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Not to be confused with Aurora, Minnesota.
Minnesota Aurora FC
Founded2021; 3 years ago (2021)
StadiumTCO Stadium
Eagan, Minnesota
Capacity5,500
Head coachNicole Lukic
LeagueUSL W League
20231st, Heartland Division
Playoffs: Conference Final
WebsiteClub website

Minnesota Aurora FC is an American women's soccer club based in Eagan, Minnesota that plays in the Heartland Division of the USL W League. The club began play in the league's inaugural 2022 season as a founding club. The club is community-owned by 3,080 individuals.[1] The club plays its home games at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota, the same stadium the Minnesota Vikings use for practice.

History[edit]

Minnesota Aurora FC officially sold out their ownership sales on December 15, 2021. The team introduced their coaching staff a few days later, naming Nicole Lukic as the head coach and ensuring the team would be women-led.[2] The team held tryouts during the spring of 2022 and in May the team announced a partnership with local broadcaster WCCO to stream all home games for free.[3] The team held their first game at TCO Stadium on May 26, 2022 against Green Bay Glory. The match resulted in a draw but the Minnesota team drew 5,219 fans.[4] Their first win would be against Kaw Valley on June 2.

On October 24, 2022, the club sent a letter to its community owners stating an intent to become a fully professional team. The Aurora would continue to play in the USL W League through the 2023 season, possibly moving to National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) or the USL Super League in 2024.[5] The club announced their intent to submit an official expansion bid for the NWSL in November.[6]

Branding[edit]

The crest of Minnesota Aurora FC features a stylized Aurora swooping above a forest with a star hanging to the right. The inspiration for the design came from Minnesota's northern geographic identity and nickname of the North Star State.[7] The crest was designed by local designer Nicole Meyer, along with help from colleagues Allie Reinke and Carla Zetina-Yglesias.[8] The crest was originally one of three designs, all of which were voted on by the community members.[9] Other names considered for the new team included Arctic Minnesota and Minnesota Foxfire FC, all designed by Meyer, Reinke, and Zetina-Yglesias.[10]

The kit worn by MN Aurora FC was designed by Cassidy Sepnieski and was revealed on April 9, 2022.[11] Manufactured by Hummel International, the home kit features a dark background with a borealis swirling in the center.[12] The away kit is bright teal, with interlinking stars forming constellations. The goalkeeper kit is "flash red" and also sports the same constellation pattern as the away kit.

Club culture[edit]

The club has one supporters' group, named Revontulet (Finnish for Northern Lights), which sits in a designated section at the stadium.[13]

Players and staff[edit]

Roster[edit]

No. Pos. Player Home
0 GK Olivia Graupmann  United States
1 DF Taylor Kane  United States
2 D Kenzie Langdok  United States
3 D Rachel Preston  United States
4 M Morgan Stone  United States
5 D Mayu Inokawa  Japan
6 M Rami Rapp  United States
7 D Elizabeth Rapp  United States
8 M Lydia Ruppert  United States
9 F Kristelle Yewah  United States
10 M Sangmin Cha  South Korea
11 M Arianna Del Moral  United States
12 D Abby Ostrem  United States
13 F Maya Hansen  United States
15 M Shelby Hopeau  United States
16 M Addy Symonds  United States
17 F Morgan Turner  United States
18 M Jill Bennett  United States
19 M Mariah Nguyen  United States
20 F Catherine Rapp  United States
21 M Jelena Zbiljic  United States
22 M Abby Brantner  United States
27 D Kelsey Kaufusi  United States
30 GK Bayliss Flynn  United States
32 GK Sarah Fuller  United States

Management[edit]

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Aurora_FC