Shannon Boxx

A consistent, rugged and durable defensive midfielder, Boxx has been among the world's best at her position for nearly a decade. Her rise to the national team was somewhat unexpected after starring in the now defunct WUSA from 2001-03, but she earned a place on the 2003 World Cup squad that went on to finish third. Since then, she's made 164 appearances, scoring 23 goals while acting as the engine behind the Americans becoming the first women's soccer team to win consecutive Olympic golds. Boxx had two assists in five games as the U.S. punched its ticket to London via the CONCACAF qualifying tournament. She featured prominently again at last summer's World Cup, but missed on a penalty kick as the U.S. went on to lose to Japan in the final. She'll be expected to provide grit and possession in the middle of the field, and her success will go a long way if the U.S. is to win a third straight gold. Her role also involves physical play, and that means drawing fouls instead of committing them. Her most glaring penalty-related incident came at the 2007 World Cup, when she was issued a red card in a semifinal loss to Brazil.