Canada's LeBlanc, Chapman join women's pro soccer league

Canadians Karina LeBlanc and Candace Chapman are headed to Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer.

LeBlanc, Canada's veteran goalkeeper, and Chapman, a defender, are coming off a gold-medal performance at the Pan American Games last month in Guadalajara, Mexico.

LeBlanc returns to New Jersey after helping the New Jersey Wildcats win the 2005 USL W-League championship. She also worked as a goalkeepers coach at Rutgers University.

"We are very excited to have Karina come back to New Jersey," Sky Blue coach Jim Gabarra said in a release. "She is a very flamboyant and experienced goalkeeper who will bring a lot of leadership to the field in terms of motivation. She will be a great addition for us in goal, as well as personality-wise."

LeBlanc has 90 international caps and has made a Canadian-record four World Cup appearances. The 31-year-old from Maple Ridge, B.C., was instrumental in Canada's first Pan Am title, stopping a pair of shots in a penalty shootout against Brazil.

She's played for the Boston Breakers of the Women's United Soccer Association, the Montreal Xtreme of the USL W-League, the Los Angeles Sol, and the Philadelphia Independence. She played last season for magicJack SC of WPS before that franchise was terminated last month.

Chapman will become the only player in WPS history to have played for all three league champions.

The 28-year-old from Ajax, Ont., has anchored the defence of FC Gold Pride and the Western New York Flash the past two seasons, capping off each campaign with a WPS championship.

She has 91 caps and six goals for Canada.

"Candace helps us address our central defender needs with someone who is a calm player, and she will organize and motivate our team in the back as well," Gabarra said. "She has very good international experience and has also won championships in each of the past two seasons."