Wisconsin Soccer Central

Two players who grew up playing soccer in Wisconsin will be teammates in the National Women's Soccer League.

Forward Casey Loyd (Cedarburg) signed with FC Kansas City earlier this week, joining defender Lauren Sesselmann(Green Bay Notre Dame) on the roster for the inaugural NWSL season.

Loyd, whose maiden name is Nogueira, scored eight goals in 42 appearances in Women's Professional Soccer with the Chicago Red Stars in 2010 and Sky Blue FC in 2011.

She had six goals and four assists for FC Dallas in the Women's Premier Soccer League, and was a fourth-round pick by FC Kansas City in the NWSL Supplemental Draft.

"We have a style of play here that requires great foot skill and smart decision making," FC Kansas City coach Vlatko Andonovski said in a news release. "Casey will be able to step in and help immediately."

The 24-year-old Loyd played for Cedarburg SC and at Cedarburg High School as a freshman before moving to Raleigh, N.C. She went on to star at North Carolina from 2006 to '09, scoring in the semifinal and final as the Tar Heels won the 2006 NCAA title, and appeared for the U.S. Under-16, Under-17 and Under-20 national teams.

Loyd, the daughter of legendary Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Victor Nogueira, earned her lone cap for the full U.S. national team in a 1-1 draw with England on Jan. 28, 2007. Last fall, she married Zach Loyd, a defender for Major League Soccer club FC Dallas who also played at North Carolina.

• Sesselmann and Red Stars defender Carmelina Moscato, a former University of Wisconsin assistant, were among the 19 players named to Canada's roster for upcoming international friendlies in France and England. The Canadians will face France next Thursday in Nice, then take on England on April 7 in Rotherham. Canada beat France 1-0 in the bronze-medal match at the Olympics last August in England, while England beat Canada 1-0 in the final of the Cyprus Cup earlier this month. Sesselmann has 30 caps (28 starts) for Canada over the past three years.