LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington’s professional soccer club, Lexington Sporting Club, announced it is joining the USL W League as an expansion club and will compete in the 2023 season.

What You Need To Know

  •  Lexington Sporting Club announced it is joining the USL W League

  •  The USL W League is a pre-professional women's league, featuring 44 teams including Racing Louisville FC

  •  The team's men's league will also be ready for play in 2023

“The W League provides our club with the ability to keep our elite female players in Lexington throughout the summer months and enables not only homegrown players that are away at college, but other high level female soccer players to come to Lexington, Ky,” said Michelle Rayner of Lexington Sporting Club.“

The W League season begins in May and wraps up with the playoffs and a championship in July. Tormenta FC out of Georgia won the title in July by beating Minnesota Aurora FC.

Alan Kirkup will serve as the head coach for the Lexington SC’s W League squad.

“The opportunity is there to go through the ranks from a youth team player to a professional player,” Kirkup said. “For college players, this puts them in the shop window, so to speak, at a level which other teams are going to be looking at. So, for them, it’s a stepping stone to what could be an amazing career.” 

The City of Lexington was awarded a USL League One expansion franchise in 2021 and Lexington SC was born. Lexington’s men’s team will debut in USL League One in 2023 and the club is also already a member of USL Academy.

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