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San Diego Wave FC
Full nameSan Diego Wave Fútbol Club
Nickname(s)Wave FC
FoundedJune 8, 2021; 2 years ago (2021-06-08)
Stadium Snapdragon Stadium
San Diego, California
Capacity32,000
Owner Ron Burkle
President Jill Ellis
Head coach Casey Stoney
League National Women's Soccer League
20231st of 12
Website Club website
Current season

San Diego Wave FC (also referred to as Wave FC or The Wave) is an American professional women's soccer team based in San Diego, California, playing in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Wave FC began play in the 2022 season as an expansion team. The team plays their home games at Snapdragon Stadium.

Wave FC won the NWSL Shield with the league's best record in the 2023 season, the team's first trophy. [1] The club won the NWSL Challenge Cup in the 2024 season. Wave FC has broken every major single-game attendance record (home opener, regular season, and playoff). Wave FC is owned by Ron Burkle, though the club is being sold in a deal that places its value at $113 million, a record for an NWSL club.

History

The club is San Diego's first women's professional soccer team since 2003, when the Women's United Soccer Association folded and forced the San Diego Spirit to disband. [2]

In January 2021, Lisa Baird, the commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), announced that an expansion team in Sacramento, led by Ron Burkle and in conjunction with Sacramento Republic FC's expansion bid into Major League Soccer, would join the NWSL in 2022. [3] However, Burkle never confirmed the news publicly before exiting the Sacramento Republic's ownership group. Instead, on June 8, 2021, the NWSL announced San Diego as the location for an expansion team owned by Burkle to begin play in 2022. [4] On November 9, it was announced the club would be called Wave Fútbol Club. [5]

2022 (inaugural season)

San Diego Wave FC officially began play on March 19, 2022, in the NWSL Challenge Cup against fellow expansion team Angel City FC on the road, where they drew 1-1. They were eliminated from the Challenge Cup after finishing third in their group. The club began their inaugural season on May 1 and opened with three straight wins, sitting on the top of the table for over half the season before finally falling to the KC Current 2–1. Although briefly gaining the top spot twice late in the season, Wave FC finished 3rd and qualified for the quarter-finals of the playoffs. After defeating the Chicago Red Stars 2–1, the club traveled to Providence Park to play against the Portland Thorns in the semi-finals, losing 2-1 following a Crystal Dunn goal in the final minutes of the game.

2023

In the 2023 season, Wave FC continued their winning ways, slightly improving upon their record in 2022 and securing the NWSL Shield with two games to spare after beating the Portland Thorns on September 30 and guaranteeing a bye for the playoffs. Wave FC faced OL Reign in the semi-finals, losing 1-0 after Veronica Latsko scored in the 47th minute, marking the second year in a row Wave FC were eliminated in the semis. Defender Naomi Girma was named U.S. Soccer's Female Player of the Year, recognizing her excellence for Wave FC and for the U.S. Women's National Team. [6]

2024

In the 2024 NWSL Draft, Wave FC selected Kennedy Wesley with the 12th pick in the first round and Mya Jones with the 42nd pick in the third round. Wave FC had traded away their natural 26th round pick in the second round, 40th pick in the third round, [7] and 54th pick in the fourth round.

On March 14, it was announced Wave FC would be sold in a deal that places the club's value at $113 million, a record outlay for an NWSL club.

On March 15, Wave FC won the Challenge Cup 1-0 over 2023 champion NJ/NY Gotham FC thanks to an 88th minute goal from Alex Morgan.

On March 22, one day before their regular season opener, Wave FC announced they had signed 16-year-old midfielder Kimmi Ascanio through the NWSL's Under-18 Entry Mechanism. [8]

On March 23, Wave FC set the current record for NWSL season home opener attendance with 32,066 fans attending their 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Current. [9]

Colors and crest

Wordmark also used as part of the San Diego Wave FC identity.

On December 15, 2021, the club revealed its crest for its upcoming 2022 season in a press release, stating "the crest, encased in a shield, is a symbol of strength, for the city and team, to proudly stand behind. A powerful wave, cresting in the rich blues of the Pacific Ocean, sits front and center as the iconic mark of Wave FC. And under the proud banner of the city’s name, are the vivid colors of the horizon, celebrating the beauty, fun, and vibrant culture of the city and its people". [10]

Sponsorship

Period Kit manufacturer Front sponsor Back sponsor Sleeve sponsor
2022 Nike Kaiser Permanente Pechanga Resort Casino Gatorade
2023 Think Blue San Diego

