Abby Delves, Rachael Manley, Sandy Martins, and Ails Williams will join the Virginia-based side for the duration of the W-League season.
Dorking Wanderers Director of International Football Development, Nick Regan, serves as Head Coach of Charlottesville, and said this:
“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Abby, Rachael, Sandy, and Ails to Virginia. Upon taking over at Charlottesville, it was important to explore opportunities to provide a platform for DWFC players to come to the States, compete at a high level, and make an impact on a team with big aspirations.
I want to thank Kris Lea for working with me on this project, Calum and Lou for supporting it all of the way, and ultimately to Brian Kuk and the Blues board for making this happen. Charlottesville Blues is a club that is growing exponentially, and I have no doubt this is just the beginning of a strong relationship between the clubs.”
The USL W-League is America’s premier pre-professional league, sitting below the USL Super League, the highest level of women’s soccer in the United States.
Charlottesville Blues FC, founded in 2022, competes in the W-League Chesapeake Division. The winner of the division proceeds to the regional and then the national finals.
Brian Kuk, Blues co-founder, had this to say, “Our Head Coach/Manager search focused on finding a leader of people, and we found that in Nick Regan. His integrity, drive, and experience make him the right person to guide us forward. In addition, the relationship and partnership now established with Dorking Wanderers will help both organisations with player exchanges, education, and business in the long term.”
DWFC CEO, Jonathan Bines added: “We are absolutely delighted to establish this relationship and to see the practical reality of it coming to fruition like this is really exciting. The work that Nick and Kris have put in to make it happen has been fantastic and we are looking forward to seeing how this partnership can evolve over the coming seasons. We wish Sandy, Rachael, Abby, and Ails all the very best on their travels and we’ll be tracking their impact and the fortunes of the Blues over the coming months!”
Lou Cooper, DWFC Women’s Manager: “We are incredibly proud of the journey since establishing the women’s side in 2020. To grow from one team to a comprehensive pathway in this timeframe is fantastic. The First Team’s success over the past few years is a testament to the hard work of the players and coaching staff, and to be able to provide these opportunities for our players is another step forward for our club”.
Abby, Rachael, Sandy, and Ails will be in the USA for 2 months and will return to Meadowbank in July ahead of the 2025/26 season.
