RACING LOUISVILLE FC RETURNS TO THE USL W LEAGUE
Racing Louisville FC is returning to the USL W League — the nation’s premier pre-professional women’s soccer circuit — for the 2024 season kicking off in May.
In 2022, Racing became the first W League member to complete its developmental pyramid topped by a franchise from the NWSL, widely regarded as the world’s top pro women’s soccer league.
The W League has a goal to form the next generation of women’s talent both on and off the field, enhancing the player pipeline between college and the pro ranks. It also strives to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity and career development.
Home W League games will be open to the public and free to attend at the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, 801 Edith Road. Select home and away games may be streamed live via SportsEnginePlay.com
Racing Louisville is operated by the same group, Soccer Holdings, LLC, as two-time USL Championship title winner Louisville City FC. The fast-growing organization hosts senior team games at 15,304 capacity Lynn Family Stadium and plans to play W League competitions at its nearby state-of-the-art practice facility.
Both Racing and LouCity formally launched their youth academies in the fall of 2020. Similar to the USL Academy League on the boys side, the W League rounds out the path to pro for the girls system, which begins for those as young as age 4, by providing an elite platform for prep-professional players to showcase themselves.
Racing Louisville FC has announced a coaching staff for the 2025 USL W League season as the club’s pre-professional squad enters its fourth campaign.
Racing will be coached this year by LouCity & Racing Academy directors Shaun Francis and Kiley Polk, who will lead a roster of college players and youth system standouts. Aspiring players can fill out the form at this link if interested in joining the team.
In 2022, Racing became the first W League member to complete its developmental pyramid ranging from 3-year-olds up to a top-tier National Women’s Soccer League club. Since then, multiple future NWSL players — including the league’s 2024 Defender of the Year Emily Sams (formerly Madril) — have come through Racing’s W League program.
This offseason, Racing’s pro team signed Louisville native Allie George to her first professional contract after three seasons in the W League program. The pre-professional squad has taken on added importance in the post-NWSL Draft era, when clubs can sign players directly from their youth ranks.
Francis, who works as the LouCity/Racing Oldham director, spent more than a decade playing professionally, including in Major League Soccer and for the Jamaican National Team. While representing LouCity in 2018, he helped the boys in purple to their second USL Championship title-winning campaign. Francis holds his USSF C License.
Polk serves as the academy’s U8-U10 director. The Louisville native spent three years playing for the University of Louisville before starting her coaching career with Racing Louisville’s first team in 2021. Polk, also an assistant coach at alma mater Sacred Heart Academy, is working toward her USSF B License.
Home games are free to attend and open to the public at the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, 801 Edith Road. Select home and away games may be streamed live via SportsEnginePlay.com
Fans can get the latest updates on Racing’s W League team by bookmarking RacingLouFC.com/WLeague.
RACING LOUISVILLE FC’S 2024 W LEAGUE SCHEDULE
Racing Louisville FC has announced its schedule for the 2025 USL W League season as the club’s pre-professional squad enters its fourth campaign.
The season kicks off May 14, and aspiring players can fill out the form at this link if interested in joining the team.
In 2022, Racing became the first W League member to complete its developmental pyramid ranging from 3-year-olds up to a top-tier National Women’s Soccer League club. Since then, multiple future NWSL players — including the league’s 2024 Defender of the Year Emily Sams (formerly Madril) — have come through Racing’s W League program.
This offseason, Racing’s pro team signed Louisville native Allie George to her first professional contract after three seasons in the W League program. The pre-professional squad has taken on added importance in the post-NWSL Draft era, when clubs can sign players directly from their youth ranks.
This year, Racing’s W League squad will again compete against four other teams from Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Home games are free to attend and open to the public at the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, 801 Edith Road. Select home and away games may be streamed live via SportsEnginePlay.com
Fans can get the latest updates on Racing’s W League team by bookmarking RacingLouFC.com/WLeague.
2025 Racing Louisville FC USL W League schedule
(Home games listed in bold with all times Eastern)
May 14: vs. Dayton Dutch Lions, 6 p.m.
May 17: at Kings Hammer FC, 7 p.m. (Cincinnati Christian Academy)
May 21: vs. Lexington SC, 6 p.m.
May 27: vs. Indy Eleven, 6 p.m.
