D.C. United Women

D.C. United Women
Full name D.C. United Women
Nickname(s) The Black-and-Red
Founded 2011
Stadium Maryland SoccerPlex
Ground Capacity 4,000
Chairman William E. Lynch
Manager Michael Jorden
League USL W-League
2012 Division: 1st
Conference: 1st
Overall: 2nd
Playoffs: 3rd

D.C. United Women was an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that competed in the USL W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States. The team was an affiliate of Major League Soccer club, D.C. United but operated independently by Washington Soccer Properties, LLC. In order to participate in the new National Women's Soccer League for the 2013 season, the team re-branded as the Washington Spirit in December 2012.

History

Founding

D.C. United Women were announced on March 29, 2011, as part of a partnership with some of the owners of the Northern Virginia Majestics, through a newly founded group named Washington Soccer Properties.[1][2] As a part of the agreement in for the 2011 season, D.C. United Women competed in the Northeast Division of the W-League Eastern Conference, while the Majestics competed in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. While Washington Soccer Properties does control most aspects of the team, D.C. United does provide oversight, assistance, and support.[3] Washington Soccer Properties purchased the W-League franchise vacated by Washington Freedom Futures when the team was disbanded following the sale of its senior team Washington Freedom who moved to Boca Raton, Florida and became magicJack. During the off-season between 2011 and 2012, Washington Soccer Properties ownership group severed ties with like owners involved with Northern Virginia Majestics, and operate fully independently from that team as a result.[3]

2011 season

In their first season, D.C. United Women played 10 league games, winning five, drawing three and losing two. They ended the season with four straight victories and finished in third place in the Northeast Division. Defender and co-captain Marisa Abegg was named to the W-League All-Conference Team for the Eastern Conference.[4] For their inaugural season, D.C. United Women's average home attendance for the 2011 season was over 800 fans, with D.C. United Women having five home games at the Maryland SoccerPlex.[5] They won the W-League Rookie Club of the Year award for their performance during the 2011 season.[6]

2012 season

For 2012, the W-League's Eastern Conference expanded to a 12-game schedule, and D.C. United Women moved to the Atlantic Division where they played Dayton Dutch Lions, Fredericksburg Impact, Northern Virginia Majestics, and Virginia Beach Piranhas each three times during the regular season. They finished the regular season with eleven wins, no losses, and one draw, good enough for first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference and for a tie as W-League regular-season champions with the Pali Blues.[7]

That status gave them hosting rights for the Eastern Conference playoffs,[8] where they defeated the Virginia Beach Piranhas, 3-0, in the semifinals,[9] and the Charlotte Lady Eagles, 3-0, in the final.[10] They went on to the W-League Final Four, where they lost to the host Ottawa Fury, 1-0,[11] then finished third by downing the Quebec City Amiral on penalty kicks, 1-1 (7-6).[12]

The team received the W-League's 2012 Fair Play and Media Awards.[13] Marisa Abegg, Hayley Siegel, and Mikaela Howell made the All-Eastern Conference team.[14] Additionally, Howell made W-League history by being the first player ever to be named to the Team of the Week five weeks in a row, culminating in being named Player of the Week in Week 6 of the season.[15]

Players and staff

[3]

2012 roster

As of July 27, 2012[16]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 United States GK Didi Haracic
2 United States DF Sarah Sample
3 United States DF Taylor Brown
4 United States DF Madison Brown
5 United States DF Marisa Abegg
6 United States MF Katie Menzie
6 United States MF Jennifer Skogerboe
8 England FW Mikaela Howell
9 United States FW Tiffany Brown
10 England FW Lianne Sanderson
11 United States DF Becky Sauerbrunn
12 United States MF Hayley Siegel
13 United States MF Katy Colas
14 United States DF Molly Menchel
No. Position Player
15 United States MF Diana Weigel
16 United States MF Holly King
17 United States MF Joanna Lohman
18 United States MF Sam Baker
19 United States FW Ashley Herndon
20 United States DF Jerica DeWolfe
22 United States FW Kristen Schmidbauer
23 United States FW Ashley Manning
24 United States MF Andi Sullivan
27 United States MF Danielle Malagari
28 United States GK Danielle DeLisle
31 United States MF Carolyn Blank
51 United States MF Katie Yensen

Coaches

Season results

Season Regular Season Playoffs National
Women's Cup		 CONCACAF Top goalscorer(s)
League GP W L T GF GA Pts Pos Name Goals
2011 W-League 1053215919 Eastern Conference
Northeast Division
Runners-up		 Christine Nairn
Christine Welsh		3
2012 W-League 12110137834 Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Winners		 Third place

Key

Regular season
  • GP = Games played
  • W = Won
  • L = Lost
  • T = Tied
  • GF = Goals for
  • GA = Goals against
  • Pts = Points
  • Pos = Final position
League
National Cup
  • QR1 = First Qualifying Round
  • QR2 = Second Qualifying Round
  • QR3 = Third Qualifying Round
  • R1 = First Round
  • R2 = Second Round
  • R3 = Third Round
  • QF = Quarterfinals
  • SF = Semifinals
  • F = Final
Playoffs
  • C-SF = Conference Semifinals
  • C-F = Conference Finals
  • SF = League Semifinals
  • F = League Finals

Champions Runners-up Third place Wooden spoon

References

  1. ↑ "D.C. United Women join USL W-League". D.C. United. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  2. ↑ Boehm, Charles. "D.C. United Women officially approved for 2011 W-League play". Potomac Soccer Wire. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 Eisenmenger, L.E. "DCU EVP Stephen Zack reveals D.C. United Women partnership". Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "D.C. United Women's defender Marisa Abegg named to W-League All-Conference Team". D.C. United Women. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  5. ↑ "D.C. United Women nominated for five post season awards by United Soccer Leagues". D.C. United Women. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "DCU Women win W-League Rookie Club of the Year". D.C. United Women. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "W-League 2012 Schedule". USL W-League. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Goff, Steven (16 July 2012). "D.C. United Women complete undefeated regular season, will host conference tournament". Washington Post. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "Charlotte, D.C. United Women Advance". USL W-League. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "D.C. United Headed To Ottawa". USL W-League. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "Fury Advance To W-League Final". USL W-League. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Ottawa Captures First W-League Title". USL W-League. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  13. ↑ "Teams, Executives Honored at USL AGM". USL W-League. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "W-League All-Conference Teams Named". USL W-League. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  15. ↑ "United Women's Howell Named POW". USL W-League. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  16. ↑ "2012 D.C. United Women - Official Roster". USL W-League. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
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