About Lancaster Inferno
Founded in 2008, Lancaster Inferno fields a women’s pre-professional soccer team that competes in the USL W League. The First Team roster is composed of players who want to pursue their professional aspirations and features current/post college players and former professionals.
Headquartered in Pod 2 on the Campus of Rock Lititz (Lititz, PA), the Inferno is committed to providing a complete pathway from youth soccer to pre-professional. In addition to the pre-professional team, Inferno fields a U23 women’s team during the summer months, their U19 USL Academy team, and youth travel teams from the U9-U18 age groups year-round (Lancaster Inferno FC).
Lancaster Inferno FC is the only all-girls travel soccer club in Pennsylvania that provides a player pathway from youth to pre-professional. The pathway provides age and stage-appropriate opportunities across these age groups. The purpose of the pathway is to identify and prepare talented players as future senior Lancaster Inferno players, through the delivery of a holistic player centric curriculum.
From youth to pro-am, her path to a soccer career starts at Lancaster Inferno!
To learn more about the travel program, visit the Youth Club page. Check out the club’s USL FAQs page for more information on the USL Academy.
History
Lancaster Inferno started playing in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) in 2008 and moved to the United Women’s Soccer (UWS) league as a founding team in 2016. The Inferno was acquired in 2014 by the Cleaves family and has continued to build on its past successes. With a passion for advancing women’s soccer, the Cleaves in partnership with committed sponsors, have continued to invest in the club culminating in the acquisition of the USL W League franchise in 2023.
The club is professionally operated and supported by an outstanding team of individuals deeply committed to the vision of the club: To empower girls and women through the sport of soccer.
For over a decade, the Lancaster Inferno has served as trailblazers in the women’s soccer landscape, investing in and providing women the opportunity to further their soccer careers.
About the United Soccer League (USL)
The United Soccer League (USL) is the heartbeat of American soccer. Impacting more than 200 communities across the United States, the USL is the first and only soccer organization in the United States to build a youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women within one ecosystem. That structure includes three professional leagues: USL Super League (women), USL Championship (men), and USL League One (men); two pre-professional leagues: USL League Two (men) and the USL W League (women); and two youth platforms: USL Academy and USL Youth.
Interested in Sponsoring or Donating to Lancaster Inferno?
For sponsorships, go to the Contact Form, and someone from the Front Office will be in touch!
For donations, you can follow Lancaster Inferno’s PayPal Donation Link.
Donations are tax deductible, and checks can be mailed to; Inferno Soccer Corp, Suite #35, Rock Lititz Blvd, Lititz, PA 17543.
Inferno Soccer Corp is an approved 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. Tax ID is 82-4472457.
Mission
MISSION STATEMENT
To empower girls and women through the sport of soccer by focusing on their development to help them achieve their goals.Our mission is accomplished by:
- Offering more opportunities for athletes in a professional environment
- Partnering with community groups and businesses to keep programs affordable
- Providing support to coaches for their professional growth
- Fostering a supportive and positive future and community outreach
- Serving as role models
Accomplishments
- 2024 USL W League Playoff Appearance (First Team)
- 2024 UWS2 East Conference Champions (U23 Team)
- 2023 UWS National Semi-finalists (First Team)
- 2023 UWS East Conference Patriot Bracket Champions (First Team)
- 2022 UWS2 Mid-Atlantic North Conference Champions (U23 Team)
- 2021 UWS East Conference Semi-finalists (First Team)
- 2021 UWS2 Mid-Atlantic North Conference Champions (U23 Team)
- 2019 UWS National Semi-finalists (First Team)
- 2019 East Conference Champions (First Team)
- 2018 UWS National Runners-up (First Team)
- 2018 East Conference Champions (First Team)
Women’s Teams
Lancaster Inferno currently fields a First Team playing in the USL W League and a U23 team.
FIRST TEAM
The First Team competes in the USL W League. The team is primarily composed of aspiring and former professionals and college players. Team goal: A national championship title in USL W League.
- Begins May through July
- 12 Game regular season + playoffs
- Practices 2x per week
- Playoffs are held between July 4-20 (16-team playoff)
- USL W League National Championship is held July 18-20
U23 TEAM
The U23 Team competes in the CASA U23 Women’s Premier League. The team is primarily composed of current and former college players. Team goal: A conference championship title.