June 3: at Kings Hammer FC, 7 p.m. (Cincinnati Christian Academy)
June 7: vs. Dayton Dutch Lions, 6 p.m.
June 11: at Lexington SC, 7 p.m. (Lexington Sporting Club Athletic Complex)
June 14: at Dayton Dutch Lions, 5 p.m. (West Carrollton HS)
June 18: vs. Kings Hammer FC, 6 p.m.
June 24: at Indy Eleven, 7 p.m. (Grand Park Sports Campus)
Racing Louisville FC announced its roster for the upcoming USL W League season, which kicks off May 14 and runs through June 21.
The 32-player roster consists of 19 Racing Louisville Academy players and 13 current collegiate athletes, with prominent NCAA programs such as North Carolina, Ohio State and Pitt represented on the roster. The Racing W League team will once again be led by coach Callie McKinney, the Bellarmine University head coach and former University of Louisville midfielder who also coaches in the Racing Academy.
Racing’s W League team is run by the Racing Academy and will play 10 matches – five home, five away – on the nation’s premier pre-professional women’s soccer circuit. Louisville is part of the league’s Valley Division, which also includes regional rivals Indy Eleven and Lexington SC.
“I am honored and grateful to have the opportunity to come back and lead the W league team again this season,” McKinney said. “I have an awesome staff coming back to work with me. We have built a team with some talented young women from some of the top college programs around the country and from within our own Racing Academy. They will be able to come in and adapt to our style of play with ease. As a staff, we are excited to continue to develop and be intentional with these young women in preparation for our league games and returning them back to their college teams and academy teams ready to compete at their best.”
This year’s Racing roster is headlined by Racing Academy standouts Tate Blincoe and AG Gibson, two college-bound prospects who trained and suited up for the Racing Louisville senior squad at The Women’s Cup Colombia in late February, early March. Blincoe, Kentucky’s Miss Soccer this past fall, is headed to Ole Miss for college, while Gibson will play for the hometown University of Louisville.
North Carolina standout defender Tessa Dellarose returns to the Racing squad, and the Pittsburgh native will be joined by six other Atlantic Coast Conference players. Louisville’s Brooke Dardano and Betsy Huckaby; Pitt’s Ellie Coffield and Sarah Schupansky; Syracuse’s Cierra Collins; and Virginia Tech’s Allie George are also on the squad.
Indiana center backs Piper Coffield and Avery Snead are part of the 11-player defensive corps. Minnesota midfielder Sophie Boman and Ohio State forward Amanda Schlueter round out the Big Ten Conference contingent.
Home W League games will be open to the public and free to attend at the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, 801 Edith Road.
Racing in 2022 became the first W League member with a National Women’s Soccer League team at the top of its developmental pyramid. Over the past two years, Racing’s W League rosters have featured several players who have become prominent NWSL players, including Orlando Pride defender Emily (Madril) Sams and Utah Royals forward Ally Sentnor, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft.
More information of the W League playoffs will be released later, and fans can get the latest updates by bookmarking RacingLouFC.com/WLeague.
Racing Louisville’s 2024 W League roster (club/college)
Goalkeepers (3): Amber Brandon (Racing Academy), Hannah Hayden (Racing Academy), Emma Teague (Racing Academy)
Defenders (11): Tate Blincoe (Racing Academy), Piper Coffield (Indiana), Cierra Collins (Syracuse), Tessa Dellarose (North Carolina), Allie George (Virginia Tech), Trista Morris (Racing Academy), Katelyn Rowlett (Eastern Kentucky), Erica Skrodzki (Racing Academy), Avery Snead (Indiana), Adison Welsh (Racing Academy), Ava Wilson (Racing Academy)
Midfielders (11): Sophia Boman (Minnesota), Ellie Coffield (Pitt), Breanna Dardano (Racing Academy), Makayla DeMelo (Long Beach State), AG Gibson (Racing Academy), Ava Hendrick (Racing Academy), Betsy Huckaby (Louisville), Taylor Morris (Racing Academy), Molly Richards (Racing Academy), Cooper Stiefvater (Racing Academy), Lillia Work (Racing Academy)
Forwards (7): Avery Allen (Racing Academy), Caitlyn Chase (Racing Academy), Brooke Dardano (Louisville), Lilly Lund (Racing Academy), Brunella Pilati (Racing Academy), Amanda Schlueter (Ohio State), Sarah Schupansky (Pitt)
