Lancaster Inferno FC

Lancaster Inferno

Full name	Lancaster Inferno FC
Nickname(s)	Inferno
Founded	2008
Stadium	Penn Medicine Park
Head Coach	Francisco Cleaves
League	United Women's Soccer
Website	http://www.lancasterinferno.com
Home colors Away colors

Lancaster Inferno is a top level amateur women's soccer club based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2008, the club fields a first team that plays in United Women's Soccer (UWS), a national pro-am league at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, and a U23 team that competes in UWS League Two.

Timeline

• 2008: PA Classics starts Lancaster Inferno, a women's team playing in the WPSL (Women's Premier Soccer League), ^[1] along with a men's team playing in the National Premier Soccer League, also called the Lancaster Inferno. ^[2] The women are coached by Doug Harris. ^[3] The home field is Hempfield High School's athletic stadium in Landisville. ^[3]
• 2009: The men's team folds, but the women continue to compete. ^[4]
• 2011: Inferno is no longer under the PA Classics umbrella, and plays under the sponsorship of the Penn Legacy Soccer Club. The team's name is changed to "Penn Legacy Inferno". ^[5]
• 2013: Inferno becomes independent, no longer associated with PA Classics or Penn Legacy. The team's name reverts to its former name, "Lancaster Inferno".
• 2014: Lancaster Inferno is sold to Francisco Cleaves, who also begins operations as head coach.
• 2015: Inferno changes its home field to Millersville University's Pucillo Field in the Lancaster suburb of Millersville.
• 2016: Lancaster Inferno leaves WPSL and joins United Women's Soccer (UWS). ^[6]
• 2018: The team enters an agreement with Rush Soccer, to be recognized as the club's top level women's team. ^[7] The team's name was changed to Inferno Rush, branding under the Rush Soccer brand, along with the USL's Penn FC. The Inferno became both the UWS East Conference Regular Season Champions, as well as beating the Connecticut Fusion to become the East Conference Playoff Champions. ^[8] The Inferno went to the UWS National Championship held in Grand Rapids, Michigan and defeated Grand Rapids FC in the semi-final match. ^[9] In the final match, Inferno faced the Houston Aces and lost 1-0 in extra time. ^{[9] [10]}
• 2019: The agreement with Rush Soccer was terminated and the team reverted to its former name, "Lancaster Inferno".
• 2025: The Inferno plays 5 games at the Lancaster Stormers' artificial turf stadium, Penn Medicine Park. Lines on the field can be removed using water for baseball games. The new mascot, Fern, first appears at Inferno home games and was created by Keystone Mascots.

Players

2021 First Team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   USA Kayla DeTreux 2 MF   USA Raegan Dunwoodie 3 DF   USA Kendra Jones 4 MF   USA Elizabeth Wenger 5 MF   USA Jessica Weinoldt 7 DF   USA Clarissa Kirsch-Downs 8 FW   USA Grace George 9 MF   USA Megan Carroll 10 MF   USA Ryelle Shuey 11 DF   USA Marissa DiGenova 12 FW   USA Rachel Ludwick 14 DF   USA Madison Root

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 MF   USA Michaela Kasparcova 16 FW   USA Mikayla Mustard 17 MF   USA Sonia Rada 18 GK   USA Gianna Yurchak 19 DF   USA Kylie Cahill 21 FW   USA Ashley Hushon (Chilcoat) 22 MF   USA Teresa Rook (Rynier) 23 MF   USA Jackie Richards 24 DF   USA Adalee Broadbent 25 MF   USA Annie Slovak 29 DF   USA Kayla Mesaros

2021 U23 Team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW   USA Cheyenne McCloud — MF   USA Emma Sweitzer 6 DF   USA Ashley Hollinger 27 GK   USA Lindsay Kline 13 FW   USA Courtney Stinger 7 MF   USA Annabelle Wunderlich — MF   USA Colleen O'Brien 20 MF   USA Shayna Polsky — MF   USA Julia Raybold 26 MF   USA Maddie Carper

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF   USA Brynn Rathsam — FW   USA Abby Aughe — FW   USA Elliott Breech — FW   USA Gabrielle Hollinger — FW   USA Carly Cavanaugh — FW   USA Gabriela Encarnacion — FW   USA Jordan Rosengrant — FW   USA Jane Bowen — FW   USA Emily Bidelspach — FW   USA Olivia Tobias

Notable former and present players

• Kelly O'Brien: Lancaster Inferno (2017–2019) Diósgyőri VTK of the Hungarian Női Nemzeti Bajnokság
• Sonia Rada: Lancaster Inferno(2019), EN Thoi Lakatamia (Cyprus) 2018-2019, FF Lugano 1976 Lugano, Switzerland (2017-2018),
• Emily Armstrong: Sundsvalls DFF (Sundsvalls damfotbollsförening), Sweden (present); IBV, in league Úrvalsdeild Kvenna, Iceland (2018); Medkila IL, Norway (2017); Lancaster Inferno (2016)
• Sydney Blomquist: Lancaster Inferno (2014 & 2016), Västerås BK30 (2016), Åland United (2017), Sporting CP (2019–present)
• Emily Dolan: Real Betis Balompié (Liga Iberdrola), Spain (2018–present); KKPK Medyk Konin (Champions League & Ekstraliga), Poland (2017–2018); USD San Zaccaria/Ravenna Woman (Serie A), Italy (2016–2017); Lancaster Inferno (2016) ^[11]
• Jade Flory: Lancaster Inferno (2013–2014), Prottur Reykjavik otherwise known as Throttur FC (Icelandic Women’s Premier Division) / Ravasens IK Karlskoga (Sweden)
• Tesa McKibben: Lancaster Inferno (2012–2014, 2017–present ^[12] ); Germany's FC Saarbrücken (2014–2016); Germany's ETSV Wurzburg (2014)
• Teresa Rynier: Lancaster Inferno (2007–2010, 2016, 2018–present); Ottawa Fury (2011 & 2014); FH Hafnafjördur, Iceland (2013); Kvarnsvedens IK, Sweden (2012)
• Kendra Jones: Lancaster Inferno (2010–2012, 2018–present ^[13] ); Women's National Premier Leagues's FC Bulleen Lions & Bayside United FC in Melbourne Australia (2016–2017); Czech Republic's Zeny 1 Liga team AC Sparta Praha (2015); Victorian Premier League of Australia: Heidelberg United (2013–2014)
• Carol Sánchez: Independiente Santa Fe (Colombia) & the Costa Rica women's national football team Lancaster Inferno (2016)

