The 2024/25 USL Super League season kicks off this weekend, with the first match taking place on Saturday, August 17. Leading up to opening weekend, we will drop five facts about each of the Super League clubs so fans can learn more about them, starting with Carolina Ascent FC.

1. Carolina Ascent FC set to host first ever Super League match

Carolina Ascent will host the first ever USL Super League match on Saturday, August 17 against DC Power FC at American Legion Memorial Stadium. Get your tickets to the match here or be sure to watch on Peacock. 

2. Philip Poole extends his Carolina coaching career

Philip Poole, a Charlottean of 24 years, will be the head coach of Carolina Ascent FC in its inaugural season. Poole joined the USWNT in January 2020 and was an integral part of the technical staff serving in multiple roles and helping the team achieve feats such as qualifying for the Olympics in 2020 and 2024, qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and winning four She Believes Championships (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023). He was also a college coach for Wake Forest and UNC Charlotte and had a successful period as the elite girls’ director at Charlotte Soccer Academy. 

3. American Legion Memorial Stadium is the club’s home venue

All of Carolina Ascent FC’s home matches will be played at the historic American Legion Memorial Stadium. The soccer-specific venue opened in 1936 in Charlotte, NC and seats 10,500 people. 

4. Young, bright stars decorate Carolina Ascent’s inaugural roster

Carolina Ascent is bringing a new generation of talent to the Carolinas, including 17-year-old midfielder B Hylton, who was the first player to join the new franchise on a USL Academy contract.  Stella Spitzer, Molly Vapensky, Jaida McGrew and Isabella Franco are other U.S. youth national team standouts on the roster. 

5. The 2024/25 kits pay homage to the scenic Carolinas

The “Trailblazer Kit” and “Coastal Kit” feature bright colors that celebrate the Carolinas’ stunning natural landscape, from mountain ranges to the coastline. Both kits and other Carolina Ascent merch can be purchased here.

Follow along with Carolina Ascent this season on Twitter/X and Instagram, and find the team’s full Fall schedule here.

CHARLOTTE, NC – Carolina Ascent FC, Charlotte’s only women’s top-level professional sports team, proudly announced the addition of a locally based women’s ownership group as a major investor. “We want to acknowledge and thank Dan DiMicco and Jim McPhilliamy for their vision and foresight in encouraging a group of women executives and community leaders throughout the Carolinas to join the climb. We are thrilled to become founding investors in the team and look forward to our meaningful contribution to the growth and success of Carolina Ascent FC for many years to come,” said Maryann Bruce, managing member of the investor group, Empower HER Fund, LLC. 

“Investing in women’s soccer isn’t just about building a team—it’s about nurturing future leaders and empowering our community. With a dedicated group of women investors, we’re not only shaping the future of sports but also inspiring young women to become champions on and off the field,” said Andrea Smith, another member of the 11-person Empower HER Fund, LLC. 

Other women investors in addition to Maryann Bruce and Andrea Smith include Margot Brinley, Elizabeth A Fleming, Lucia Zapata Griffith, Kimberly Katherine Lewis, Robin Milo Mermans, Valerie Mitchener, Katie Morgan, Susan Maureen Shaw, and Jordana Snider. 

In a collective statement, Empower HER Fund investors said, “While many of us are life-long soccer fans, investing in Carolina Ascent is a unique chance to support women’s sports, develop female leaders, and make a positive difference in the community.” 

The group views its investment as a long-term project and is still in discussions with other investors. “We believe in the potential of women’s soccer, the USL Super League and Carolina Ascent; we encourage others to join us as investors and in growing a strong fan base,” said Lucia Zapata Griffith. 

Carolina Ascent was initially founded as Empower Sports & Entertainment LLC in 2022 to help bring elite women’s professional soccer to Charlotte. In 2023, Empower Sports & Entertainment officially secured the USL Super League franchise rights to the Charlotte market. The team is the first professional women’s sports team in Charlotte since the WNBA Charlotte Sting played their final game in 2007. Backed by the creativity and drive of a very active and passionate ownership and supporters’ group, the name and branding were created and launched in June of this year. 

The team plays its historic first game at 7:00 pm on Saturday, August 17, at the recently renovated American Legion Memorial Stadium at 310 N. Kings Drive, Charlotte, NC.  The 10,500-seat stadium is in the heart of the Queen City with easy access from both interstates and uptown. Additionally, the stadium has onsite parking, making it convenient and family-friendly. 

For information on club news, season tickets and more, visit carolinaascent.com.

Carolina Ascent Football Club unveiled it’s inaugural jerseys and announced a partnership with Nucor Corporation as the Primary Home Kit Sponsor. Nucor, a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, is the largest producer of steel and steel products and the largest recycler in North America.

