Wichita, KS (April 7, 2023) – Kansas Rush Wichita (KRW) and the board of directors are pleased to announce that the club has accepted an invitation to join the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) U21 for 2023. KRW, formerly known as Evolution Futbol Club, was founded in 2005. The club has a historical reputation of producing many of the area’s strongest female soccer players, with over 100 former KRW girls graduating onto college soccer in the past 10 years. Former KRW players have since been NCAA National Champions, college All-Americans and named to their respective hall-of-fame.
“We are extremely honored that the WPSL has invited KRW to enter their U21 platform,” said Adam Hunter, Technical Director. “For many years our club has produced an unmatched number of top college soccer females from the Wichita area. While we have done an excellent job providing all of our female players a summer training program, we have not offered a platform for our women to compete in the summer months. The WPSL U21 gives us the opportunity to do just that. We are elated to offer the opportunity to tell all our former KRW players away at college, WELCOME HOME.”
As well as a summer competition platform, the club has plans to use the WPSL U21 platform as an extension of its youth programming. The team will give younger players something to aspire towards and afford them the opportunity to work alongside college players. The U21 platform allows for a roster of players ranging in ages 14-20 years old with three “senior” players outside the age range. KRW plans to build a roster that will consist of a mixture of college and youth players. In addition, the club will reveal plans for a youth training program that is tied directly to the WPSL team.
The team is scheduled to operate for seven weeks, with the first week of practice being an Open Training/Tryout on May 23, 24, 25. The final match of the season is currently scheduled for July 8. The team plans to train three nights per week and play eight matches over this timeframe. There are four home and four away matches on the slate, with details coming soon.
About the WPSL:
Since its establishment in 1998, the WPSL has been the pinnacle platform for advancing player development in the United States at the amateur level. Through its 25-year history, the WPSL has grown into a leading advocate for women’s soccer by creating multiple avenues for developmental opportunities, including the WPSL International Combine and the WPSL U21 league.
As of 2023, the WPSL is still the longest-active women’s soccer league in the United States and with a membership of over 130 teams, it’s also the largest women’s soccer league in the world. Its national footprint stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific and down to the Gulf with teams in 31 of the 50 U.S. states.
The WPSL launched WPSL U21 in 2021 as part of its commitment to building a player-pathway structure within its historical organization. The 2023 WPSL U21 season will open in May, marking the third season of play.
About Kansas Rush Wichita:
Established in 2005 as Evolution Futbol Club, Kansas Rush Wichita became a member of the national brand Rush Soccer in 2012. The club serves over 650 competitive players from U9-U19 boys and girls. KRW also operates the Junior Academy where there are nearly 150 developmental players ranging in ages U5-U8. The club has a long tradition of competing in some of the top youth soccer competitions available, as well as using its College Advisory Program to assist players in the college soccer journey.