While the newly formed Philadelphia Fever have been quietly assembling a NCAA-compliant roster that includes a number of standout players with local connections, former WPS teams Western New York Flash and Boston Breakers, not to mention former Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley’s New York Fury, have been grabbing the Elite League headlines.

Don’t think the Fever’s new players haven’t noticed.

Fever head coach Stuart Gore told PSP, “The girls are brimming, they’re ready to burst. They’re ready to prove a point.”

And so is Gore.

“People have written us off,” he said, describing the coverage the team has received in the national soccer press. “For me, I’m ready to prove a lot of sports writers wrong. Hopefully, we’ll be taking some people by surprise.”

Gore’s players, unlike a number of their Elite League counterparts, are unpaid. And his team is filled with players ready to make the step to the next level.

“I tell them they’ve got twelve games to prove they’re better than their counterparts on the field that are being paid.”

And he’s happy to give them the opportunity to prove it.

“I want everyone to get the opportunity to be a pro. I’d happily send them on their way.”

The players will have the first first opportunity of the twelve game season on Sunday night when they host New England Mutiny in the Fever’s home opener on Sunday at Washington Township High School in Sewell, NJ.

First kick is at 7:30pm.

It’s time to catch the Fever.

Goalkeepers

• Michele Dalton (Mt. Prospect, Ill., University of Wisconsin): Named Big Ten’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week four times.
• Sara Keane (Mt. Laurel, N.J., West Virginia): USWNT U-20, All Big East second team in 2011.
• Sarah Banks (Okemos, Mich, University of Pennsylvania): First Team All- Ivy 2011.

Defenders

• Megan Minnix (Columbus, Ohio, University of Charlotte): Atlantic 10 Conference Female Athlete of the Year
• Myrium Bouchard (Quebec, Canada, Virginia Commonwealth University): Captained Canada U20’s at the U20 World Cup in Germany
• Molly Allen (Halifax, Canada, Virginia Commonwealth University): Long time Canadian National team player, named Soccer Buzz’s Mid-Atlantic Region All Freshman Team 2008
• Shannon Roche (Yardley, Pa., University of Illinois): 2010 New Jersey Girls Player to Watch and ESPN Rise State All-Star
• Kelly Lynch (Mullica Hill, N.J., Virginia Tech): USWNT U-20
• Hali Oughton (Redondo Beach, Cal., East Carolina): Named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll

Midfielders

• Leanne Champ (Portsmouth, UK, Chelsea FC): Ten caps for England and has won trophies at Arsenal and Chelsea
• Dylan Jordan (Palmyra, Tenn, University of Mississippi): Named to ALL-SEC Second Team
• Emily Grant (Adamstown, MD, Vanderbilt): 19 starts for Vanderbilt
• Brittany Baldwin (Collierville, Tenn, University of Memphis): Graduated the U of M as a member of the successful women’s soccer class in school history with 59 wins
• Jen Dervarics (Emmaus, Pa., Bucknell): Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, On Bucknell’s career top-10 lists, ranks sixth in points (61) and is seventh in goals (24) and assists (13)
• Erin Beck (Fort Wayne, Ind., University of Pennsylvania): 2nd Team NSCAA All Region (Mid Atlantic), 1st Team All- Ivy

Midfielder/Forwards

• Brittany Ratcliffe (Franklin Twp, NJ, committed to University of Virginia): USWNT U-15, Top Drawer Soccer Player to Watch

Forwards

• Cherie Sayon (Monrovia, Liberia, Clayton State University): Liberia International, All-Peach Belt Conference and Division II All- Southeast Region two straight seasons
• Kelsey Haycook (Point Pleasant, N.J., La Salle University): Soccer America All Freshman Team
• Madison Clemens ( Reading, Pa., Boston University): Started all 23 games for the Terriers and ties for third with 6 goals
• Blake Stockton (Linwood, N.J., University of Miami): Played in all 19 games as a Freshman at Miami
• Laura DiClemente (Blue Bell, Pa., Providence College): Led Providence with 21 points including 9 goals
• Kathryn Barth (Bethesda, Md., University of Pennsylvania): Second-team NSCAA All-Region (Mid-Atlantic), Second-team All-Ivy