It all began in 2013. The Tucson Soccer Academy (TSA) franchised the Southern Arizona member of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) and the program grew and transformed into what is now known as “FC Tucson Women.”
Former head coach Amy Garelick was named the Western Region Pac South Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and the program earned the right to be called “Franchise of the Year” that summer after winning the Pac South championship and finishing second place in the Western Conference.
It was the second honor for Garelick after she was named Big Sky-North Division Coach of the Year in 2013 and WPSL Honorable Mention Coach of the Year for the whole league after taking the first squad to represent Tucson to a third place finish in the Western Conference. Current head coach Kelly Pierce was named First Team All-West as a defender in that initial campaign.
Pierce was also named to the All-West Team and was named a Pacific South All-Star playing for FC Tucson before taking over head coaching duties from Garelick in 2018. Pierce went on to earn West Region Pac South Conference Desert Division Coach of the Year in 2019. The program earned its second Franchise of the Year honor in 2019.
Unfortunately, the FC Tucson Women did not compete in 2020 due to the pandemic but the program is back competing in the Desert Conference along with Atomic City FC (Las Vegas), El Paso Surf, FC Arizona (Phoenix) and SC del Sol (Phoenix). Las Vegas and El Paso will be playing in their first year in the league.
Pierce won two state championships playing for Salpointe and, as the current head coach for the Lancers during the winter season, she has earned three state championship since 2018.
Longtime youth, high school, club and collegiate coach Charlie MacCabe serves as the program’s assistant coach and Paloma Baez is the team administrator. Team rosters are in the final stages of development.
The home match is scheduled for Friday, June 4 against El Paso at 7 p.m. at the Kino North Stadium. For ticket information please visit FCTucson.com/women
Former Big Sky Player of the Year with Montana and European Professional Erin Craig is a steal for @fctucsonwomen Experience, skill and leadership pic.twitter.com/MIatchJq4f
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) May 29, 2021
FOLLOW @ANDYMORALES8 ON TWITTER
Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017, a 2019 AZ Education News award winner and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019 and he is a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
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