Victoria lands WPSL franchise

The largest women’s soccer league in the world is on its way to Victoria.

Victoria-based EPIC Sports Management is bringing the Women’s Premier Soccer League to Victoria in 2019. The yet-to-benamed expansion team will play in the West Region’s Northwest Conference, along side such teams as TSS Rovers of Vancouver, Seattle Sounders Women and Eugene (Oregon) Timbers.

The WPSL is similar to the USL Premier Development League that the Victoria Highlanders play in as it attracts elite collegiate, post-collegiate and international prep-school players. Many of the United States’ international stars such as Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach and Brandi Chastain came through the WPSL.

Neil Sedgwick, director of youth development at EPIC Sport and head coach of the UNBC Timberwolves women’s U Sports team, will be the head coach of the Victoria WPSL team. He will be assisted by EPIC Sports’ academy director and Brentwood College head coach Wes Barrett.

“By Vancouver Island having a team in the WPSL, youth, current and former university female players are given an opportunity to compete and develop outside of their current playing environments,” Sedgwick said, in a statement.

A stadium location is close to being finalized. The 2019 WPSL season is expected to start in early May.