LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lexington Sporting Club is pleased to announce its own Michelle Rayner is taking over as Women’s Sporting Director, effective immediately.
Rayner, who has been with the Club since its inception, will oversee all sporting aspects for Lexington SC’s growing women’s side. This includes managing the short- and long-term goals of the women’s player pathway, from the youth team up through the pre-professional and, eventually, professional ranks.
“I was extremely honored to be given this opportunity, and I not only thank our ownership group, but also honored for the trust in allowing us to continue to build the same possibilities for both male and female athletes,” Rayner said. “This will allow us time to ensure we do this right and build a pathway on the female side that the city of Lexington can be proud of. We hope this becomes the new normal where families not only want to come and watch exciting football being played on the men’s side, but also on the women’s.”
“Michelle’s record of developing world-class players and athletes speaks for itself,” co-owner Stephen Dawahare said. “To have someone with her pedigree, experience and track record be a part of our organization reinforces what we are building here in Lexington, providing a pathway for women and men to maximize their potential as players.”
Lexington currently has more than 600 female players on 45 teams in the youth system, which ranges from U7 to U19 and includes multiple squads in the prestigious Girls Academy league. The Club recently announced its expansion into the USL W League, and has plans to field a professional women’s team in the near future.
“We are looking to do things differently by building an exciting brand of playing style within our Lexington SC games model, philosophy, and methodology, which we believe will start to change the landscape within the female game here at every level,” Rayner said.
Rayner was one of the first members of Lexington SC’s technical staff, having served as the General Manager of Tower Hill Sports and coaching in the market at Commonwealth Soccer Club (and Lexington FC).
Originally from New Zealand, Rayner has built an impactful coaching career with experience at various levels, including two stints at the University of Kentucky, first as an assistant coach and again as associate head coach. She was head coach at High Point from 2005-09, guiding the Panthers to the Big South Tournament Championship in 2007, recording the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Before pursuing a college education and beginning her coaching career in the United States, Rayner played professionally in Australia and England, and was a member of the New Zealand National Team that competed in the first Women’s World Soccer Championships in China in 1991.
Although the men’s and women’s sides have separate Sporting Directors, the relationship developed between Rayner and Sam Stockley—Men’s Sporting Director and first team head coach—will continue to flourish.
Rayner added: “I will look to work closely with Sam Stockley as we have done so for well over a year now, and invest in having a ‘growth mindset’ on continual learning possibilities with he and his staff.”
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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 League). Launching its inaugural professional season in 2023, the professional team is the pinnacle of the soccer eco-system in Lexington and 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.