The SoCal Dutch Lions of the USL W league, armed with many faces that should be familiar to local college and club fans, open the 2026 regular season Saturday at San Dieguito Academy against SoCal Reds FC.
The team finished last season third in its division, but have added several key pieces to an already potent roster.
“I really liked what I saw from the team last year,” said head coach Álvar Arranz. “We did a lot of things quite well.”
Arranz and his coaching staff will lead a squad that includes several local standouts from collegiate and club play at San Diego State, UC San Diego, the University of San Diego and San Diego Surf.
Those players include defenders Emma Fuller (SDSU) and Maquena O’Callaghan (USD), midfielders Chloe Yates (UCSD) and Katie Senn (SDSU) and goalkeeper Chloe Walls (USD), along with forward Sophia Fleming (SD Surf).
They join Jourdan Ziff and Kiera Cárdenas, who have already had long and outstanding careers. Ziff has played internationally in Finland, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Canada where she competed against San Diego Wave FC in the 2024 Concacaf W Champions Cup during her stint with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
“I am very excited to see what we can accomplish and (am) ready to contribute,” said Ziff. “I know this league has very talented teams with great players, so we have to come out strong against every opponent.”
Cárdenas, a graduate of UCSD, was Ziff’s teammate during their time in the WPSL playing for the San Diego SeaLions and San Diego Strikers, but is currently nursing a hamstring injury that has left her status for the start of the season uncertain.
“It’s difficult to know what will happen or how many similarities there will be this year compared to last year,” Arranz added. “I do know that the competition is going to be very tough and we can’t take anyone lightly.”
USL W, described as “pre-professional,” serves as a direct feeder to top-tier leagues, including the NWSL – the Wave’s league – and the USL Super League (the USL’s own fully professional Division I). USL W has over 90 teams across the country.
The 2026 USL W regular season will once again have 10 games split evenly at home and on the road. The five home games include the opener against SoCal Reds, Los Angeles SC on June 3, Santa Clarita Blue Heat on June 6, AMSG on June 13 and Capo FC on June 17.
The five away games are against Capo FC on May 27, Santa Clarita Blue Heat on May 30, SoCal Reds on June 10, AMSG on June 21 and Los Angeles SC on June 27.
The SoCal Dutch Lions also will mark a milestone on June 3 – their first match with Los Angeles SC, which is debuting in the league.
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