Jersey Sky Blue News Release - www.skybluesoccer.com

Friday, March 14, 2008

BEDMINSTER, NJ -- Sky Blue Soccer announced a major addition to its W-League team today with Yolanda Odenyo joining Jersey Sky Blue for the 2008 season. An international for Sweden on multiple youth levels, Odenyo has also put together an outstanding college career earning All-America status at Oklahoma State University.

Odenyo joins Sky Blue with experience playing for the Sweden National Team on the Under-16, U-17, U-19, and U-21 youth levels. She appeared for Sweden in the 2002 and 2003 European U-19 Championships serving as captain in 2003 when the team advanced to the semifinal round. Odenyo also brings five years of experience in the Damallsvenskan - Sweden’s top women’s league.

"Yolanda is a very important addition to our club," said Jersey Sky Blue head coach Denise Reddy, who competed against Odenyo during her playing days at Malmö DFF.

"Before leaving Sweden to go to college in the states, she played five years in the Swedish Allsvenska. I played against her several times and even at a very young age she was a dominant presence. She is a technical and physical player that can play anywhere on the field. I believe that Yolanda will find her way back into the Swedish National Team in the near future."

During her time in the Damallsvenskan, Odenyo played for Bälinge from 2000 to 2004 and for AIK for a short period of time in 2005 before leaving for Oklahoma State. She has also played for the Gamla Upsala club in her hometown of Uppsala, Sweden.

At Oklahoma State, Odenyo has been a dominant force the past three years highlighted by a selection to both the NSCAA and SoccerBuzz All-America first team in 2006 - the first All-America selection in the history of the program. In her first three seasons, she led the Cowgirls to a 41-15-9 record including a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons.

This past fall, Odenyo was named Team MVP for the 14-6-3 Cowgirls starting all 23 games and finishing second on the team with seven goals and 17 points. She earned All-Big 12 first team honors for the second season in a row and was also named to the Big 12 All-Tournament team. She was named to the SoccerBuzz All-America second team and NSCAA and SoccerBuzz All-Central Region first team while also earning NSCAA Scholar All-America third team honors on the academic side.

In 2006, Odenyo earned All-America first team status by leading Oklahoma State to a 17-3-3 mark and a second-place finish in the Big 12. She finished with five goals and eight assists for a team-high 18 points in 21 games earning Big 12 Co-Player of the Year honors.

Season tickets and group packages are available now through the Sky Blue Soccer website for Jersey Sky Blue’s second season in the W-League. Sky Blue will open the season on May 10 when it travels to Framingham, MA to face the Boston Renegades. Jersey Sky Blue opens its home schedule on May 31 when it hosts Boston in a return match at 7:30 pm at Drew University’s Ranger Stadium in Madison, NJ.

SKY BLUE PROFILE: Yolanda Odenyo
• Hometown: Uppsala, Sweden
• Birthdate: March 19, 1984
• Former member of Sweden National Team on the youth level playing at the Under-16, U-17, U-19 and U-21 levels
• Represented Sweden at the 2002 and 2003 European U-19 Championships guiding the team to the semifinals in 2003 as team captain
• Played for Sweden in the 2001 Nordic Cup
• Played in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan with Bälinge (2000-04), AIK (2005) and also played with Gamla Upsala before 2000 and in 2007
• Signed for FC Indiana of the WPSL in 2006
• Has one more year of eligibility remaining at Oklahoma State University
• In 2007, led the Cowgirls to a 14-6-3 mark including a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament
• Finished second on the team with 17 points on seven goals and three assists in 23 starts
• Earned SoccerBuzz All-America second team honors
• Earned NSCAA Scholar All-America third team honors
• Named to the All-Big 12 first team and Big 12 All-Tournament team
• Named to the All-Central Region first team by the NSCAA and SoccerBuzz
• In 2006, helped the Cowgirls to a 17-3-3 mark that included a second-place finish in the Big 12 and a trip to the NCAA Tournament second round
• Started 21 games recording five goals and eight assists for a team-leading 18 points
• Garnered All-America first team honors from NSCAA and SoccerBuzz
• Named the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year and SoccerBuzz Central Region Player of the Year
• In 2005, made her college debut as Oklahoma State posted a 10-6-3 mark
• Started 17 of 19 games posting seven goals and four assists for 18 points
• Named to the Freshmen All-America second team by SoccerBuzz
• Earned All-Big 12 second team honors
• Named All-Central Region third team and Central Region All-Freshmen team by SoccerBuzz