2025 Season Preview: Chattanooga FC Women
Impressive recruitment is statement of intent
Chattanooga Football Club will kick off its Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) season next month, when it takes on the UFA Gunners at Finley Stadium on May 23. Playing in the WPSL’s Southeast Conference’s Peachtree Division, CFC will also face off against Atlanta Fire United, Decatur FC, and Georgia Impact.
2024 recap
In 2024 the club finished in sixth place in the WPSL Southeast Conference, with a tally of nine points and a 3-5 record. They lost their first two games of the season, at home against Nashville Rhythm (1-4) and 865 Alliance (1-2). A first win was gained in a 4-1 victory over Birmingham away before two further home losses were suffered against UFA Gunners (2-6) and Decatur (1-4) either side of a heavy 5-0 away defeat at Georgia Impact. The Sky Blues finished the season on a high, with two away wins at Nashville Wolves (7-2) and Atlanta Fire (3-2).
The stadium
Chattanooga FC plays all of its home matches in the WPSL at Finley Stadium, the same ground used by its men’s MLS Next Pro Side. Finley Stadium has been the home of CFC since the club was founded in 2009.
The schedule
The Sky Blues will host four home matches in May and June: UFA Gunners on May 23, Georgia Impact on May 30, Decatur on June 3 and Atlanta Fire on June 14. Away fixtures will be against UFA Gunners on June 6 at 7:00 p.m. (Denmark High School, Alpharetta, GA), Georgia Impact on June 18 at 7:00 p.m. (Cherokee High School, Canton, GA), Atlanta Fire United on June 24 at 6:00 p.m. (Pinecrest Academy, Cumming, GA) and Decatur FC on June 27 at 7:00 p.m. (Decatur High School, Decatur, GA). The full WPSL schedule can be found HERE.
The players
After its difficult WPSL season in 2024, CFC officials had spoken about the desire to step-up recruitment and put out a highly competitive women’s outfit for 2025, one capable of stepping up to the club’s esteemed name in American soccer. It’s fair to say that recruitment so far has reflected that desire, with a number of exciting and experienced names coming into the dressing room.
Some returning figures include defender Abbey Marak and strikers Brady Livingston and Guyanese international Analise Vincent, who led the Sky Blues in goals scored in 2024 with three in six matches started.
Technical Director Sebastian Giraldo has used his connections with the Colorado Storm of the USL W League to bring in three players from that side’s 2024 Championship Runner-up. Defender Jordan Crockett, winger Elisa Dean, and striker Reese McDermott have all come to Chattanooga. McDermott scored ten goals in 15 matches last year for the Storm.
Goalkeeper will be a highly competitive position with two experienced shot-stoppers in Kyleigh Hall and Maddie Smith joining. 26-year-old Hall is a league winner in Romania and Guatemala while 24-year-old Smith won the 2024 WPSL championship with California Storm. They’ll be backed up by UTC goalie and Knoxville-native Caroline Ekern.
Defensively the club appears to have some depth. Jamaican youth international Dejionee Anderson and Mexico youth international Ash Fernandez will join the likes of Marak and Crockett. The Mountain West championship winning Utah State University provides two new recruits in Kasie Vigil and Rine Yonaha.
Midfield is where you’d expect to see additional recruitment in the coming weeks, with only four identifiable recruits so far. Kennedy Ball and Tori Soutuyo are a pair of Chattanooga natives and CFC Academy alumni that local fans will undoubtedly be keen to cheer on. Kaylie Smith is another college recruit and the signing of Mae Hunt is particularly exciting. Hunt came through the Reading FC Academy and played for Reading Women FC for five years representing them when they were in the Women’s Super League at the age of just 15.
The front-line will feature Livingston, Vincent, McDermott, and Dean.
The club will host tryouts for its WPSL side on May 10 when they’ll likely be looking to add more depth in midfield.
The coaches
Last year’s Head Coach, Tom Halsall, left the club after just one season. In November Chattanooga announced the hiring of club legend and former-captain Juan Hernandez as Head Coach. Hernandez was the assistant coach for the team last year. The Spaniard announced his retirement from playing in 2023, and is the club’s all-time assists leader, retiring on 127 matches in eight seasons with CFC.
Hernandez will be joined on the sideline by former Oregon Ducks standout Maryn Beutler, who was named Associate Head Coach a few days after Hernandez’s appointment. Beutler is currently a CFC Academy head coach and the Academy's performance analyst. Prior to beginning her coaching career, Beutler played collegiately at the University of Oregon, playing in 78 career matches and scoring eight goals. Beutler was named a Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week and received Honorable Mention honors throughout her four years of competition.
Katie Wright will serve as goalkeeping coach.
The league
Founded in 1998, the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is the largest women's soccer league in the world with over 140 teams. Many of the United States’ most accomplished women’s national team players have played in the WPSL since its inception in 1998, including household names such as Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Brandi Chastain. The 2025 WPSL season will feature a league-record 150 teams, with teams divided into Central, East, South, and West regions. The full WPSL schedule can be found HERE.
Who to watch
Key Player: Annalisa Vincent
Age: 25 | Position: Forward | Nationality: Guyana
A standout goalscorer for Talladega College and the Guyana National Team, Annalisa Vincent returns to CFC after leading the Sky Blues in goals scored in 2024 with three in six matches started.
In the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship Qualifiers, she scored a goal for Guyana in a 4-0 victory against Dominica.
"Annalisa was a key offensive player for us last season bringing goals, skill and determination to the field," said Head Coach Hernandez. "She currently holds Guyana's National Team top scorer record. On top of that, Annalisa is also a great teammate that matches CFC culture really well. I am looking forward to see her make an impact once again."
With an undoubtedly stronger squad around her in 2025, I’d put money on Vincent increasing on her 2024 goal tally. The signing of Reese McDermott provides strong competition for her, and I would back her to convert that intensity into drive and ambition. In-spite of other signings, I’m still expecting her to lead the attack.
Young Player to Watch: Mae Hunt
Age: 19 | Position: Midfield | Nationality: England
English midfielder Hunt represents the Sun Belt Conference’s University of South Alabama. Last year, she appeared in 18 matches and started 13 in a total of 1,149 minutes of game time.
Hunt is a product of the Reading FC Academy back home and played for Reading Women FC for five years. This includes being involved in the Reading first team when they were in the WSL at the age of 15, making her debut against Arsenal
"Mae is a talented midfielder with great composure on the ball and great ability to perform under pressure," said Hernandez. "She covers ground exceptionally well and is a strong distributor, making her a valuable asset to every team she has been a part of. On top of that, she brings a strong tactical understanding of the game that makes her an important piece of our midfield. I am looking forward to working with her this summer."
While CFC has brought in some experienced recruits this year, 19-year old Hunt might be the most exciting. Her obvious pedigree and high quality upbringing back home makes her a standout name in this new-look side.
Biggest Question
Can Juan produce the magic?
Juan Hernandez is a legend in Chattanooga. The Spaniard straddled the transition from amateur to professional in CFC colors and knows the club, its community, and its fans more than anyone. This is the test; an underperforming women’s outfit of recent that needs to step up to honor the crest it wears. Can he translate his playing success to his players this year?
Reason to Watch
As a well supported and true ‘club’ there’s always a good reason to be interested in the fortunes of CFC, especially if you can visit in-person and soak up its unique supporter atmosphere. This is the same, whether watching the men’s or women’s sides. On the field, this intriguing blend of experience and youth is worth watching and may be the squad that brings glory to CFC int he women’s game, finally.