Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 31, 2026

Lancaster Inferno (USLW)

Lancaster Inferno is a top level amateur women's soccer club based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2008, the club fields a first team that plays in United Soccer League Women's division (USLW), a national pro-am league at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, and a U23 team that competes in USL Women's Under 23 level.

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Lancaster Inferno
Full nameLancaster Inferno
NicknameInferno
Founded2008
StadiumPenn Medicine Park
Head CoachHonduras Stephanie Cleaves
LeagueUSL W League
Websitehttp://www.lancasterinferno.com

Lancaster Inferno is a top level amateur women's soccer club based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2008, the club fields a first team that plays in United Women's Soccer (UWS), a national pro-am league at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, and a U23 team that competes in UWS League Two.

Timeline

  • 2008: PA Classics starts Lancaster Inferno, a women's team playing in the WPSL (Women's Premier Soccer League),1 along with a men's team playing in the National Premier Soccer League, also called the Lancaster Inferno.2 The women are coached by Doug Harris.3 The home field is Hempfield High School's athletic stadium in Landisville.3
  • 2009: The men's team folds, but the women continue to compete.4
  • 2011: Inferno is no longer under the PA Classics umbrella, and plays under the sponsorship of the Penn Legacy Soccer Club. The team's name is changed to "Penn Legacy Inferno".5
  • 2013: Inferno becomes independent, no longer associated with PA Classics or Penn Legacy. The team's name reverts to its former name, "Lancaster Inferno".
  • 2014: Lancaster Inferno is sold to Francisco Cleaves, who also begins operations as head coach.
  • 2015: Inferno changes its home field to Millersville University's Pucillo Field in the Lancaster suburb of Millersville.
  • 2016: Lancaster Inferno leaves WPSL and joins United Women's Soccer (UWS).6
  • 2018: The team enters an agreement with Rush Soccer, to be recognized as the club's top level women's team.7 The team's name was changed to Inferno Rush, branding under the Rush Soccer brand, along with the USL's Penn FC. The Inferno became both the UWS East Conference Regular Season Champions, as well as beating the Connecticut Fusion to become the East Conference Playoff Champions.8 The Inferno went to the UWS National Championship held in Grand Rapids, Michigan and defeated Grand Rapids FC in the semi-final match.9 In the final match, Inferno faced the Houston Aces and lost 1-0 in extra time.910
  • 2019: The agreement with Rush Soccer was terminated and the team reverted to its former name, "Lancaster Inferno".
  • 2024: The Inferno join the USL W League as part of an expansion. 11
  • 2025: The Inferno plays 5 games at the Lancaster Stormers' artificial turf stadium, Penn Medicine Park. Lines on the field can be removed using water for baseball games. The new mascot, Fern, first appears at Inferno home games and was created by Keystone Mascots.

Players

2026 First Team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
0  USA Riley Houck
2  USA Ava Shappell
4  USA Olivia Rubinich
5  USA Jessica Weinoldt
7  USA Carsyn Boyer
9  USA Anouk Landgraff
10  USA Ryelle Shuey
11  USA Noelle Clabaugh
12  USA Mackenzie Mentzer
18  USA Madison Murphy
19  USA Payton Quinones
No. Pos. Nation Player
20  USA Ava LeMay
22  USA Evangelia Barakos
23  USA Annabelle Wunderlich
24  USA Kherington Yezik
29  USA Piper Lazar
30  USA Brooklyn Showalter
31  USA Rachel Eberly
34  USA Kyra Kramer
55  USA Makenzy Shanklin
99  USA Kaeyla Noble

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
—  USA Avery King
—  USA Ashley Lavrich

Notable former and present players

  • United States Kelly O'Brien: Lancaster Inferno (2017–2019) Diósgyőri VTK of the Hungarian Női Nemzeti Bajnokság
  • United StatesColombia Sonia Rada: Lancaster Inferno(2019), EN Thoi Lakatamia (Cyprus) 2018-2019, FF Lugano 1976 Lugano, Switzerland (2017-2018),
  • United States Emily Armstrong: Sundsvalls DFF (Sundsvalls damfotbollsförening), Sweden (present); IBV, in league Úrvalsdeild Kvenna, Iceland (2018); Medkila IL, Norway (2017); Lancaster Inferno (2016)
  • United States Sydney Blomquist: Lancaster Inferno (2014 & 2016), Västerås BK30 (2016), Åland United (2017), Sporting CP (2019–present)
  • United States Emily Dolan: Real Betis Balompié (Liga Iberdrola), Spain (2018–present); KKPK Medyk Konin (Champions League & Ekstraliga), Poland (2017–2018); USD San Zaccaria/Ravenna Woman (Serie A), Italy (2016–2017); Lancaster Inferno (2016)12
  • United States Jade Flory: Lancaster Inferno (2013–2014), Prottur Reykjavik otherwise known as Throttur FC (Icelandic Women’s Premier Division) / Ravasens IK Karlskoga (Sweden)
  • United States Tesa McKibben: Lancaster Inferno (2012–2014, 2017–present13); Germany's FC Saarbrücken (2014–2016); Germany's ETSV Wurzburg (2014)
  • United States Teresa Rynier: Lancaster Inferno (2007–2010, 2016, 2018–present); Ottawa Fury (2011 & 2014); FH Hafnafjördur, Iceland (2013); Kvarnsvedens IK, Sweden (2012)
  • United States Kendra Jones: Lancaster Inferno (2010–2012, 2018–present14); Women's National Premier Leagues's FC Bulleen Lions & Bayside United FC in Melbourne Australia (2016–2017); Czech Republic's Zeny 1 Liga team AC Sparta Praha (2015); Victorian Premier League of Australia: Heidelberg United (2013–2014)
  • Costa RicaCarol Sánchez: Independiente Santa Fe (Colombia) & the Costa Rica women's national football team Lancaster Inferno (2016)

