Written By:   Charlie Corr
              East Region Contributor

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The Women’s Premier Soccer League’s 2022 campaign in the East Region will certainly have a different feel, particularly in the newly adjusted Metropolitan Conference. The seven-team group features two expansion clubs and two teams that went undefeated in their respective 2021 conference slates, making for an intriguing mix of newcomers and league staples battling it out this summer.

Downtown United Soccer Club and SUSA FC are WPSL fixtures that once again will be vying for a top spot in the region. SUSA FC posted a 7-0-0 record in 2021 and DUSC, a partner of NWSL side NY/NJ Gotham FC, went 8-0-0 last season.

Expansion clubs Brooklyn City FC and New York Dutch Lions FC look to make their presence felt right out of the gate. The Dutch Lions ownership group is a stronghold across the country as the New York club represents the sixth competing in the WPSL this season.

Rounding out the competitive Metro lineup are longtime WPSL members the New York Athletic Club (entering their 16th season), New Jersey Alliance FC and second-year side STA.

Here is a deeper breakdown of the seven Metro clubs - clubs are listed alphabetically
*Schedule times and dates subject to change* 

 

BROOKLYN CITY FC:

2022 expansion team

• Home venue: Aviator Sports Complex
• Season/home opener: June 5 vs. Downtown United Soccer Club (7:30 p.m. ET kickoff)
• Key players to watch: Yamilee Eveillard, F, and Sarah Bayer, F, who both generated most of Brooklyn’s scoring threats during its 2021 season before joining the WPSL;  Megan Brock, M, who was one of the team’s leading scorers last year (4 goals, 2 assists in 9 games); Megan Barwick, M; Zanique “Zee” Celestin, D.
• Coach Kim Wyant’s take: “The team is shaping up to be legit. Last year we did a really good job of creating the base of players to buy in. These players will be the foundation of recruitment for us because they will tell their story about their interaction and their experience with the Brooklyn City club. All of that has been super positive from last year to this year. We’ve basically re-signed every player that was with us last year who is available to play, and that is a big indicator that the players are happy and want to come back.”
• Also noteworthy: Brooklyn City FC coach Kim Wyant is renowned for her decades of coaching success in both men’s and women’s soccer, and she was a pioneer for the U.S. Women’s National Team as its first goalkeeper in the mid-1980s.

 

DOWNTOWN UNITED SOCCER CLUB:

2021 WPSL record: 8-0-0 (Metro-South Division Champions)

• Home venue: Poly Prep Country Day School
• Season opener: June 4 at SUSA FC (6 p.m. ET)
• Home opener: June 12 vs. New Jersey Alliance FC (3 p.m. ET kickoff)
• Key players to watch: Niamh Cashin, D, a 2021 All-Metro South center-back originally from Nottingham, England; Lumi Kostmayer, F, who had 3 goals, an assist and was 2021 All-Metro South; Luciana Latino, M, who has committed to Penn State.
• Coach: Paul O’Donnell
• Technical Director Leanne Campbell’s take: “We’ve got the majority of our players from last year coming back, and really the only ones who aren’t returning are now playing in the NWSL or have gone abroad to pursue professional contracts overseas, which is amazing. So with the bulk of the roster back, as well as a few signings to fill in the gaps, we’re very excited for this year.”
• Also noteworthy: The club, formerly known as Gotham Reserves, holds a partnership with the National Women’s Soccer League’s NY/NJ Gotham FC. … Three DUSC alumnae were selected in the early stages of the 2022 NWSL Draft: defender Caitlin Cosme (No. 10 overall, Orlando Pride); defender Kelly Ann Livingstone (No. 24, NJ/NY Gotham FC); and midfielder Hope Breslin (No. 28, Angel City FC), who earned All-Metro South honors in 2021.

 

NEW JERSEY ALLIANCE FC:

2021 WPSL record: 0-7-0

• Home venue: Boverini Stadium
• Season opener: June 1 at STA (7:30 p.m. ET)
• Home opener: June 4 vs. New York Athletic Club (7 p.m. ET)
• Key players to watch: Maya Pitts, F, captain, and Julia Stirpe, F, who both have D1 collegiate experience, strong 1-v-1 ability, and an eye for the goal; Alex Pardo, M, and Thalia Santacruz, M, returnees to anchor the midfield and organize on and off the ball; Iné Collins, D, and Angelika Barris, D, captain, returnees who bring experience, composure and organization to the club’s backline, as well as a vocal presence to the game.
• Coach Danny Mendoza’s take: “Last year was a very tough season for a very talented group. We dealt with many injuries early on that made us struggle for the remainder of the year. This year, we refocused our attitude and character and pushed to build a strong foundation and strengthen our team in every aspect to give us the best chance to be successful. This group of ladies has been working extremely hard and we are all looking forward to the journey ahead.”

