Sky Blue Adds Top Young Americans Blank, DeMaio

Blank and DeMaio were teammates on the club level with the highly successful PDA Wildcats. The duo helped that Wildcats team to the 2003 U-15 National Championship along with a third-place finish in 2004 and second-place finishes in 2005 & 2006.

“We’re happy to add two top young New Jersey talents to our Sky Blue squad,” said Jersey Sky Blue Head Coach Denise Reddy. “Gina and Carolyn come from a highly successful club team and that enabled them to be impact players at their respective college programs. I’m hoping their experiences on the club, college, and national team levels will factor into Sky Blue’ success this season.”

Blank joins Sky Blue after two successful seasons at West Virginia University. The Toms River, NJ native guided the Mountaineers to their most successful season ever in 2007 earning team MVP honors in the process. Blank started all 25 games and posted three goals and four assists as West Virginia tied a school record for wins with an 18-5-2 mark and also captured the BIG EAST Tournament championship before advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. Blank was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the BIG EAST Tournament and also earned All-BIG EAST second team honors.

DeMaio returns to Sky Blue after making her W-League debut in 2007 when she appeared in 13 games and accounted for three goals and one assist for seven points. On the collegiate level, the Parsippany, NJ native led Rutgers University in scoring in each of her first two seasons with the team. As a freshman in 2006, DeMaio was a key factor as the Scarlet Knights posted their best season ever setting a school record for wins with a 16-3-4 mark. The two-time All-BIG EAST second team selection has 10 goals and 10 assists for 30 points in 43 games through her first two seasons at Rutgers.

Season tickets and group packages are available now through the Sky Blue Soccer website – www.SkyBlueSoccer.com – for Jersey Sky Blue 2008 W-League season.

SKY BLUE PROFILE: Carolyn Blank

• Hometown: Toms River, NJ
• Born: March 23, 1988
• Current member of the United States Under-20 National Team pool
• Member of the US U-17 National Team (2004-2005)
• Member of the US U-16 National Team (2003-2004)
• Will be a junior at West Virginia University this fall
• As a sophomore in 2007, earned team MVP honors by starting all 25 games and posting three goals and four assists for 10 points
• Helped the Mountaineers to their best season ever with their first NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearance while tying a school record for wins with an 18-5-2 mark
• Named Most Outstanding Defensive Player and earned a spot on the All-Tournament team as WVU captured its first BIG EAST Tournament championship
• Named to the All-BIG EAST second team
• Named to the All-Mid Atlantic Region second team by both the NSCAA and SoccerBuzz
• As a freshman in 2006, started all 21 games on defense finishing with one goal while helping the defense shut out 13 opponents
• Named to the Freshman All-America fourth team and the SoccerBuzz Freshman All-Mid Atlantic Region team by SoccerBuzz
• Starred on the scholastic level at Toms River High School East
• Finished her senior year with 30 goals and 10 assists to become the all-time leading scorer for the Raiders with 106 goals and 38 assists
• Earned Associated Press All-State second team honors (2003-2005)
• Named a three-time NSCAA Girls Youth All-American (2003-2005) and a Parade All-American (2006)
• Member of the PDA Wildcats club team that won the 2003 U-15 National Championship and finished third in 2004 and second in 2005 & 2006

SKY BLUE PROFILE: Gina DeMaio

• Hometown: Parsippany, NJ
• Born: April 2, 1988
• Played for Jersey Sky Blue in the W-League in 2007 appearing in 13 games with three goals and one assist for seven points
• Current member of the United States Under-20 National Team pool
• Attended training camp with the US U-20 team in April of 2008
• Attended camp with the United States Under-20 National Team in February 2007
• Took part in the US U-20 Inter-Regional camp in January 2007
• Former member of the US U-16 National Team
• Will be a junior this fall at Rutgers University
• As a sophomore in 2007, started 20 games leading the Scarlet Knights (9-9-3) in scoring with five goals and two assists for 12 points
• Named to the All-Mid Atlantic Region second team by NSCAA and third team by SoccerBuzz
• Named to the All-BIG EAST second team
• As a freshman in 2006, led the Scarlet Knights to a school record for wins with a 16-3-4 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament
• Started all 23 games and led Rutgers in scoring with five goals and eight assists for 18 points
• Earned NSCAA and SoccerBuzz All-Mid-Atlantic Region second team honors
• Named to the SoccerBuzz First Team Freshman All-America and All-Mid Atlantic Region Freshman first team honors
• Named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team
• Earned Associated Press All-State first-team honors at Parsippany Hills High School
• Posted 25 goals and 14 assists as a senior
• Started her career at Morris Catholic High School where she won the Parochial B state title as a sophomore
• Named to the 2005 NSCAA/adidas Girls Youth All-America Team
• Member of the PDA Wildcats club team that won the 2003 U-15 National Championship and finished third in 2004 and second in 2005 & 2006