Team standings and statistics

Year Division League GP W L T GF GA GD Pts Reg. season Playoffs Championship
2025 4 USLW 10 4 5 1 20 17 3 13 4th of 5, Mid Atlantic Division did not qualify did not qualify
2024 4 USLW 12 10 1 1 50 7 43 31 2nd of 8, Mid Atlantic Division Conference Semifinals did not qualify
2023 4 UWS 8 6 1 1 16 9 7 19 4th of 17, East Division Eastern Conference Champions National Semifinals
2022 4 UWS 10 8 1 1 27 9 18 25 2nd of 5, Mid-Atlantic Division did not qualify did not qualify
2021 4 UWS 10 4 2 4 17 10 7 16 5th of 13, East Conference Conference Semifinals did not qualify
2020 2 UWS Season cancelled due to COVID-19
2019 2 UWS 10 7 4 0 15 14 1 21 3rd of 8, East Conference East Conference Champions National Semi-Finalist
2018 2 UWS 10 7 3 0 22 10 12 21 East Conference Champions East Conference Champions National Runners-up
2017 2 UWS 10 4 6 0 18 23 –5 12 6th of 8, East Conference Did not qualify Did not qualify
2016 2 UWS 10 4 5 1 16 15 1 13 4th of 6, East Conference Did not qualify Did not qualify
2015 3 WPSL 8 1 6 1 12 23 –11 4 5th of 5, Power 5 Did not qualify Did not qualify
2014 3 WPSL 8 6 1 1 20 8 12 0 Provisional Season Provisional Season Provisional Season
2013 3 WPSL 11 6 2 3 41 13 28 21 2nd of 6, Northeast Atlantic - South 1st round, Conference Playoffs Did not qualify
2012 3 WPSL 10 5 4 1 17 13 4 16 3rd of 5, Northeast Atlantic - South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2011 3 WPSL 10 3 4 3 12 9 3 12 7th of 9, East Mid-Atlantic Did not qualify Did not qualify
2010 3 WPSL 10 6 1 3 20 8 12 21 1st of 5, East Mid-Atlantic 2nd round, Regional Playoffs Did not qualify
2009 3 WPSL 10 7 1 2 23 9 14 23 3rd of 14, East Conference Finals Did not qualify
2008 3 WPSL 14 8 2 2 25 9 16 26 2nd of 7, East Mid-Atlantic Conference Semi-finals Did not qualify

Coaching staff

  • United States Stephanie Cleaves, Head Coach of First Team (2023–present)
  • United States Adam Johnny Morris, Assistant Coach of First Team (2025–present)
  • United States Courtney Browning, Assistant Coach of First Team (2026–present)
  • United States Wendell Hannaford, Head Coach of U23 Team (2021–present)
  • United States Chris Weibel, Strength & Conditioning Coach (2014–present)

Home stadiums

References

References

  1. Caldwell, Greg (June 11, 2008). "Inferno gives local elite women a place to play soccer". Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  2. Caldwell, Greg (June 8, 2008). "Inferno men play to tie; women test bench in exhibition". Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  3. Caldwell, Greg (May 13, 2012). "Inferno raises sights for 2012". Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  4. Caldwell, Greg (June 17, 2009). "Inferno heats up circuit in second season". Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  5. Caldwell, Greg (June 27, 2011). "Women's soccer: Inferno intends to finish strong". Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  6. Kassouf, Jeff (December 24, 2015). "United Women's Soccer (UWS) to begin play in 2016". The Equalizer. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  7. Aniwyo, Dike (May 10, 2018). "Lancaster Inferno Joins The RUSH Soccer Family". Soccernation.com. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  8. Navaroli, Steve (July 17, 2018). "Lancaster Inferno Rush win East Conference, earn trip to Michigan". Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  9. Navaroli, Steve (July 24, 2018). "Second-place finish at nationals thrilling for Lancaster Inferno Rush". Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  10. "Aces top Inferno Rush, 1-0 in extra time, for UWS title". Lancaster Online. LNP Media Group. July 22, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  11. https://www.uslwleague.com/news_article/show/1294312
  12. Greene, Sean (June 27, 2019). "Ex-Wilmington Charter keeper living her soccer dream in Spain". WDEL (AM). Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  13. Rael, Chris (April 19, 2019). "Ready To Kick Off – UWS Teams Sign College Standouts". SoccerToday. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  14. Huggins, Pat (July 20, 2018). "Elco's Ryelle Shuey having soccer summer to remember with Inferno Rush". Lebanon Daily News. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
External links