 

NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB:

Inaugural WPSL season: 2006

• Home venue: Asphalt Green
• Season opener: June 3 at New York Dutch Lions FC (5 p.m. ET)
• Home opener: June 11 vs. STA (3:30 p.m. ET)
• Key players to watch: Miranda Farman, M, who was named to the 2021 WPSL All-Metro North Division Team; Carolyne Davidson, D, who from the right-back position was one of NYAC’s assists leaders in 2021; Paige Nurkin, GK, who is one of four Columbia players joining NYAC and figures to be a key piece in the back this season.
• Coach Juan Gatti’s take: “I’m honored and privileged of being able to work with these high-level athletes. I see this as an opportunity to help them get better, and being versatile and flexible is the way to go. I’m going to approach the season by applying discipline and creating a culture within the team, and if we can get those two things right, then it allows the players to express themselves and be themselves, within their own styles, to be successful.”
• Also noteworthy: First-year head coach Juan Gatti, who is also an assistant coach for the Mercy College men’s program, is also connecting Mercy’s 2021 NCAA Tournament Division II women’s roster to the WPSL club. The group will include the likes of midfielders Madison Rosa and Kayla Saavedra; Rosa was Mercy’s assists leader (6) in 2021.

 

NEW YORK DUTCH LIONS:

2022 expansion team

• Home venue: Long Island University
• Season/home opener: June 3 vs. New York Athletic Club (5 p.m. ET)
• Key players to watch: Mio Nakajima, GK; Kaya Pottinger, F, who has previous experience at Manchester City and Everton and can play both forward and midfield positions; Abigail Curcio, F, the leading goalscorer (9) and second in assists (8) this past season for St. Joseph’s Long Island en route to the Skyline All-Conference First Team.
• Coach Danny Dekker’s take: “Because we are part of the Dutch Lions organization, we are trying to do it the Dutch way: total football. I think the level is really good, and we have some really good players. It’s going to be hard, but the most important thing for us is that they have the stamina, that they can just keep it up till the end. We will make some adjustments in their gameplay and we will be learning from each other. I think it’s going to be an amazing season.”
• Also noteworthy: The club represents the sixth Dutch Lions affiliation playing in the WPSL this season, joining So Cal, formerly Oceanside (So Cal Conference), Chicago (Midwest), Dayton (Ohio Valley), Florida Gulf Coast (Sunshine) and Washington (Colonial).

 

STA:

2021 WPSL record: 3-3-1

• Home venue: Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Season/home opener: June 1 vs. New Jersey Alliance FC (7:30 p.m. ET)
• Key players to watch: Mackenzie Gress, GK, STA alum and currently at Penn State, was the 2021 WPSL Metro-South Goalkeeper of the Year; Abbie Roberts, D, a newcomer from Seton Hall, former Arsenal U-21 and England U-19 YNT player in the European Championships; Zoe Tiger, D, and Sofia Black, F, both from Indiana University and 2021 first-team WPSL All-Conference selections; Emerson Elgin, M, STA alum and currently at UNC; and Alexa DeBarros, M, STA’s youngest 2022 member who made a commitment to play at the University of South Florida in 2023.
• Coach Kelly Sims’ take: “I am super excited about the summer and having the girls return to try and build on last year’s success as a first-season program. We are thrilled about the quality of the new additions joining us and are obviously incredibly happy to welcome back a ton of returning players from last year’s group (16). When we announced our expansion to offering a senior pathway, we did so to continue to provide a home for our alumni in order to keep supporting them on their collegiate journey. This year we will have 15 current or former STA youth players as part of the team, and that is something I am really proud about as we look to inspire our youngest existing players to pursue their soccer dreams.”

 

SUSA FC:

2021 WPSL record: 7-0-0 (Metro-North Division Champions)

• Home venue: SUSA Complex
• Season/home opener: June 4 vs. Downtown United Soccer Club (6 p.m. ET)
• Key players to watch: Jessica Garziano, M; Sydney Moore, D, who was the 2021 Metropolitan-North Defensive Player of the Year; Catriona Sheppard, GK; Sarah Wilkinson, M.
• Coach JR Balzarini’s take: “This will be our fifth season in the WPSL, and each year it gets tougher and tougher to compete. We are excited to compete against some really great organizations, and we hope to continue to provide a great environment for our players – current and future.”
• Also noteworthy: Coach JR Balzarini said the SUSA player pool for WPSL matches consists of approximately 18 players who have come up through the club’s academy system.

 

*Schedule times and dates subject to change