PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAM COMING TO WESTCHESTER! Westchester Soccer Club Joins USL League One, aims to kick-off in March 2025

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May 09, 2024, 16:02 ET

Westchester County's first homegrown professional sports team to play in Mount Vernon, will consolidate the academy program with New York Premier FC

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. and TAMPA, Fla., May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --The United Soccer League (USL) today announced that Westchester County, N.Y. has been granted the rights to a USL League One franchise. The Westchester Soccer Club (Westchester SC) plans to kick off in 2025. Westchester SC is in the final stage of negotiations to make their home Memorial Field in Mt. Vernon, NY. Uniting the passionate soccer community across Westchester County, Rockland County, Connecticut and northern New Jersey, Westchester SC aims to become the cornerstone of the community's already thriving soccer ecosystem.

Solidifying the club's commitment to nurturing local talent, Westchester SC will integrate the New York Premier FC academy into its operations, which will later be rebranded to align with Westchester SC's permanent brand. Simon Baines, owner of New York Premier FC , who played/coached within professional and semi-professional clubs in England and South Africa, will lead the academy and serve as the sporting director for Westchester SC.

"We are excited to bring professional soccer to Westchester County and the broader northern New Jersey and Lower Connecticut region in order to create a lasting legacy for the community. Our inclusion in USL League One is the foundation of our effort to harness the incredible local talent base and give the region's passionate soccer fans a homegrown team to support," said Mitch Baruchowitz, majority owner of Westchester SC. "We are dedicated to developing top-tier talent right here in Westchester County, ensuring a bright future for soccer in our region and a direct pipeline for our young players to rise to the professional level."

Along with Baruchowitz and Baines, the team's leadership includes Danny Dekker, majority owner of the New York Dutch Lions semi-professional club team. Westchester SC is also backed by Profluence, an emerging sports, technology, and media fund co-founded by Baruchowitz.

Westchester SC will be dedicated to celebrating the region's profound love for soccer through exciting, family-friendly events that emphasize fun and community engagement. The club plans to host community events, soccer clinics and fan meet-ups, all aimed at stoking the local passion for soccer while showcasing the exceptional talent in the area.

Fans can anticipate the unveiling of the club's branding and kit in June. This will coincide with a major kickoff event, where season tickets will officially go on sale, marking a milestone moment for the club and its supporters.

"Westchester County represents a significant addition to our league," said USL League One President Lee O'Neill. "Westchester SC's commitment to community and player development is exciting, and we're eager to see the impact the club will make both on and off the field."

Westchester SC is committed to becoming a cornerstone of the local sports landscape. By fostering a vibrant soccer culture and providing a pathway for young athletes through its academy, USL Westchester aims to ascend to the highest levels of competition and community engagement.

For more information, visit Westchester SC's website and follow the club on social media on X (Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

About Westchester Soccer Club:

As Westchester County's first homegrown professional sports team, Westchester SC aims to bring a USL League One men's professional team to the region for the 2025 season and will look to bring a professional women's team in the coming years. Together with our passionate local soccer community, our aim is to become the cornerstone of Westchester County's already thriving soccer ecosystem and ascend to the highest tier of the USL's professional soccer pyramid. We are committed to building both a world-class boys' and girls' developmental pipeline for Westchester County's incredible local player base.

About USL League One

Shaping the future of the game in the United States, the United Soccer League (USL) announced in 2017 it would launch a new third division league, USL League One, in Spring 2019, uniting passionate fans in new markets with the thrill of a proven professional soccer experience. After a successful launch and first five seasons, League One is expected to more than double in size in the next five years to create a broad, regional footprint.

The USL has targeted U.S. communities ranging in population from 150,000 to one million – markets that represent more than 75 million people without access to a local professional soccer club. League One has focused on launching new clubs in markets that possess strong local ownership groups, populations with broad-based diversity, a vibrant millennial and strong family base, established corporate support and stadiums to properly showcase the sport for fans, partners and the public.

Media Contact:
Josh Vlasto
[email protected]

SOURCE Westchester Soccer Club