SAN FRANCISCO NIGHTHAWKS PREPARE FOR 24th WPSL SEASON

Written By:    Katie Parker
               West Region Contributor

The San Francisco Nighthawks are gearing up for its 24th season in the WPSL. The ‘Hawks and the California Storm are founding members of the league and both play in the Northern Division of the PAC North Conference in the WPSL’s West Region.  

Nighthawks President and General Manager, Jill Lounsbury shared her thoughts on being in the league for 24 seasons. 
 

“Pride in seeing how much it’s grown, from being one representative of 12 teams at the [WPSL’s Annual General Meeting] to being lost in a sea of [WPSL Teams] - and how fast that time has gone by!” Lounsbury said.

Like most everything else, in 2020 the COVID-19 Pandemic shut down matches league-wide, which resulted in a canceled season. With COVID still affecting play in 2021, the teams of the PAC North Conference chose to forego the division layout and play throughout the conference. Lounsbury noted that this season, in a year expected to be closer to normal, it seems not much is. 
 

“So far I have found nothing is the same as how it was before the pandemic. Priorities are different and that’s okay - we will roll with it,” Lounsbury said.

The 2022 season strives to get back to that normality with the traditional WPSL layout and marks the return of the national playoff where a league champion will be crowned.  

Nighthawks founder Dick Ross and Lounsbury have both been with the team the entire 24-season journey. There are players who have been on the roster for nearly a decade, like Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumna Emily Kuo, former Bucknell University captain Liz Dwornik, and Katelyn Nebesnik who most recently played professionally in Iceland and Sweden. 

Several other veterans on the roster have returned after their time playing professionally, like Erica Dubin-Wheeler who played in Sweden and Italy, and Gina Woodward who suited up locally for the Bay Area Breeze from the original WLeague. 

While we’ll see a few new faces on the pitch, Lounsbury is excited about how the roster is shaping up. Nearly all last season’s players are returning, including University of San Diego alum Milan Moses who scored 8 goals for the Nighthawks last season and whose hat-trick led the team to a 4-1 victory over California Storm in their final match.

“I can hardly wait to see them all again at practice. The core group is great, seasoned, and then the youngsters come in with all their energy - so it’s a fantastic mix.” Lounsbury said. “We have a few international players…[and] several players that will be playing in the [2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup] from the Philippines [and] New Zealand.”

The final picture of the ´Hawks roster isn't fully clear yet with tryouts still underway, but newcomers include players with national team experience. University of California, Berkeley alumna and current Georgetown University graduate student, Daisy Cleverley, is bringing her experience with the New Zealand Women's National Team to the ´Hawks 2022 campaign. Cleverley has scored twice in 24 caps with New Zealand and earned her first start at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo. Lounsbury looks forward to seeing her on the pitch this WPSL season for the Nighthawks. 

One unique thing about the Nighthawks is the club’s commitment to inclusivity. The financial burden of being part of the team is covered by the club instead of the players. Intentional partnerships with sponsors ensure everyone has the same opportunity to play and advance.

“We don't judge players on their age, size, socio-economic standing, or what club they played for - If you can play, then you can play,” said Lounsbury. 

The San Francisco Nighthawks open their season at home against new WPSL side Napa Valley 1839 on May 22 at 5pm. 

An added layer to their home field advantage is San Francisco’s unofficial mascot, Karl the Fog. If you check out the ‘Hawks' social media presence, you’ll notice quite a few posts showing players training in the cold rain and thick fog. Fans know to bundle up and bring blankets to the matches at historic Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park as Karl is bound to roll in.

The Nighthawks face fellow league-veterans California Storm on June 12 in San Francisco. The midseason match will be the second of a back-to-back for each team. 

San Francisco's final home match is on July 1 against the Diablo Valley Wolves. They end the regular season on the road against reigning Conference Champions Lamorinda United on July 3. 

You can watch games live on Eleven Sports, the official streaming partner of the WPSL.