Minnesota
Minnesota Aurora FC makes history, hosts franchise debut against Green Bay
USL W President excited for Minnesota Aurora kickoff
Thursday is the kickoff for the Minnesota Aurora, Minnesota’s latest ladies’s soccer membership. It is the primary season for the Aurora and for the league they’re in, the USL W. Earlier than Thursday’s recreation, we spoke with Amanda Vandervort, the league’s president, concerning the pleasure for the brand new league.
MINNEAPOLIS – A second practically a yr within the making grew to become a actuality Thursday night time at TCO Stadium in Eagan as Minnesota Aurora FC took the pitch for the primary time in franchise historical past.
It grew to become official in January that Minnesota Aurora would be part of USL W as a pre-professional ladies’s soccer group, after plans began formulating for the group in June of 2021. Minnesota is a community-owned group, with greater than 3,000 Twin Cities residents serving as homeowners who’ve mixed to contribute $1 million to get the franchise up and working.
Minnesota Aurora contains a roster of 26 gamers, 12 from Minnesota with athletes taking part in school soccer, out of school and on the lookout for their subsequent alternative and even not less than one highschool athlete. The roster contains gamers from seven completely different states, in addition to Japan and South Korea, and ranges in age from 16 to 25.
“We’re so excited to have pre-professional soccer right here. The Minnesota group is popping out tonight to have a good time these wonderful ladies taking part in the sport,” USL W President Amanda Vandervort stated. “It’s unbelievable, ladies’s soccer, we’ve got the wind in our sails proper now. To see it come to life right here with this membership in t his community-led group is one thing we’re actually happy with.”
The primary participant to signal was a trailblazer of her personal: Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller. She grew to become the primary feminine athlete to kick an additional level and rating factors in a Energy 5 soccer recreation in 2020. The group is coached by Nicole Lukic.
Minnesota Aurora FC unveiled its first uniforms on the Mall of America in April, and began training early this month at TCO Stadium.
Thursday night time marked the Aurora’s house opener, on the house of the Minnesota Vikings follow facility, in entrance of a sellout crowd of 5,600 followers. It is the primary of 5 house video games for Minnesota Aurora FC in its inaugural season.