2001: Brandi Chastain played all over the field for the CyberRays in their inaugural season, but eventually settled into her accustomed position at left back solving part of the puzzle that produced a championship. Once Chastain was permanently anchored in the back, the CyberRays' defense solidified and wound up surrendering only 23 goals for the season, second-fewest in the WUSA. Early on Chastain played in the midfield, and she was the team's unexpected offensive leader. It wasn't until the season's ninth game that Julie Murray pulled even with Chastain as the team's leading goal scorer. Chastain was named co-captain, along with U.S. national teammate Tisha Venturini, at the start of the season, and it was a leadership role that she was unaccustomed to. It took her only seven games to accumulate four yellow cards, resulting in a one-game suspension (6/10 @ New York), the first yellow-card suspension in WUSA history. She played the remainder of the season without another booking. With Chastain on the field, the CyberRays outscored opponents 26-18, a plus-minus rating of +8, tied for 11th in the WUSA. Opponents outscored the CyberRays 5-1 with Chastain on the bench. Chastain was tied with the Atlanta Beat's Charmaine Hooper as the fourth most-fouled player in the WUSA suffering 44 fouls. Previous experience: Chastain's penalty kick clinched the championship for the United States in the 1999 Women's World Cup final against China, the defining moment of the biggest women-only sports event in history. She was also a member of the U.S. teams that won the first women's world soccer championship and the first women's Olympic gold medal in soccer. She is a naturally right-footed player who made her place on the national team and her place in soccer history with her left foot, which she developed in the Blossom Valley Youth Soccer League because of a sprained right ankle.
U.S. national team: Played her first match against Japan on June 1, 1988. Scored her first goal April 18, 1991 against Mexico (she scored five goals in that match, a team record for one game). Was a reserve forward for the team through 1993, when she was cut. In 1996 was recalled to the team during dispute between players and U.S. Soccer over working conditions and converted to defender. She was a starter and played every minute of all five matches at the Atlanta Olympic Games. Scored own goal against Germany in '99 World Cup quarterfinal, but scored tying goal for United States in the second half. Earned her 100th cap July 4 in World Cup semifinal victory over Brazil at nearby Stanford Stadium. Member of silver-medal winning team in Sydney Olympic Games.
College: Chastain began her college career at Cal, where she was Soccer America's national freshman of the year, and then transferred to Santa Clara, where she led the Broncos to two NCAA final four appearances and was named all-American and player of the year in 1990.
Personal: Brandi Denise Chastain. Born in San Jose, Calif. Married to Jerry Smith, women's soccer coach at Santa Clara University. Cameron, 12, is her stepson. Attended University of California, Berkeley (1986-88), Santa Clara University (1989-91). Graduated from Santa Clara with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in television communication.
2001 Regular Season Statistics
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