ANN ARBOR, MI - United Women's Soccer (UWS) would like to officially welcome AFC Ann Arbor to our national pro-am league. "The Mighty Oak" will take to the pitch for the Summer 2019 season as the eighth team in the Midwest Conference. Grand Rapids FC Women are the defending Midwest champions, capturing the conference crown in 2017 and 2018 while hosting the UWS Championship in both seasons. For all the information on the newest UWS team, visit their official website at www.AFCAnnArbor.com.

"AFC Ann Arbor has proven that it can operate a top-notch minor league franchise," said UWS Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. "The organization constantly hits the mark in all facets: on the field, in the stands, in the community and consistent media coverage. This is the type of franchise that we look for in UWS."

"As we enter our fifth year as an organization and our roots grow deeper in the community, adding a women's side felt like the natural next step for us," said AFC Ann Arbor Chairman Bilal Saeed. "We knew the UWS was a great fit for our club as they provide a great platform for competition, sustainability and opportunity for female footballers. We're very excited to begin this next chapter in our club's young history." 

Association Football Club Ann Arbor was founded in 2014 and competed for the first time in May of 2015, playing their inaugural season in the Great Lakes Premier League. After the inaugural campaign, "The Mighty Oak" joined the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), hired Head Coach & Sporting Director Eric Rudland and continued to deepen their roots in Washtenaw County.

Leading the men's semi-pro side for the past three seasons, Rudland has helped Ann Arbor earn back-to-back Great Lakes Conference Championships (2017 & 2018) as well as developing players including 2018 TopDrawerSoccer.com National Player of the Year for the NPSL in Stanley Okumu. AFC Ann Arbor have made a massive impact off the pitch in the community with projects like Community Kicks and The Mighty Oak Youth Project.

About United Women's Soccer: UWS is a national women's soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer. UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media can contact the UWS Communications office by e-mail at UWSPress@gmail.com. You can visit the league's official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.