LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The long-awaited naming of a general manager for Racing Louisville Football Club has come. U.S. Women’s National team manager Ryan Dell has accepted the position, the club announced on Monday.
Dell will report directly to the club ownership and will serve as a liason between the team and front office, overseeing all soccer operations. Head coach Kim Björkegren and his staff will report to the new GM.
Among his oversight duties will be performance, player recruitment and compliance, support of players and staff and implementation of best practices.
The 30-year old has spent more than 9 years with the U.S. Soccer Federation. He started as the USWNT equipment manager for nearly 4 years, before moving to team administrator, and for the past 9 months, has been the US national team manager. He has played a key role in the team’s preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and was part of the support staff for the U.S. teams that won the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“I’m so excited to be here in Louisville,” Dell said. “The potential is limitless for this club and team. There’s a foundation for Louisville to be a destination in the NWSL. Having worked with many of these players and with my previous experience in a highly professional setting, I know we will keep working hard to maintain a positive environment for our players to thrive on the field and be completely supported and cared for off it.”
Through the national team, Dell has worked with current Racing players Savannah DeMelo, Jaelin Howell, Jess McDonald, Paige Monaghan and Carson Pickett when they've been called into USWNT camps. McDonald was part of the 2019 U.S. squad that won the FIFA World Cup in France, while DeMelo, Howell and Pickett have all been called into national team camps over the past year.
“Hiring Ryan is such a huge step for our club,” said Howell. “No doubt he is going to help us grow into the successful organization we want to be. Anyone who has worked with Ryan not only knows how incredibly good he is at his job, but also how great of a person he is, too. We are so excited to welcome him.”
As a team manager and administrator, Dell’s duties with the USWNT were centered around operations and logistics, anywhere from managing the budget, schedule and travel to overseeing the implementation and execution of items related to the players’ collective bargaining agreement benefits.
It is, in short, very much a support and liaison role. At Racing Louisville, he’ll combine those with more executive oversight.
“When hiring someone to be a leader in your organization, honesty, work ethic and the ability to interact well with a diverse group of people are all valuable qualities, and Ryan Dell personifies those qualities,” USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski. “He cares tremendously about doing highly professional work and about the people he is working with. He has very high standards for himself and his organization, and I know he’ll be a great person to help lead Racing Louisville forward as the club and the NWSL continue to grow.”
The person he reported to with the national team, general manager Kate Markgraf, spoke highly of his abilities, saying, “We’ll miss Ryan as a member of our national team staff, but we’ll miss him more as a person. He holds himself to high standards, and he could always be counted on under pressure to handle the huge workload that he took on. I know he’ll be a valuable addition to Racing, and I look forward to working with him in his new role.”
Dell is a native of St. Louis and a product of the University of Missouri. He and his wife have already moved to Louisville and begun working in his new role.
In the aftermath of the sexual abuse scandal involving a former coach, Soccer Holdings LLC officials took some time to identify and interview GM candidates. Dell has gone through multiple rounds of interviews, including with Racing players, and been cleared through an NWSL background check.
“We are excited to have Ryan join our team,” John Neace, the chairman of Soccer Holdings, said. “His prior experience with the U.S. Women’s National Team should prove invaluable to us. Throughout his steady climb up the soccer ladder, Ryan has shown a willingness to play whatever role is necessary to get to and, more importantly, remain at the top."
Day is expected speak to the media during a news conference on Thursday.
Racing's home opener is set for 3 p.m. Saturday against the Washington Spirit at Lynn Family Stadium. Racing will host 14 matches this season at Lynn Family Stadium – 11 regular-season games and three NWSL UKG Challenge Cup contests.
Single-game and season tickets as well as flex packs and other deals are available now at RacingLouFC.com/tickets or by calling (502) 568-2489 during regular business hours.
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