BALTIMORE, Maryland – Oni Premier Soccer Academy, one of the region's top programs in women's soccer development, has joined the Women’s Premier Soccer League, the league announced Thursday.

The Magic will be the peak of the pyramid for the OPSA youth program, which has produced numerous collegiate award winners, including a state cup champion, Division I collegiate players, and some of the best talent in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

OPSA Magic will be the only WPSL team based in Maryland for the 2019 season.

Oni Premier Soccer Academy’s experienced and dedicated coaching staff produces an elite class of players that are leaders in the Baltimore/Washington area soccer community and also has had great success in regional and national United States Youth Soccer play.

Albert Oni and Kevin Keaton, lifetime supporters of soccer in the Baltimore/Washington community, will be the managing directors for the club. Oni, owner and operator of OPSA and coach of Severn School’s varsity girl’s soccer team, will serve as the Magic’s head coach. Oni previously coached former WPSL club ASA Charge to several successful seasons.

“We are excited to be accepted into the WPSL,” Oni said. “The ability for soccer fans and players in our community to be a part of the women’s game at the highest possible level is here. We are looking forward to having a great turnout at our four home games this season, for we will have a competitive, exciting, hard-working and attacking brand of soccer that will drive women’s sports entertainment for the region.”

“The talent pool for soccer in this area is plentiful. The OPSA Magic will identify and recruit players who are playing in local colleges, former college players as well as top players from the most competitive clubs in the Mid-Atlantic region.”

Coach Oni is no stranger to success at this level. As coach of the ASA Charge from 2010-2012, Oni earned WPSL East Region Coach of the Year in 2011.

The Magic joins CAFC Ospreys (Frederica, Delaware), EGA Omaha, Alamo City SC (San Antonio), Wake FC (Raleigh, North Carolina), ASC San Diego, EPIC Sport Management (Victoria, British Columbia), Indios Denver FC, FC Arizona Women (Mesa, Arizona), Charlotte Eagles, Philadelphia Lone Star FC, North Alabama SC, Utah Royals FC Reserves, Orlando Kicks FC, Salsa Women SC (Torrance, California), Spokane SC Shadow and NJ Wizards SC Cedar Stars as announced 2019 expansion clubs.

The WPSL is in its 22nd season and is the largest women’s soccer league in the world with more than 100 clubs from coast-to-coast. WPSL rosters feature elite collegiate, post-collegiate, international and standout prep student-athletes. Many of the United States’ most accomplished women’s players have played in the WPSL, including household names such as Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain.

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