With the college soccer playing schedule encompassing only four months of the year, many players take the opportunity to play club soccer over the summer, and Aussies are no exception. This year sees College Matildas feature in United Women’s Soccer, Women’s Premier Soccer League, and the reborn USL W-League, with games taking place between May and July.
N.B: This article will be updated as rosters continue to be announced in the lead-up to each league’s season commencing. Please let us know in the comments if you know of any other Aussie college players to sign with a club.
Emma Bates
College: Louisiana
Club: San Antonio Athenians
League: United Women’s Soccer
Having made the move to the US in January, Louisiana freshman Emma Bates will get her first taste of competitive football in the US as the midfielder heads to Texas for a stint with San Antonio Athenians. The Athenians enjoyed a highly successful season in 2021, finishing second in the Southwest Conference of United Women’s Soccer before knocking off undefeated conference regular season champions Lone Star Republic in the playoffs on their way to a national semi-final berth.
Bates and the Athenians will kick off their season on May 20, taking on Allen-based Luxoria FC away. The schedule encompasses ten games, with the regular season concluding on July 8 before the conference championship on July 16 and the national championship on the weekend of July 22-24.
Greta Kraszula
College: VCU
Club: Indy Eleven
League: USL W-League
Seven years after the original USL W-League dissolved, the competition is back and Greta Kraszula will be one of the players involved in the inaugural season as the VCU defender links up with Indy Eleven in Indianapolis. Having featured in only six matches in 2021, the stint with Indy Eleven will allow Kraszula to gain some crucial experience ahead of her sophomore season as she looks to nail down a starting spot with the Rams.
Playing in the Great Lakes division alongside teams from Ohio and Michigan as well as Racing Louisville’s academy side, Indy Eleven will play in the league’s inaugural match as they take on Cincinnati-based Kings Hammer FC at home on May 6. Each team will play 12 games, with the regular season wrapping up on July 9. Indy Eleven, along with the majority of teams in USL W-League, will be streaming their matches on elevensports.com.
D’arne Boato
College: Georgia Gwinnett
Club: Philadelphia Lone Star
League: Women’s Premier Soccer League
Having recently transferred from East Tennessee State to NAIA outfit Georgia Gwinnett, D’arne Boato will ready herself for the fall season with a stint at Philadelphia Lone Star in the Women’s Premier Soccer League. Having played only sparingly during her time at ETSU, Boato will no doubt be champing at the bit to get some regular playing time under her belt in Philly before making her bow for Georgia Gwinnett in the fall.
Playing in the Colonial Conference, Philadelphia Lone Star will take on teams from the Philadelphia area as well as Washington DC and Delaware as part of an eight-game WPSL schedule. The season kicks off on May 22 with the final game of the regular season to be played on July 1.
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