Greenville, SC – The Greenville Triumph Soccer Club will launch a women’s soccer team to begin play in 2022 as part of a new league announced today by the United Soccer League (USL).
Greenville is among a group of exciting founding markets awarded franchises as part of the newly formed W League. The Greenville Triumph SC compete under the USL League One. More teams will be announced throughout the summer and fall as the league expects to have as many as 30 teams in its inaugural season.
The USL W League is designed to provide an elite pre-professional pathway for women looking to build their careers both on and off the pitch.
Bringing women’s soccer to the Upstate of South Carolina is long overdue, said Joe Erwin, Chairman, Greenville Triumph.
“This announcement is huge for the area, and especially for girls and women,” Erwin said. “We have so many females who have played and are playing soccer in this area, and we are thrilled to be a part of the USL’s mission and bringing to our community the opportunity for women to compete at the next level.”
Doug Erwin, vice chairman and chief brand officer for the Triumph, said the team looks forward to expanding the coaching staff for the women’s team and hiring a head coach, likely to be a woman with ties to the Upstate.
More than half the front office staff of the Triumph are women, many of whom played soccer.
“We will continue to promote equity and inclusion with more women in leadership positions,” Doug Erwin said. “We are excited for this team and league to create joy for the community, and we look forward to cultivating new fans across the Upstate as we work toward beginning play in 2022.”
More details on the Greenville women’s team technical staff and brand will be announced in the coming months.
“Our goal for the W League is to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity and career development,” said USL Director of Women’s Soccer Betsy Haugh. “We’re thrilled to have Greenville join us on this mission and look forward to seeing their women’s team in action on the field and in the community.”
USL W League will begin play in spring 2022 kicking off in May and ending with the W League Playoffs and W League Final in late July. The Greenville team will begin play at Legacy Early College, the home pitch of the Greenville Triumph men’s team. Once plans are finalized for a permanent stadium, both men’s and women’s teams will play there with equal facilities, space, and resources.
