METUCHEN, NJ – United Women’s Soccer (UWS) League Two continues to add new teams for the Summer 2021 season. Expansion in the national pro-am league for the upcoming campaign turns the corner towards preparation for competition with four organizations joining the Great Lakes, New England, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, respectively.
Thundercats Soccer Club joins the Great Lakes Conference alongside 10 other teams that hail from the state of Michigan. Based in New Baltimore, MI, Thundercats SC is a youth club that offers all levels of play from the recreational level all the way up to competitive travel soccer. At the top of their club pyramid, their UWS League Two women’s program will consist of in-state current and former college/professional players.
For more information on the Thundercats Soccer Club, visit their official website at thundercatssoccer.com. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.
“We’re excited and honored to be a part of UWS League Two,” said Technical Director Anthony Tocco. “We are especially looking forward to bringing a high level of soccer to play and watch for the women in our area.”
The newly-added Albany Rush has established an official reserve team for their senior team. They will be the sixth team in the New England Conference of League Two alongside the reserve teams for the Connecticut Fusion, New England Mutiny and Worcester Smiles as well as Massachusetts-based New England Futbol Club & Upper 90 Soccer Academy. Albany Rush has been in operation since 2016 as a region of New York Rush and has a comprehensive youth program with over 80 teams and more than 1000 players. Tryouts for the team will be held in May 2021 with times and dates to be confirmed.
For more information on the Albany Rush, visit their official website at RushNY.com or email them at info@rushny.com. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.
“Albany Rush is excited to be able to offer a UWS and League Two team in our region,” said Northeast Rush President Danielle Athanasiadis. “It enables the youth to see that we are giving our female athletes an avenue to not only continue playing but continue playing at a high level.”
“We are thrilled to offer yet another layer to our player pathway,” said Northeast Rush CEO Craig Thomas. “Players in the Capital region will only benefit from Albany Rush having a UWS and League Two team in the area. Having two teams provides more opportunities for players to play at a high level and will only benefit the players when they go on to play collegiately and beyond.”
“I am delighted that we are able to add a UWS League Two team to supplement the growth of Albany Rush,” said New York Rush General Manager & Albany Rush Head Coach Brian Gordon. “It not only offers our Albany Rush youth players an opportunity to play at a higher level, but it also allows college soccer players that are based in the Capital Region the opportunity to play year-round and compete in a competitive environment, while preparing them for the college season.”
The Hudson Valley Crusaders join the Northeast Conference as the fourth team alongside Steel United NJ and the UWS reserve teams of New Jersey Copa FC & New Jersey Teamsterz FC. The organization is centrally located in the Hudson Valley. The team will be hosting tryouts at Cantine Field in Saugerties, NY on April 3rd and 10th.
For more information on the Hudson Valley Crusaders, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or email GM Hannah Esslie at hesslie@hvcrusaders.com
“We would like to thank UWS League Two for accepting us into their league for its inaugural season,” said Hudson Valley Crusaders General Manager Hannah Esslie. “I am ecstatic to see a pro-am women’s soccer team come to the Hudson Valley. The Hudson Valley has a myriad of talented women’s soccer players and UWS will provide these women a great opportunity to showcase their talents.”
Steel United is the nation’s fastest growing soccer club with programs in eight different states and have added their second team to League Two. Steel United PA joins the Mid-Atlantic Conference as the seventh team alongside the UWS reserve team of the Lancaster Inferno as well as Annapolis United FC, Delaware Union, Keystone FC, Maryland-Elite SC and Northern Virginia FC. Based out of the Philadelphia-area in Springfield, PA, Cardinal O’Hara High School will serve as their home facility. Players can register HERE.
For more information on Steel United PA, visit their official website at pa.steelunited.com. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
“We are extremely excited to be following Steel United NJ in joining UWS League Two,” said Director of Coaching & Agnes Irwin Varsity Girls Soccer Coach Mike Welsh. “Although tryouts will be open, we are excited to provide more opportunities for our older club players that are about to play in college and for our alumni who are already doing so. We are grateful to UWS for providing opportunities and promoting the women’s game!”
United Women’s Soccer (UWS) national pro-am league launched League Two in 2020 as a new developmental pathway for the U20/23 players which would serve as a feeder to the main league. For new clubs, it’s an opportunity to introduce themselves to the standards-driven pro-am league and a launch point for a potential UWS First Team. It is also the official league for UWS Reserve Teams. The season runs during the summer and teams play matches in a regional-friendly format.
