The San Antonio Athenians have returned, backed by the Juventus Academy San Antonio. The 2021 season will be played in the UWS, United Women’s Soccer, a second division league in the women’s professional pyramid. It is the Athenians second season in the UWS, first season was played in 2019.
The Athenians will represent the city of San Antonio and play ten matches from May through July. Home matches will be played at Soccer Central located in the Northwestern part of San Antonio close to Leon Valley.
The coaching staff have brought in a squad of top youth international, college and local high school soccer players. From as far away as New Zealand, Canada, to Big Ten and local college programs and as close as Smithson Valley, Judson, and Taft HS; its a mix of veteran, youth and experienced player that make the Athenians a force to be reckoned with.
Olivier Pheulpin (Athenians Director) in an exclusive statement to Soy SAF: “It’s fair to say that we wanted a modern version of the Athenians of the past: stronger, better, more ambitious. To change a culture, you need to create the right environment. And bring the right people capable of turning a seed into a beautiful flower. And of course all the details matter, but the truth is on the field, on the vision and the application of all the process you have in mind. We believe deeply in this project, in the people involved. We want to raise the bar through a mix of local and international players. Accents and different languages are everywhere on the field. This melting pot is what makes soccer such a beautiful game. We embrace that diversity. We believe it can elevate the level of each players if they buy into the process. What we have seen so far is very promising but it is only be the beginning of what we expect too be a long and prosperous adventure for Athenians and women soccer in San Antonio.”
Head Coach:
Fabio Melo de Alcantara
Coach Melo is from Brazil and his experience includes futsal in Rio de Janeiro, the youth academy at Cruzeiro and Juventus Academy of San Antonio.
“Athenians is an strong group with a beautiful connection inside and outside field. Players complete each other’s and it’s special to see how they solve problems together with and without the ball. I expect the girls keep developing solid, respecting the process and believing that great things are coming.” – Fabio Melo (Athenians coach) in an exclusive statement to Soy SAF.
THE ROSTER
Goalkeepers
0 – Mia Wildeman
1 – Blair Currie
“We have a really strong team this season, everyone has bonded well both on and off the field. We definitely hold high expectations of ourselves for the season. I believe that if we stick to what we have been learning/doing at training, keep working hard and treat every game with respect then we will have great success this season. People can expect to see some great fútbol being played when watching our games” – Blair Currie
Defenders
20 – Megan Katona
16 – Maggie Miller
5 – Jaime Erickson
15 – Teresa Gentry
26 – Katie Goodman
6 – Paityn Bretzer
27 – Ashley Newland
30 – Isabella Beletic
33 – Ashley Cathro
Midfielders
14 – Jessica Bell
22 – Sarah Bayhi
3 – Nikki Popa
28 – Kaelyn Carmahan
11 – Olga Villasana
34 – Irania Acosta
8 – Emma Durain
13 – Jazmin Baltazar
23 – Megan Wilcox
12 – Chloe Miller
10 – Helene Farris
4 – Melissa Finley
7 – Jade Piper
N/A – Yolanda Vazquez
“As soon as I started training with the Athenians, I knew it was the place for me. The coaches have a vested interest in the way all of us play, interact with each other and even just carry ourselves off the field. Our goals for this season is of course to win, but also to get the most out of each training session and game. this team has had such a positive impact on my family and I and I can’t wait to see what this season holds for all of us.” – Helene Farris
Forwards
2 – Allison Fahey
19 – Channing Borden
21 – Amanda Smith
18 – Eden Brezter
9 – Brooke Hanson
17 – Hazel Avila
The UWS regular season starts this Saturday May 15th at home versus FC Austin Elite. Kick off is at 7:30 PM. Home matches will be played at Soccer Central located at 6610 Low Bid Ln, San Antonio, TX 78250, fans and supporters are welcome to bring lawn chairs and own refreshments. Drums, chants, tifos are encouraged to enhance the match day experience for the Athenians.
The full schedule and more information on the Athenians can be found on their website at https://www.sanantonioathenians.com/
Soy SAF will bring match updates, interviews and all the latest from the Athenians right here.
Soy San Antonio Fútbol 