Golden Gate Women’s Soccer League (GGWSL), Premier Division season beginning in March and the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) season beginning in May. Zhou, an exciting player with the ball at her feet, played for the Chinese National Team as captain from 1990-1996, where she participated in two World Cups.

Nighthawks General Manager, Jill Lounsbury, announced the signing as part of a strategic initiative the club has embraced to become dramatically more competitive in the, highly competitive, Western Division of the WPSL in 2007.

The WPSL is a 37 team, 6 division independent national women’s soccer league with teams located throughout the country. The WPSL is the top ranked women’s soccer league in the U.S. and the third ranked women’s league in the world following Damallsvenskan of Sweden and Frauen Bundesliga of Germany.

According to Lounsbury, Zhou was clearly excited about joining the Nighthawks. Lounsbury noted that, “The team loves her and she appears to be glad to be back on the pitch, she’s smiling and hugging everyone, it’s a love fest at practice.” Lounsbury then wryly added, “Did I mention that she’s got great feet and she's a very smart player?”

Zhou will get her first opportunity to take the field with her new team at 5pm on Saturday night at Justin Sienna High School in Napa when the Nighthawks match-up against the Sacramento Storm, the eighth ranked women’s club team in the world. The Storm includes such players as Annii Magliulo, the fleet-footed 2-time WPSL scoring champion, international Brazilian superstar, Sissi, and former Cal and Women’s National Team star, Laura Schott.

Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) – http://www.wpsl.info/
The WPSL is a 37 team, 6 division independent national women’s soccer league with teams located around the country. The WPSL is currently ranked the most competitive women’s soccer league in the U.S. and the third most competitive women’s soccer league in the world by Women's World Football Rankings. The WPSL season runs from May through July. The WPSL was formed in 1998 and is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the ruling body of soccer in the United States and FIFA the world's ruling body for soccer. The San Francisco Nighthawks are charter members of the WPSL and compete in the 8 team Western Division.

Golden Gate Women’s Soccer League (GGWSL) – http://www.ggwsl.org/
The GGWSL is a 54 team, 8 division regional league based in San Francisco with relegation and promotion. The Premier Division includes many women who have played D1 NCAA soccer and want to continue competing at a premier level. The GGWSL plays two seasons: a fall season (which runs September to December) and a spring season (which runs March to June). Each season consists of ten games. The GGWSL is a USSF and CSAN affiliated league. The San Francisco Nighthawks, for the fourth consecutive season, are champions of GGWSL’s Premier Division, having won the title in the fall 2006, spring 2006, fall 2005, and spring 2005.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Communications Director: Harley Christensen at 415 453-6576
General Manager: Jill Lounsbury at 415 722-3816
San Francisco Nighthawks Official Web Site at www.sfnighthawks.com