- Begins May through July
- 6 Game regular season + playoffs
- Practices 2x per week
Interested in joining our Women’s Soccer Program?
We’re holding an open tryout for the 2025 season on Monday, December 30th, 2024. Register at the following LINK.
Youth Teams
Lancaster Inferno launched a year round all-girls travel soccer program in 2022. To learn more about the travel program, visit the Youth Club page.
Milestones
2008: PA Classics starts Lancaster Inferno, a women’s team competing in the WPSL (Women’s Premier Soccer League). The team’s home field is Hempfield High School’s athletic stadium in Landisville, PA.
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 changes to “Penn Legacy Inferno”.
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 the newly-formed United Women’s Soccer (UWS) national pro-am league.
2018: In 2018, Inferno becomes the UWS East Conference Regular Season Champions, subsequently beating the Connecticut Fusion to become the East Conference Playoff Champions. Inferno travels to the UWS National Championship held in Grand Rapids, Michigan and defeats Grand Rapids FC in the semi-final match. In the final match of the UWS National Championship, Inferno faces the Houston Aces and loses 1-0 at the last minute of double overtime. Head Coach Francisco Cleaves is named the 2018 UWS East Conference Coach of the Year.
2019: Lancaster Inferno becomes a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Inferno adds a second (reserve/U23) team. For the 2nd consecutive year, Lancaster Inferno becomes the East Conference Playoff Champions, winning 2-1 over regular season champions, New England Mutiny. Inferno travels to compete at the UWS National Championship in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Lancaster Inferno plays host team, Calgary Foothills, in the first round, losing 2-0. Head Coach Francisco Cleaves is named the 2019 UWS East Conference Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
2020: Rob Smith joins Inferno Associate Head Coach. Due to COVID-19, UWS did not have a regular season. Lancaster Inferno and the Inferno U23 Team (formerly known as reserve team) plays a series of friendly matches.
2021: Wendell Hannaford joins the organization as Head Coach of Inferno’s U23 Team and finishes their inaugural season in UWS League Two as the Mid-Atlantic Conference Champions. Lancaster Inferno’s First Team is a semi-finalist in the East Conference Championship. The club also launches Inferno Summer Select, a program for U12-15 girls. In their commitment to advancing women in the world of soccer, Inferno partnered with EPYSA to host the first-ever all-female USSF National D License coaching course inline with U.S. Soccer’s new grassroots pathway.
2022: Lancaster Inferno announces an all-girls youth soccer program to begin competition in August, 2022. Teresa Rook is named as Youth Club Director and Wendell Hannaford is appointed Youth Technical Director. The club launches 6 youth travel teams in Fall 2022.
2023: Stephanie Cleaves joins the women’s team coaching staff as the first female head coach. Inferno also starts a U20 team led by head coach Kyle Diem and competes in a provisional U20 conference of UWS League Two. Lancaster Inferno’s First Team wins the UWS East Conference Patriot Bracket and travels to the UWS National Championship in Santa Clarita, California. Coach Stephanie Cleaves is named the 2023 UWS East Conference Coach of the Year. The club launches 8 youth travel teams in Fall 2023. In November 2023, Inferno announces the First Team will be competing in the USL W League in 2024.
2024: Lancaster Inferno FC announces its acceptance into the USL Academy League. The club launches its U19 USL Girls Academy team in the Fall of 2024 featuring the area’s top U15-U19 players. Geared towards elite players within the U15 to U19 age range (2010-2006 birth years), the USL Academy model is unique in the player development landscape with a direct path to Inferno’s senior team. Inferno’s U23 Team become conference champions with an undefeated record (6-0-2) under head coach Wendell Hannaford. The First Team qualifies for playoffs in it’s inaugural season in the USL W League with a record of 10-2-1. Co-Captain Ryelle Shuey earns USL W League First Team and Mid-Atlantic Division Player of the Year. First Team Head Coach Stephanie Cleaves earns the USL W League Coach of the Year Award. The club launches 10 youth travel teams in Fall 2024.
