FC Indiana leaves WPSL for W-League
- by Soccer America , Oct 19, 2007
FC Indiana, which won league championships in 2005 and 2007, has acquired the W-League franchise rights for Indianapolis and will begin play in the 2008 season in the Midwest Division. FC Indiana also captured the 2005 USASA Women's National Open Cup and reached the 2007 final.
In the 2007 WPSL final, FC Indiana started players from six different countries -- USA, Russia, Spain, Mexico, Italy and Australia -- against New England.
"Joining the W-League represents a new and exciting challenge for all our players and coaching staff," said Coach Shek Borkowski.
FC Indiana has incorporated a youth program and a recently opened indoor facility, which is home to their office in Lafayette, Ind. The 60,000 square foot multi-level facility houses an indoor training field on one floor with the offices, locker rooms, and exercise facility on the other.
The team will play its home games at Kuntz Memorial Stadium in Indianapolis, the previous home of the Indiana Blaze (W-League) and Blast (USL First Division).
Club ownership is also involved with the ownership group led by former Chicago Fire executive Peter Wilt for the Chicago-based team committed to the new professional women's soccer league set to begin play in 2009.
They would be the third W-League franchise directly involved in the launch of the new league, joining Jersey Sky Blue and the former WUSA team Washington Freedom.
The W-League recently announced another expansion team for 2008: the Pali Blues, a Southern California team to be headed up by successful W-League coach Charlie Naimo.