The Carolina Ascent Football Club’s inaugural season kits were unveiled to fans at a community event on Wednesday, July 10, at HopFly Brewing. Home and away jerseys are on sale now at carolinaascent.myshopify.com/.

“Nucor is one of the world’s leading companies and we are thankful and humbled they’ve chosen to partner with us,” stated Carolina Ascent Football Club Chief Operating Officer, Tim Schuldt. “We look forward to working with them to make a positive impact on the Carolinas and beyond.”  

Carolina Ascent FC secured a pivotal signing with young forward, Stella Spitzer, on a USL Academy Contract for the 2024/25 USL Super League season, pending league and federation approval. Spitzer, celebrated as a rising star, will relocate with her family from Texas to Charlotte to join Head Coach Philip Poole’s dynamic squad.

“Aside from her exceptional skills on the field, Stella’s dedication and maturity are beyond her years,” Poole said. “She’s a perfect fit for our ambitious vision at Carolina Ascent FC.”

Spitzer, who made waves playing with Sioux Falls City FC in the WPSL this season, brings a formidable track record, earning starts alongside seasoned college soccer players. Her performances have led to invitations to the U.S. U14 Identification Camp and the U.S. U-14 Youth National Team training camp in 2024. She has also been named to the 2024 Olympic Development Program (ODP) National Team.

“Carolina Ascent FC is creating a crucial pathway for the development of women’s soccer, and I am very excited to be a part of that,” Spitzer expressed. “Coach Poole and Carolina Ascent FC have built a team of players and coaches that is unmatched in women’s professional soccer, and I am grateful to be able to learn and grow under them.”

Originally from Lewis Center, Ohio, Spitzer moved to Dallas, Texas, to elevate her game with a premier youth program, guiding Solar Soccer Club to the 2023 ECNL National Playoffs. Under the leadership of former U.S. Men’s National Team star Eddie Johnson, she has emerged as a standout talent.

Season tickets are on sale now at CarolinaAscent.com/tickets.

What’s a USL Academy signing? 

USL Academy signings have been part of the USL for more than a decade. They were first introduced in the USL Championship in 2013, allowing clubs to add talented pre-professional players to First Team rosters while allowing the player to retain their NCAA eligibility. It’s a model that since its introduction by the USL has been adopted by other professional leagues in the United States. 

Super League’s first USL Academy signing will get chance for First Team training, action and retain NCAA eligibility 

When you’re building a league from the ground up, there are going to be important firsts accomplished by the league and its teams on the road to opening weekend. 

On Thursday, Carolina Ascent FC scored the latest, making B Hylton the first USL Academy signing in the USL Super League’s history.  

“I am beyond excited and thankful for the opportunity to play for Carolina Ascent FC this season,” said Hylton in the club’s press release. “I believe that playing with this team will provide me with the best development I can get as a young player. I consider it a privilege to be part of something which will grow the women’s game not only in Charlotte, but provide more opportunities for young players from all over.” 

What’s a USL Academy signing? 

USL Academy signings have been part of the USL for more than a decade. They were first introduced in the USL Championship in 2013, allowing clubs to add talented pre-professional players to First Team rosters while allowing the player to retain their NCAA eligibility. It’s a model that since its introduction by the USL has been adopted by other professional leagues in the United States. 

This has allowed hundreds of players to compete in the USL Championship, USL League One and tournaments like the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup before competing in NCAA College Soccer. Some have taken the opportunity and turned pro before reaching campus – the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Cristian Ortiz was a recent example – while many others have gone on to have successful college careers before joining the professional ranks. 

Who is B Hylton? 

The 17-year-old Charlotte native has been one of the standouts in the Development Player League while competing for the Charlotte Development Academy. Hylton was the DPL’s first National Player of the Year, has been a two-time DPL All-Star Selection, and helped DPL win the 2023 DPL U19 National Championship. At the high school level, Hylton earned NCSCA All-Region, NCISAA All-State, and NCISAA First Team All-Conference honors three times along with NCSCA All-State recognition twice. 

“We are committed to identifying young players with the highest potential, and B is absolutely a player who shows the capabilities we are looking for,” said Ascent Head Coach Philip Poole. “I am excited to see B develop in our environment and compete every day at the professional level. It is important to provide young players a pathway to meaningful professional minutes in an intentional setting and manner. I’m so thrilled for B and how she will represent high-potential young players in her community.” 

What’s next? 

Hylton’s signing is the first USL Academy signing ahead of the league’s inaugural season kickoff in August, but she’s unlikely to be the last. As clubs build out their rosters, you should expect to see some more USL Academy signings appear before the season starts, or for players to earn opportunities to join the eight inaugural clubs after the season is underway.  

With a full women’s pathway now in place from USL Academy through USL W League to the USL Super League, more opportunities for players to find the right path for their journey in the sport are going to appear. That’s only going to increase the chances of finding the next young star that can be guided to the top of the game in the future.