The Western New York Flash of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) Elite League announced that they have re-signed Portuguese International Kimberly Brandao and goalkeeper Brittany Cameron. Both players were part of the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) Championship squad that went 13-2-3, capturing the Regular Season title as well as defeating the Philadelphia Independence in PK’s in the championship match.
The WPSL Elite League was formed in the wake of the suspension of the 2012 WPS season. The eight-team league includes WNY Flash and WPS rival Boston Breakers, as well as former WPS team Chicago Red Stars. WPSL sides ASA Chesapeake Charge, FC Indiana, New England Mutiny and New York Fury, and independent Philadelphia Fever round out the league.
Defender Brandao is an experienced Portuguese International who has over 30 caps and currently captains her side. The Rahway, NJ, native capped a stellar career at Rutgers in 2006 with 84 career appearances and was named to the Soccerbuzz All America third team. She also earned NSCAA and SoccerBuzz All-Mid Atlantic Region First Team honors and All-Big EAST second team selection.
As a senior in 2006, Brandao helped organize a defense that allowed just 0.85 goals per match and led the Scarlet Knights to its best season ever and the programs first trip to the Big EAST Tournament final. The Scarlet Knight alum then went on to play professionally in the Swedish Damallsvenskan for Falkopings KIK and in the Spanish Superliga Femenina for CF Puebla. Following her stints in Europe, she competed for Sky Blue in 2007 and 2008 in the W-League.
Brandao made her move to the Flash family in 2009 and has since appeared in over 30 matches for the Flash, including captaining the side to the W-League Championship in 2010 where she was named to the W-League All Conference Team. Brandao, 28, made her WPS debut in a 3-2 victory over the Boston Breakers on May 13, 2011, and assisted on fellow 2012 teammate McCall Zerboni’s goal in that very same match. Brandao has cemented herself in the WNY area, working for the University at Buffalo’s Women’s Soccer team as an assistant coach.
Cameron was drafted as the 52nd pick in the 2009 WPS Draft and spent the 2009 season with the Regular Season Champion LA Sol. After the Sol folded, Cameron moved up the coast to play for the Bay Area’s FC Gold Pride, who won the 2010 WPS Championship. Cameron started and appeared in three games for the Pride, playing 270 minutes and boasting a 1.00 GAA in between the pipes. The California native continued her string of championships, coming to WNY to play for the Flash in 2011 and helping the squad win the regular season title and WPS Championship game.
Prior to playing in the WPS, Cameron graduated from the University of San Diego where she lettered all four years. She played in 16 matches as a freshman and posted a team best 1.84 goals against average. As a sophomore, the 25 year old posted a team leading GAA of 1.21 and recorded a record of 8-4-0 including five shutouts. In her junior season, Cameron played in all 21 games with 20 starts and recorded 78 saves and nine shutouts. In her senior year, Cameron was named WCC Defensive Player of the Year, NSCAA Second Team All West, and All-WCC First Team.