Team standings and statistics

Year	Division	League	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Reg. Season	Playoffs	Championship
2025	4	USLW	10	4	5	1	20	17	3	13	4th of 5, Mid Atlantic Division	did not qualify	did not qualify
2024	4	USLW	12	10	1	1	50	7	43	31	2nd of 8, Mid Atlantic Division	Conference Semifinals	did not qualify
2023	4	UWS	8	6	1	1	16	9	7	19	4th of 17, East Division	Eastern Conference Champions	National Semifinals
2022	4	UWS	10	8	1	1	27	9	18	25	2nd of 5, Mid-Atlantic Division	did not qualify	did not qualify
2021	4	UWS	10	4	2	4	17	10	7	16	5th of 13, East Conference	Conference Semifinals	did not qualify
2020	2	UWS	Season cancelled due to COVID-19
2019	2	UWS	10	7	4	0	15	14	1	21	3rd of 8, East Conference	East Conference Champions	National Semi-Finalist
2018	2	UWS	10	7	3	0	22	10	12	21	East Conference Champions	East Conference Champions	National Runners-up
2017	2	UWS	10	4	6	0	18	23	–5	12	6th of 8, East Conference	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2016	2	UWS	10	4	5	1	16	15	1	13	4th of 6, East Conference	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2015	3	WPSL	8	1	6	1	12	23	–11	4	5th of 5, Power 5	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2014	3	WPSL	8	6	1	1	20	8	12	0	Provisional Season	Provisional Season	Provisional Season
2013	3	WPSL	11	6	2	3	41	13	28	21	2nd of 6, Northeast Atlantic - South	1st round, Conference Playoffs	Did not qualify
2012	3	WPSL	10	5	4	1	17	13	4	16	3rd of 5, Northeast Atlantic - South	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2011	3	WPSL	10	3	4	3	12	9	3	12	7th of 9, East Mid-Atlantic	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2010	3	WPSL	10	6	1	3	20	8	12	21	1st of 5, East Mid-Atlantic	2nd round, Regional Playoffs	Did not qualify
2009	3	WPSL	10	7	1	2	23	9	14	23	3rd of 14, East	Conference Finals	Did not qualify
2008	3	WPSL	14	8	2	2	25	9	16	26	2nd of 7, East Mid-Atlantic	Conference Semi-finals	Did not qualify

Coaching staff

• Francisco Cleaves, Head Coach of First Team (2014–present)
• Rob Smith, Associate Head Coach of First Team (2020–present)
• Wendell Hannaford, Head Coach of U23 Team (2021–present)
• Chris Weibel, Strength & Conditioning Coach (2014–present)

Home stadiums

• Hempfield High School (2008–2014)
• Pucillo Field, Millersville University (2015–2023)
• Warwick High School (2024 - Still used as of 2025 for U23 games)
• Penn Medicine Park (2025)

References

1. Caldwell, Greg (June 11, 2008). "Inferno gives local elite women a place to play soccer" . Lancaster Online . LNP Media Group . Retrieved July 8, 2019.
2. Caldwell, Greg (June 8, 2008). "Inferno men play to tie; women test bench in exhibition" . Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
3. Caldwell, Greg (May 13, 2012). "Inferno raises sights for 2012" . Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
4. Caldwell, Greg (June 17, 2009). "Inferno heats up circuit in second season" . Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
5. Caldwell, Greg (June 27, 2011). "Women's soccer: Inferno intends to finish strong" . Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
6. Kassouf, Jeff (December 24, 2015). "United Women's Soccer (UWS) to begin play in 2016". The Equalizer. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
7. Aniwyo, Dike (May 10, 2018). "Lancaster Inferno Joins The RUSH Soccer Family". Soccernation.com. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
8. Navaroli, Steve (July 17, 2018). "Lancaster Inferno Rush win East Conference, earn trip to Michigan" . Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
9. Navaroli, Steve (July 24, 2018). "Second-place finish at nationals thrilling for Lancaster Inferno Rush" . Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
10. "Aces top Inferno Rush, 1-0 in extra time, for UWS title" . Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. July 22, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
11. Greene, Sean (June 27, 2019). "Ex-Wilmington Charter keeper living her soccer dream in Spain". WDEL (AM) . Retrieved July 2, 2019.
12. Rael, Chris (April 19, 2019). "Ready To Kick Off – UWS Teams Sign College Standouts". SoccerToday. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
13. Huggins, Pat (July 20, 2018). "Elco's Ryelle Shuey having soccer summer to remember with Inferno Rush". Lebanon Daily News . Retrieved July 2, 2019.

External links

• Official Website