LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lexington Sporting Club announced the fourth group of athletes that will make up its inaugural United Soccer League (USL) W League squad Thursday, with each addition pending league and federation approval.
The five players named continued off the Club’s “W League Week” in which it will release the entire roster over the span of five days.
Ella Abraham, Melissa Fernandez, Audrey Rawls, Alexandra Shimasaki and Isabella White make up Thursday’s roster announcements. See earlier announcements from Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The USL W League is the nation’s premier pre-professional women’s platform, and Lexington SC’s roster will feature top collegiate and prep players from across the country. Alan Kirkup serves as Lexington’s USL W League head coach.
The inaugural match is May 10 from Toyota Stadium in Georgetown, Ky. Fans can purchase tickets to support the USL W League here.
More about each player can be found below:
Ella Abraham – Forward
Social media: Instagram: @ella.abraham
Hometown: Lexington, Ky.
Previous Team: Lexington FC
Abraham plays collegiate soccer at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Finishing her sophomore year in 2022, she scored six goals across her first two seasons. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, she graduated from Lafayette High School. Abraham is most excited about meeting all of her new teammates at Lexington Sporting Club.
“I am so excited to be able to represent my hometown and help grow the game in the state of Kentucky!”
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Melissa Fernandez – Midfielder
Social media: Instagram, TikTok: melferny
Hometown: New Hill, N.C.
Previous Team: Oak City United
Fernandez played collegiate soccer at East Carolina University, which she transferred to after leaving Auburn University-Montgomery. At AUM she started in 14 of 18 games in 2018 and scored one goal with three assists. She also played for Oak City United of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). Fernandez is most excited to get to play with a group of women that all have similar goals and will strive to win not just for each other but for the program and coaching staff as well, citing the upcoming season as an opportunity for girls to be a part of something bigger.
“Being amongst the first W League signings for Lexington SC truly feels like a blessing. After my collegiate career, this year, I became a part of a college soccer coaching staff. Sitting on the sidelines instead of being on the pitch and not playing in official matches has been a sad part of getting older. When I heard about Lexington SC having tryouts for a summer season, I knew it was a sign that I still had an opportunity to use the skills God gave me. This is just the beginning of the program in this league, and I believe the coaches have brought a highly skilled group of girls to the program. We have the opportunity to succeed and build the program from the ground up to bring our name to the W League.”
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Audrey Rawls – Midfielder / Forward
Social media: Instagram: audreyrawls_ | Twitter: audyshae
Hometown: Lexington, Ky.
Previous Team: Lexington FC
Rawls plays collegiate soccer for Transylvania University, where she started in 23 games and scored eight goals with six assists. Growing up in Lexington, she graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. In her youth she also played for Lexington FC. Rawls is most excited about being able to represent the city of Lexington on a larger scale and to see what the league is about, competing against some of the best young women in the game at the moment.
“It means the world to me to be able to represent my home city in its inaugural W League season. I am honored to be a part of this program alongside some very high quality players and am stoked to see how we compete and grow together as the season progresses.”
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Alexandra Shimasaki – Midfielder
Social media: Instagram: a.x.shimi_10
Hometown: Redlands, Calif.
Previous Team: Heavy Hitters / Nutrition Mission Heat (Guam)
Shimasaki plays collegiate soccer at Southwest Mississippi Community College, starting in 15 games for the Lady Bears and leading the team in scoring with 18 points in 2021. She also played for Heavy Hitters / Nutrition Mission Heat in Guam. Shimasaki is most excited about playing alongside skilled players with similar goals and aspirations, entering the inaugural season with confidence.
“It is a huge opportunity for me to show the type of player I am and it puts me one step closer to achieving my goals as a future women’s professional soccer player.”
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Isabella White – Forward
Social media: Instagram: isabella.whitee_ | Twitter: isabellawhiteee
Hometown: Lexington, Ky.
Previous Team: Racing Louisville Academy
White plays collegiate soccer for Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, which she committed to after graduating from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington. In her youth career she competed for Lexington FC and Racing Louisville’s academy. She started all 16 games for the Pioneers as a freshman, amassing eight goals and four assists. White is most excited about seeing what the club is capable of and competing in a high-end competitive league of soccer.
“To be among the first W League signings for Lexington SC means that I am part of a groundbreaking opportunity to bring more women’s soccer to Lexington and expand on my own soccer career.”
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Stay tuned throughout the week as more Lexington SC players are announced.
About Lexington Sporting Club
Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in USL League One (U.S. Soccer third division men’s professional soccer). Launching its inaugural professional season in 2023, the men’s first team is the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,400 players within its youth and academy systems, a pre-professional women’s team beginning in 2023 in the USL W League and is in the process of building the club’s formal stadium, performance center and training fields.