Racing Louisville FC has hired U.S. Women’s National Team manager Ryan Dell as its general manager, the club announced Wednesday.
Reporting directly to club ownership, Dell will serve as a liaison between the team and front office, overseeing all soccer operations for Racing Louisville. His duties include oversight of performance, player recruitment and compliance as well as support and insight for players and staff while continuously implementing best practices across professional soccer.
“I’m so excited to be here in Louisville,” Dell said. “The potential is limitless for this club and team. There’s a foundation for Louisville to be a destination in the NWSL. Having worked with many of these players and with my previous experience in a highly professional setting, I know we will keep working hard to maintain a positive environment for our players to thrive on the field and be completely supported and cared for off it.”
“We are excited to have Ryan join our team,” said John Neace, the chairman of Soccer Holdings, LLC, the parent company of Racing Louisville FC. “His prior experience with the U.S. Women’s National Team should prove invaluable to us. Throughout his steady climb up the soccer ladder, Ryan has shown a willingness to play whatever role is necessary to get to and, more importantly, remain at the top.”
The 30-year-old Dell comes to Racing Louisville after nine-plus years with the U.S. Soccer Federation, having spent his entire stint there with the Women’s National Team. The University of Missouri graduate started as an equipment manager in 2013 and worked his way to his most recent role, serving as the leader of team operations. He has played an integral role in the team’s preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and was part of the support staff for the U.S. teams that won the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
Dell is already familiar with several Racing players, having previously worked with Savannah DeMelo, Jaelin Howell, Jess McDonald, Paige Monaghan and Carson Pickett when they’ve been called into USWNT senior or identification camps. McDonald was part of the 2019 U.S. squad that won the FIFA World Cup in France, while DeMelo, Howell and Pickett have all been called into national team camps over the past year.
“Hiring Ryan is such a huge step for our club,” said Howell, Racing’s team captain who has made five appearances for the USWNT. “No doubt he is going to help us grow into the successful organization we want to be. Anyone who has worked with Ryan not only knows how incredibly good he is at his job, but also how great of a person he is, too. We are so excited to welcome him.”
Dell’s work as the USWNT Administrator and Team Manager focused on operations and logistics, ranging from preparing and managing the team’s budget, schedule and travel to overseeing management and administration of issues related to the team’s collective bargaining agreement.
He has worked closely with two national team head coaches and one general manager to create the desired settings for success and player care, playing a vital role in all aspects of fostering a team environment and preparations.
“When hiring someone to be a leader in your organization, honesty, work ethic and the ability to interact well with a diverse group of people are all valuable qualities, and Ryan Dell personifies those qualities,” said U.S. Women’s National Team coach Vlatko Andonovski. “He cares tremendously about doing highly professional work and about the people he is working with. He has very high standards for himself and his organization, and I know he’ll be a great person to help lead Racing Louisville forward as the club and the NWSL continue to grow.”
“We’ll miss Ryan as a member of our national team staff, but we’ll miss him more as a person,” said USWNT general manager Kate Markgraf. “He holds himself to high standards, and he could always be counted on under pressure to handle the huge workload that he took on. I know he’ll be a valuable addition to Racing, and I look forward to working with him in his new role.”
A St. Louis native, Dell worked first as assistant equipment manager at the 2015 World Cup, then as the head equipment manager in 2019. He was promoted to Team Administrator shortly after the 2019 tournament.
His work in a number of key areas supporting a high-level soccer team made Dell an attractive candidate for the Racing GM position. Racing coach Kim Björkegren said Dell’s reputation preceded him, with Dell receiving rave reviews from players and USWNT staffers during the interview process.
“I am so happy to have Ryan joining our club in this new role,” Björkegren said. “The most important thing is he has the backing of our players. They strongly support him. We have heard so many good things about him, especially around his attention to detail and work ethic. We have something great going here, and I know he is only going to help us keep improving as a club.”
Dell and his wife, Kirsten, have moved to Louisville, and he recently started work with the club after a National Women’s Soccer League background check. Björkegren and the rest of Racing’s technical and support staff will report to Dell, who went through multiple rounds of interviews before his appointment, including with Racing players.
Racing’s home opener is set for 3 p.m. Saturday against the Washington Spirit at Lynn Family Stadium. Racing will host 14 matches this season at Lynn Family Stadium – 11 regular-season games and three NWSL UKG Challenge Cup contests.
Single-game and season tickets as well as flex packs and other deals are available now at RacingLouFC.com/tickets or by calling (502) 568-2489 during regular business hours.