Will Perform

Bud Light
2024 PenFed Credit Union

24 Hour Fitness [11]

Dexcom

Stadium

The club began play at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego for its inaugural season. It moved to Snapdragon Stadium, located in the Mission Valley campus expansion of San Diego State University, for its last two home games of the 2022 season. [12] Wave FC's opener at the new stadium against regional rival and fellow 2022 NWSL entry Angel City FC on September 17 drew a sellout crowd of 32,000, setting a new NWSL single-game attendance record. [13]

Players and staff

Current squad

As of March 23, 2024. [14] [15]
No. Pos. Player Nation
1 GK Kailen Sheridan   Canada
2 DF Abby Dahlkemper (Vice-Captain)   United States
4 DF Naomi Girma   United States
5 MF Emily van Egmond   Australia
6 DF Hanna Lundkvist   Sweden
7 FW Amirah Ali   United States
8 DF Sierra Enge   United States
10 FW Sofia Jakobsson   Sweden
11 FW Jaedyn Shaw   United States
12 DF Kennedy Wesley   United States
13 FW Alex Morgan (Captain)   United States
14 DF Kristen McNabb   United States
15 FW Makenzy Doniak   United States
16 DF Kaitlyn Torpey   Australia
17 MF Kimmi Ascanio   United States
18 FW Mya Jones   Canada
19 FW Kyra Carusa   Republic of Ireland
20 DF Christen Westphal   United States
21 MF Savannah McCaskill   United States
22 GK Hillary Beall   United States
23 FW Elyse Bennett   United States
24 MF Danielle Colaprico   United States
25 FW Melanie Barcenas   United States
35 GK Morgan Messner   United States

Coaching staff

As of March 15, 2022. [16]
Position Staff
Head coach Casey Stoney
Assistant coach Rich Gunney
Assistant coach Victoria Boardman
Goalkeeper coach Louis Hunt

Records

Year-by-year

As of April 2nd, 2024

Season Regular season Playoffs Challenge Cup Avg. attendance
P W D L GF GA Pts Pos
2022 22 10 6 6 32 21 36 3rd Semi-finals Group stage 8,729
2023 22 11 4 7 31 22 37 1st Semi-finals Group stage 20,718
2024 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 6th Champions 24,406

Head coaching record

As of March 29th, 2024

Only competitive matches are counted. Includes NWSL regular season, playoffs, and Challenge Cup matches.

All-time San Diego Wave FC coaching stats
Name Nationality From To P W D L GF GA GD Win%
Casey Stoney   England July 14, 2021 Present 62 26 13 23 82 69 +13 041.94

Honors

References

  1. ^ Stone, Chris (October 15, 2023). "San Diego Wave Wins NWSL Shield in Just 2nd Year: No. 1 in Regular Season". Times of San Diego. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  2. ^ Zeigler, Mark (June 8, 2021). "Women's pro soccer coming to San Diego in 2022". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  3. ^ Kassouf, Jeff (June 8, 2021). "San Diego confirmed as 2022 NWSL expansion market; Ellis to serve as team president". The Equalizer. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  4. ^ "San Diego To Be Home to NWSL Expansion Team, Led by Jill Ellis as President". NWSL. June 8, 2021. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  5. ^ "San Diego NWSL new side to be called Wave FC". November 9, 2021. Archived from the original on September 4, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  6. ^ "Girma 1st defender to win U.S. female POTY". ESPN.com. January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  7. ^ "NWSL offseason trade tracker: San Diego Wave bring back Sierra Enge, land Elyse Bennett in trades". CBSSports.com. December 20, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Emerick, Tyler (March 22, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Sign U.S. Women's Youth National Team Midfielder Kimmi Ascanio". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  9. ^ Emerick, Tyler (March 24, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Fall to Kansas City Current 2-1 at Snapdragon Stadium". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "San Diego Wave FC Unveils Official Team Crest and Colors". www.sandiegowavefc.com (Press release). December 15, 2021. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  11. ^ Emerick, Tyler (February 23, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Announces Extended and Expanded Partnership with 24 Hour Fitness". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  12. ^ "NWSL expansion team San Diego Wave FC unveil official crest". CBS Sports. December 15, 2021. Archived from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  13. ^ "Match Recap: San Diego tops Angel City in front of capacity crowd for first win at Snapdragon Stadium". National Women's Soccer League. September 18, 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  14. ^ "Roster". San Diego Wave FC. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  15. ^ "San Diego Wave FC Sign U.S. Women's Youth National Team Midfielder Kimmi Ascanio". San Diego Wave FC. March 22, 2024.
  16. ^ "Wave FC Announces Complete Roster Ahead of 2022 Challenge Cup". sandiegowavefc.com. San Diego Wave FC. March 15, 2022. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2022.

External links

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