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 appointed Bellarmine University assistant and former University of Louisville midfielder Callie McKinney as its W League team head coach.
McKinney will lead Racing’s W League squad through its second summer campaign in the USL’s pre-professional women’s soccer league.
“I am super pumped and grateful for the opportunity to be coaching young, passionate and competitive ladies for the Racing W League team this summer,” McKinney said. “This is a great time to continue development for these ladies and compete at a high level in a professional environment. We will be intentional about getting 1% better every time we step on the pitch in preparation for our league games while also preparing them to go back to their college teams ready to compete at their best for their upcoming seasons.”
A Tennessee native, McKinney is entering her fourth season at Bellarmine and third as a full-time assistant. She also works in the Racing Louisville Academy, coaching the U-16 squad.
“We are looking forward to building off a great inaugural season in the W league. The W League has proven to be a great platform for our academy players to test themselves against older competition. It also has enabled us to provide opportunities for top collegiate players from this area and around the country as well as a platform for our coaches to continue to grow in their own personal coaching development.”
Before joining Bellarmine’s staff as a graduate assistant in 2020, McKinney was a standout midfielder for the University of Louisville, helping the Cardinals reach the NCAA Tournament in her final two seasons.
Racing’s pre-professional squad, which is comprised mainly of college athletes and academy standouts, will begin its W League season in mid-May before wrapping up in June. This season, Louisville will compete in the Valley Division along with clubs from Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio. Fans can see the full schedule by visiting RacingLouFC.com/WLeague.
Home W League games will be open to the public and free to attend at the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, located at 801 Edith Road in Louisville. Select home and away games may be streamed live via SportsEnginePlay.com
RACING LOUISVILLE FC’S 2024 W LEAGUE SCHEDULE
The USL W League on Thursday announced the 2024 schedule for Racing Louisville’s pre-professional team, with the Louisvillians once again playing 10 regular-season matches – five at home and five away – between mid-May and the end of June.
In 2022, Racing became the first W League member to complete its developmental pyramid starting from 3-year-olds to a team in the National Women’s Soccer League, widely regarded as the world’s top professional women’s soccer league.
The Racing Louisville Academy runs the W League squad, which will be coached by Callie McKinney for the second consecutive year. McKinney, an academy coach who is an assistant at Louisville’s Bellarmine University, led the team to an 8-1-1 record in 2023, missing the W League playoffs through a tiebreaker with Indy Eleven.
This year, Racing is again paired with four other teams in the W League Valley Division, competing against in-state foe Lexington SC as well as Indy Eleven, Cincinnati’s Kings Hammer and St. Charles (Mo.).
Louisville’s squad plays its home games at Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, located at 801 Edith Road. Home matches are free to attend and open to the public. Select home and away games may be streamed live via SportsEnginePlay.com
Racing opens with three straight home games, starting with the season kickoff at 6 p.m. on May 14 against Indy Eleven. Kings Hammer (May 22) and Lexington (May 29) come to Louisville next, with starts slated for 6 p.m.
Louisville plays two matches at Lexington this year at Georgetown (Ky.) College’s Toyota Stadium – first at 4 p.m. June 9 then at 7 p.m. June 21.
Fans can get the latest updates on Racing’s W League team by bookmarking RacingLouFC.com/WLeague.
2024 Racing Louisville FC USL W League schedule
(Home games listed in bold with all times Eastern)
May 14: Indy Eleven, 6 p.m.
May 22: Kings Hammer FC, 6 p.m.
May 29: Lexington SC, 6 p.m.
June 7: Indy Eleven, 7 p.m. (Grand Park Event Center)
June 9: Lexington SC, 4 p.m. (Georgetown College)
June 12: St. Charles FC, 4 p.m.
June 15: Kings Hammer FC, 7 p.m. (Thomas More University)
June 18: St. Charles FC, 5 p.m. (St. Peters-Lutheran HS)
June 21: Lexington SC, 7 p.m. (Georgetown College)
June 30: Indy Eleven, 4 p.m.
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)
