Hope Solo coming back to Seattle, signs with Sounders Women

U.S. women's soccer star Hope Solo, who is from Richland and played at the University of Washington, is coming back to her home state to play for the Sounders Women of the W-league.

Solo's signing is good for soccer fans in the region, but is also a reflection of the struggles of the women's game. Solo, like most of the top players in the country as well as other international stars, previously played in Women's Professional Soccer, which recently announced it was suspending operations. That means top-level players such as Solo are now looking for new teams.

“Hope is undoubtedly the best women's keeper in the game today,” Sounders general manager Amy Carnell said in press release. “Her signing represents the caliber player Sounders Women's fans can expect in 2012. As the landscape of women's soccer continues to evolve, we realize the unique opportunity before us.

In addition to Solo, the Sounders also signed forward Sydney Leroux, another member of the U.S. National team who recently finished her playing career at UCLA. Leroux, who was born in Surrey, British Columbia, was a first-round pick in last month's WPS draft before the league folded.