RailHawks women to field area players

CARY -- Professional women's soccer is returning to the Triangle.

Sort of.

The Carolina RailHawks announced Wednesday that they will launch a women's team for the 2008 season.

The RailHawks women will play in the W-League, which is part of the United Soccer Leagues -- the men play in the USL First Division.

The W-League blends pro and college players who are able to play and keep their college eligibility.

The RailHawks women already have four area players committed, including North Carolina sophomore Casey Nogueira, a Broughton graduate and member of the United States' Under-20 team. UNC's Betsy Frederick, also of Raleigh, N.C. State's Lindsay Vera and Duke's Kelly Hathorn also have agreed to play.

The W-League plays from May to August.

The team will be coached by Jay Howell, who is the Capital Area Soccer League's Director of Coaching. A number of men and women's college players have come out of Howell's program.

"For me, it was natural to work with [Carolina GM Chris Economides] and the RailHawks to create something special for the players coming out of the area," Howell said.

Howell said he will continue to talk to local collegiate players, as well as professionals willing to live in the Triangle during the summer.

Fielding a women's team always has been in the RailHawks' plan. From 2001-03, the Triangle was home to the Carolina Courage of the now-defunct Women's United Soccer Association. The Courage's success in the Triangle was part of the reason the RailHawks' ownership group targeted this area.

"It's a great market for this," Economides said. "Previous teams have proved that the women's market is a whole different market and can be successful. There's a huge talent pool here. ... It was always part of the plan. It fits in with what we're trying to build here."