SJEB FC joining Women’s Premier Soccer League for 2021 season

The Women’s Premier Soccer League will add another local team for 2021 with the announcement Monday that South Jersey club SJEB FC will join the leaguee.

“Joining the WPSL is a major development for the South Jersey football community, where we have an abundance of talent,” SJEB FC technical director John Thompson said. “It’s going to be exciting watching all that talent on the same pitch.”

SJEB FC fielded a women’s team in the USL W-League from 1999 – 2002 where two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion, Carli Lloyd, played while at Rutgers University. Their girls program is nationally recognized as members of Girls Academy League. SJEB FC also fielded a pro team in the United Soccer League (USL) from 1997 - 2002, which later became a USL2 team now known as the Ocean City Nor’Easters. SJEB FC Youth Club and the Ocean City Nor’Easters are still affiliated.

“Our Girls Academy and USYS National League teams now have another step in the pyramid and a level of football to aspire to,” Thompson said. “We are giving girls the inspiration and opportunities not previously available to them, it gives our girls the perfect cradle to grave scenario, players who start in the club at U8 can play until they hang up their boots.”

The team plans to play home games this summer either at Rowan University in Glassboro or Total Turf in Pitman depending on Covid-19 protocols in place.

SJEB FC joins eight other area clubs in the national amateur league, including Philadelphia Lone Star, Philly Fever, Penn Fusion, Athena SC, Torch FC, CAFC Ospreys in Milford, Del., Hershey FC and Lehigh Valley Tempest.

The region also has Lancaster Inferno in the United Women’s Soccer League One and Delaware Union, Steel United and Lancaster Inferno Reserves in UWS League Two.