EXPANSION: PORT CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PORT CITY FC JOINS WPSL FOR INAUGURAL WOMEN’S SEASON

WILMINGTON, N.C. (March 12, 2024) —The Women’s Premier Soccer League welcomes the Port City Football Club to its roster of teams competing in the 2024 WPSL season.

“The prospect of introducing a women’s program has always been an exciting vision we’ve nurtured,” Eion Dockery, Port City FC vice president and general manager, said. “This season marks a significant milestone as we seize the opportunity to establish both men’s and women’s teams at the same competitive level. 

This is Port City FC’s first foray into the women’s game. Since its founding in 2021, the club served as the highest level of men’s soccer in the region. 

Port City FC’s inaugural WPSL campaign will be in the South Region’s five-team Atlantic Conference’s Carolina Division, featuring teams from the Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte area. The winner of the eight-game home-and-away division schedule will host The District Division winners to determine the Atlantic Conference champions. 

Port City FC’s debut will be led by Head Coach, Chad Medcalfe, and Assistant Coach, Jennifer Ludemann. Medcalfe previously worked for the Indiana Youth Soccer Association organizing the state’s coaching education and Olympic training development before moving to the storied Wilmington Hammerheads Youth FC program. Ludemann is a former University of North Carolina-Wilmington soccer standout, holding the school record for minutes played. Following her time at UNCW, Ludemann played professionally with Finish powerhouse, Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi. 

To further promote the game with the area’s youth, Port City has partnered with Cape Fear Outreach Program, as well as business partners and sponsors to provide opportunities for local youth who might not otherwise have access to the game, offering clinics and camps throughout the year. 

“It’s a realization of our ongoing commitment to growing Wilmington’s soccer community as the high-level youth clubs in our area continue to produce top-tier talent,” Dockery said. “With this expansion, we’re not just growing in numbers, we’re expanding the reach of our passion for the beautiful game.” 

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For more information on Port City FC visit its official website or follow its social channels – Facebook and Instagram.

For more information on the WPSL, visit wpslsoccer.com. 
 

About the Women’s Premier Soccer League
The WPSL returns for its 26^th season of play as the longest-active women’s soccer league in the United States. Boasting more than 140 clubs nationwide while occupying 32 states coast-to-coast, the WPSL solidifies itself as the largest women’s soccer league in the world. Team rosters feature elite collegiate, post-collegiate, international, and standout prep student-athletes. Many of the United States’ most accomplished women’s national team players have played in the WPSL since its inception in 1998, including household names such as Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Brandi Chastain.