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US announces roster for CONCACAF championship

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

The U.S. women’s national team continues to stand by Hope Solo, who faces domestic violence charges in Washington state. The goalkeeper is on the roster for the upcoming CONCACAF championship, which serves as qualifying for next year’s World Cup.

The championships for soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean region will be played in four U.S. cities, opening Oct. 15 in Kansas City, Kansas. The championship will be played Oct. 26 in Chester, Pennsylvania, with the top three finishers earning a World Cup spot.

Solo was charged with two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree domestic violence assault following a physical altercation with her sister and nephew during a June party in Kirkland, Washington. She has pleaded not guilty and her trial is set for Nov. 4.

Some have called for U.S. Soccer to suspend Solo until she goes to trial, but on Monday coach Jill Ellis reiterated the national team’s decision to keep her in goal.

“I’ve had a lot of thought and discussion within U.S. Soccer and certainly we acknowledge these are very serious issues,” Ellis said. “But after careful thought and consideration, we determined to stand by our decision to let the legal process play out and have Hope remain with the team.”

Jillian Loyden, a backup goalkeeper to Solo on the national team until she announced her retirement from the team on Monday, wrote in an op-ed published in USA Today that she believes Solo should not play until the legal matter is decided.

“Hope Solo is my teammate and a personal mentor. But I cannot stand by as young fans receive the message that this behavior — even if the allegations proved to be inaccurate — can go unnoticed,” Loyden wrote.

Loyden’s 23-year-old sister, Britton, died in an alleged domestic assault by her boyfriend, who is awaiting trial.

Solo has been with the U.S. women since 2000 and recently surpassed the team’s all-time record for shutouts.

Only one other goalkeeper is on the 20-player roster for the CONCACAF championships: Ashlyn Harris, who played last season for the NWSL’s Washington Spirit. Alyssa Naeher, who plays for the Boston Breakers, will train with the team in preparation for the event but will not play.

Other players on the roster include veterans Abby Wambach and Christine Rampone, as well as forward Alex Morgan and midfielder Megan Rapinoe, and University of Virginia midfielder Morgan Brian.

It is the first international tournament for Ellis, who took over on an interim basis when Tom Sermanni was fired in April and then got the job in May. The U.S. women are 10-2-3 so far in 2014 and coming off of two straight exhibition wins against Mexico.

Fourteen of the players on the roster participated in the qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympics, where the women claimed the gold medal. Eleven players have prior World Cup qualifying experience.

CONCACAF is expected to announce the rosters of the competing teams later on Monday.

The U.S. women landed in Group A with Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala and Haiti. Group B includes Costa Rica, Mexico, Jamaica, and Martinique.

The fourth-place finisher will face a South American team in a playoff later this year. As the host, Canada has already secured a World Cup spot.

The United States lost to Mexico in the semifinal during qualifying for the 2011 World Cup. It forced the U.S. team into the third-place match and then a two-game playoff against Italy for a spot in the premier tournament.

The U.S. team went on to advance to the final of the World Cup in Germany, but lost to Japan on penalty kicks. Ranked No. 1 in the world for the past five years, the Americans last won a World Cup in 1999.

The roster by position, including NWSL club team:

Goalkeepers: Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC).

Defenders: Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Whitney Engen (Houston Dash), Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Dash), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)

Midfielers: Morgan Brian (Virginia), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Carli Lloyd (WNY Flash), Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)

Forwards: Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach (WNY Flash)

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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