RACING LOUISVILLE FC RETURNS TO THE USL W LEAGUE FOR 2023 SEASON

Racing Louisville FC is returning to the USL W League — the nation’s premier pre-professional women’s soccer circuit — for the 2023 season kicking off in May.

Racing last year 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.

With more than 40 teams signed on, 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 away games may be streamed live via ElevenSports.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 finished the 2022 season with a 6-3-3 (21 points) record, just missing out on the eight-team playoff, formed by seven division winners and a wild card bid. Three members of the squad were drafted into the NWSL, with two having their name called in the first round.

Racing Louisville FC appointed Bellarmine University assistant and former University of Louisville midfielder Callie McKinney as its W League team head coach for the 2023 season, the club announced Thursday.

McKinney will lead Racing’s W League squad through its second summer campaign in the USL’s pre-professional women’s soccer league. The full technical staff will be announced at a later date.

“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 alongside Youth Academy Director Mario Sanchez, coaching the U-16 squad.

“We are excited to have Callie lead our W League team this summer,” Sanchez said. “Callie has worked in our academy for the last two years and has proven to be an outstanding coach. Most importantly, she is a great leader and mentor for our players. 

“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. She was a teammate of current Racing Louisville forward Emina Ekic for three years.

“This honor is very well deserved,” Ekic said of McKinney. “Callie took me in and helped me get adjusted to college soccer when I arrived as a freshman. I learned a lot from her during my time at Louisville, and I know she makes an amazing coach.”

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 away games may be streamed live via ElevenSports.com.

RACING LOUISVILLE FC’S 2023 W LEAGUE SCHEDULE

Racing Louisville FC’s USL W League squad is set to play five home and five road matches between mid-May and late June in the pre-professional circuit’s second year of existence.

Last year, 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.

Racing will compete this year in the W League’s Valley Division, opening play at home on May 18 against cross-state foe Lexington SC. The remaining nine matches will be played through June 29 against clubs from Indiana, Missouri and Ohio.

Racing’s 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 away games may be streamed live via ElevenSports.com.

This season, the league has established four regional conferences – Central, Eastern, Southern and Western — a move that will alter the 2023 playoff structure. Racing and the rest of the Valley Division will compete in the Central Conference. 

Each team will play 10-12 matches against divisional opponents over the course of the regular season. Upon the start of the playoffs, conferences will be used to regionalize matchups with player welfare in mind. More information of the W League playoffs will be released later, and fans can get the latest updates by bookmarking RacingLouFC.com/WLeague.

The W League has a goal to form the next generation of women’s soccer 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.

2023 Racing Louisville FC USL W League schedule

(Home games listed in bold with all times Eastern)

May 18: Lexington SC, 6 p.m.

May 21: St. Charles FC, 5 p.m.

May 31: Kings Hammer FC, 6 p.m.

June 2: Indy Eleven, 7 p.m.

June 6: Indy Eleven, 6 p.m.

June 11: Lexington SC, 4 p.m.

Jun 14: Kings Hammer FC, 5 p.m.

June 18: St. Charles FC, 5 p.m.

June 24: St. Charles FC, 4 p.m.

June 29: Kings Hammer FC, 7 p.m.

The USL W League has divided into 10 divisions for 2023, with Racing Louisville FC being placed in the Valley Division along with St. Charles FC (St. Peters, Missouri), Kings Hammer FC (Cincinnati), Lexington SC (Lexington, Kentucky) and Indy Eleven (Indianapolis). 

New this season, the league has established four regional conferences – Central, Eastern, Southern and Western – which will alter the 2023 playoff structure. Racing and the Valley Division will compete in the Central Conference. 

Each team will play 10 to 12 matches against divisional opponents over the course of the regular season. Upon the start of playoffs, conferences will be used to regionalize matchups with player welfare in mind.

Racing’s home W League games will again be open to the public and free to attend at the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, 801 Edith Road. Select away games may be streamed live via ElevenSports.com.

Central Conference

Eastern Conference

Southern Conference

Western Conference

Racing Louisville FC on Monday announced its roster for the upcoming USL W League season, which kicks off May 18 and runs through June 29.

The squad, which is run by the Racing Academy and will play on the nation’s premier pre-professional women’s soccer circuit, features 41 players from a variety backgrounds, from the Racing Academy to area colleges. The Racing W League team will be led by coach Callie McKinney, a Bellarmine University assistant and former University of Louisville midfielder who also coaches U-16s in the Racing Academy.

“I am thrilled with the team we have put together for this summer,” McKinney said. “The team has come together well, with a mix of some top-level college players and Racing Academy players. These young women are very talented and will fit well within the style of play that follows the first team. These are all players who aspire to play at the next level and are coming to get important experience and exposure with the first team and develop for their college seasons. As for the Academy players, it will be an invaluable experience to train and play games with the players from these top colleges. Overall, this team will be a special and great group to coach.” 

Racing’s roster is headlined by Ella Sanchez, the reigning Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year and Ballard High and Racing Academy standout who recently competed at the U-17 World Cup. Makayla DeMelo, a Loyola Marymount midfielder and the younger sister of Racing star Savannah DeMelo, will also play for Racing’s W League squad this summer

In all, the roster splits down the middle between academy and collegiate prospects, with 25 college players. Fourteen different colleges will be represented. Sixteen Racing Academy players will play on the squad, along with four University of Louisville players and two from the University of Kentucky.

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 away games will be streamed live via ElevenSports.com.

Racing in 2022 became the first W League member with a National Women’s Soccer League team at the top of its developmental pyramid.

This season, the league has established four regional conferences – Central, Eastern, Southern and Western — a move that will alter the 2023 playoff structure. Racing and the rest of the Valley Division will compete in the Central Conference. 

Each team will play 10-12 matches against divisional opponents over the course of the regular season. Upon the start of the playoffs, conferences will be used to regionalize matchups with player welfare in mind. 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 2023 W League roster (club/college)

Goalkeepers (5): Amber Brandon (Racing Academy), Sam Castaneda (IPFW), Hanna Hargrave (Wright State), Hannah Hayden (Racing Academy), Ameerah Maamry (Racing Academy)

Defenders (11): Michela Agresti (Boston College), Tate Blincoe (Racing Academy), Zara Chavoshi (Wake Forest), Breanna Dardano (Racing Academy), Molly Feighan (Virginia Tech/St. John’s), Allie George (Virginia Tech), Audrey King (Racing Academy), Rachel Kutella (Missouri), Grace Pettet (Missouri), Kaitlyn Rowlett (Eastern Kentucky), Adison Welsh (Racing Academy)

Midfielders (13): Sam Agresti (Boston College), Makayla DeMelo (Loyola Marymount), Caroline Donovan (Samford), Coriana Dyke (Penn State), Haley Flynn (Racing Academy), Ag Gibson (Racing Academy), Mallory Glass (Kentucky), AJ Hendrick (Racing Academy), Betsy Huckaby (Racing Academy), Molly Richards (Racing Academy), Ella Sanchez (Racing Academy), Autumn Weeks (Louisville), Savina Zamborini (Louisville)

Forwards (12): Caitlin Chase (Racing Academy), Brooke Dardano (Louisville), Caiya Hanks (Wake Forest), Amber Jackson (Louisville), Marley Kahle (Racing Academy), Payton Linnehan (Penn State), Lilly Lund (Racing Academy), Emily Murphy (North Carolina), Avery Patterson (Wake Forest), Ava Robertson (Racing Academy), Jordyn Rhodes (Kentucky), Campbell Wallace (Racing Academy)