Racing Louisville FC on Tuesday 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)
