LVU Rush, a joint venture between Pennsylvania Rush and Lehigh Valley United Soccer, is a new participant in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) for the 2024 season, which will feature nine weeks of national competition among 142 teams across 32 states, including entries from the NWSL with Portland Thorns II and Seattle Reign FC II.
LVU Rush’s inaugural match will be May 24 at 7 p.m. on the road at Alvernia University against Reading United AC.
As of 2023, the WPSL is the longest-active women’s soccer league in the United States and the largest women’s soccer league in the world. Its national footprint stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific and down to the Gulf with teams in 32 of the 50 U.S. states. WPSL team rosters consist of elite female players from collegiate, post-collegiate, international and standout prep athletes. Indeed, notable alumnae who’ve honed their talents in the WPSL include household names such as Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Brandi Chastain, as well as NCAA All-Americans, MAC Hermann Trophy recipients, Hall of Fame inductees, Olympic medalists, World Cup winners, NWSL champions and Ballon d’Or recipients.
LVU Rush will be filled with local talent; players will hail from more than seven conferences across all three divisions of NCAA programs, with a number coming to LVU Rush fresh off championship seasons.
Head coach David Steinbach, a stalwart of the local soccer world, had this to say about the inaugural season and the upcoming kickoff game: “Really excited to have the opportunity to coach a wonderful group of players and athletes. I am excited to begin our inaugural season of the WPSL for two reasons: first, the soccer will be exciting for these athletes and their fans, featuring very good competition. Second, I am excited to share our local brand with the many youth organizations in the area.
“Our first game is coming up soon on May 24, but with most of our collegiate players home now, our training sessions have thus far been really well-attended, focused, challenging and fun, allowing players from all different college backgrounds to start building chemistry. Our coaching staff has done a wonderful job working with all the players and they have risen to the challenge doing everything we have asked and more. We’re excited, and ready to go. ”
LVU Rush will compete in the WPSL’s MAC Commonwealth Division against Hershey FC, Keystone FC (Harrisburg), HEX FC Tempest (Allentown), PA Classics (Harrisburg) and Reading United A.C.
All LVU Rusg home games will be played at 7 p.m. at Gwynedd Mercy University on June 6 (PA Classics), June 9 (Reading AC), June 13 (Hershey FC), June 20 (Hex FC), and June 27 (Keystone FC).
For information, visit www.wpslsoccer.com/schedule.
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