About Lancaster Inferno

Lancaster Inferno is a soccer club that fields two women’s teams competing at the highest pro-am level in North America. Inferno’s First Team competes in the top tier of the UWS national pro-am league, and the U-23 Team competes in UWS League Two – a developmental league geared towards U20/23 players.

Based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the club was founded in 2008, and aims to fill the gap that exists in the U.S. between college and professional soccer on the women’s side. The roster makeup is current/former college players and aspiring/former professionals.

Inferno Soccer Corp is an approved 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit

Mission

Our mission is accomplished by:

• Offering more opportunities for female 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 for younger players

Accomplishments

• 2021 UWS East Conference Semi-finalists (First Team)
• 2021 UWS2 Mid-Atlantic North Conference Champions (U-23 Team)
• 2019 UWS National Semi-finalists
• 2018 UWS National Runners-up
• 2018 & 2019 East Conference Champions

Season

The season starts mid-May through the end of July and are usually held Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Practices 2x per week for each team (Tues/Thur evenings)

FIRST TEAM

• 10 game season (5 home, 5 away)
• Playoff games consist of the higher seeds hosting and involves two post season games
• The UWS National Championship tournament (final four) is held at a neutral location during the second to last weekend in July

U-23 TEAM

• 8 game season (4 home, 4 away)
• Potential conference championship game in 2022 season

Inferno History Timeline

2008: PA Classics starts Lancaster Inferno, a women’s team playing in the WPSL (Women’s Premier Soccer League), coached by Doug Harris. The home field is Hempfield High School’s athletic stadium in Landisville.

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”.

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).

2018: The team enters an agreement with Rush Soccer, to be recognized as the club’s top level women’s team. The team’s name was changed to Inferno Rush, branding under the Rush Soccer brand, along with the USL’s Penn FC. In 2018, the Inferno becomes the UWS East Conference Regular Season Champions, subsequently beating the Connecticut Fusion to become the East Conference Playoff Champions. The 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.

2019: The agreement with Rush Soccer is terminated and the team once again reverts to its original name, “Lancaster Inferno”. Lancaster Inferno becomes a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Inferno adds a second (reserve) 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.

2020: Rob Smith joins Inferno Associate Head Coach. Due to COVID-19, UWS did not have a regular season. Lancaster Inferno and the Inferno Reserves played a series of friendly matches that were closed to the general public.

2021: Lancaster Inferno Reserves are now “Lancaster Inferno II” or “Lancaster Inferno U-23” and play in UWS League 2’s inaugural season, becoming the Mid-Atlantic Conference Champions. Wendell Hannaford joins the organization as Head Coach of Lancaster Inferno II. 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-girl’s youth soccer program to begin competing in August, 2022.