Get ready to make history, Spokane.
Spokane Zephyr FC, Spokane’s new Division One professional women’s soccer team, will play its first home match of the inaugural USL Super League season on Saturday, Aug. 17 at ONE Spokane Stadium (time to be announced).
Zephyr FC, the only USL Super League club in the West, will square off against Fort Lauderdale Union FC, one of the eight other clubs in the inaugural USL Super League season.
“We created Aequus Sports, LLC, in order to invest in Spokane’s vibrant sports-fanbase, provide an incredible family entertainment experience accessible to all and to create a new youth-to-pro pathway for female athletes” said Ryan Harnetiaux, Managing Partner of Aequus Sports, LLC, which owns both Spokane Velocity FC and Spokane Zephyr FC.
Zephyr FC is a member of the United Soccer League’s Super League, a new league sanctioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation as Division One – the top of the women’s soccer pyramid in the United States. In addition to Zephyr and Fort Lauderdale United, other teams in the inaugural Super League season are Brooklyn FC, Carolina Ascent FC, Dallas Trinity FC, Lexington FC, Tampa Bay Sun FC, and DC Power FC. Eight more clubs are expected to join in 2025 and beyond.
“This has been a dream for so many people for so long, and to finally have a date on the calendar is a tremendous feeling,” said Katie Harnetiaux, President of USL Spokane and principal of Aequus Sports, LLC. “When Ryan and I decided to pursue bringing professional soccer to Spokane, a women’s pro team had to be a part of the equation. August 17th will be a historic day for women in sport, Spokane, and our nation.”
“Spokane has always been a great sports city, but it is about to get even better,” said Lisa Brown, Mayor of Spokane. “The home opener of Zephyr FC marks an exciting new era as we welcome professional women’s soccer to the Lilac City for the very first time. I cannot wait to see the incredible talent this team brings to the pitch and look forward to joining fans in the stands!”
Zephyr have thus far announced four roster signings, including experienced midfielders Marley Canales and Taylor Aylmer. Canales was signed by the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Seattle Reign in 2022, has earned 23 caps across several levels of the Women’s National Team system, and hit the game winner for UCLA to send them to the national championship. Aylmer won a national championship with the NWSL’s Washington Spirit in 2021, has international experience with the premier Finnish women’s league, and was a Big Ten standout with Rutgers University.
The Fort Lauderdale United roster includes former University of Texas standout defender Cameron Brooks, First Team All-Big Ten defender Celia Gaynor, from Michigan State, and forward Luana Grabais, who has extensive experience with the Brazilian National Team.
“USL Super League has pledged to present a product that is of the highest Division One professional standards,” Katie Harnetiaux said. “We are honored to be bringing these professional women home – home to the United States as many have been playing abroad, and home to Spokane where we will be on the leading edge of women’s professional soccer. Let’s welcome these players home, Spokane!”
Treana Allen, General Counsel of the LandSpire Group which is part of the USL Spokane ownership group, knows sports and knows Spokane as a former Gonzaga University basketball player and assistant coach.
“The launch of professional women’s soccer in Spokane is the latest example of the city’s embrace of women’s athletics,” said Allen.
“From the time I first came to the city, back in the early 2000s, Spokane has been a strong avid supporter of women’s sports. Zephyr FC will be looking to capitalize on that momentum, all while providing opportunities for young women to continue to play the game they love in front of some of the best fans in the world, right here in Spokane,” continued Allen. “The evolution of professional women’s soccer here at home reflects a broader upward trend of visibility and investment in women athletes and this trend is not slowing down.”
The Super League season, from August to June, with a midwinter break, makes it the only professional American soccer league to align with the international game’s traditional schedule.
The club expects to announce more information about the 2024/25 schedule and competition format in the coming weeks. Season tickets are now on sale for this historic season that will change the landscape of women’s professional soccer in Spokane, America, and worldwide. Secure the best seats now at www.spokanezephyrfc.com.
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