Photo by Dillion Malloy

PENSACOLA FC CLINCHES THIRD COAST DIVISION 
SETS SIGHTS ON GULF COAST CONFERENCE TITLE

 

It is safe to say, Pensacola FC is now part of the pantheon of Women’s Premier Soccer League clubs with six regular season titles and two WPSL National Championships already in its trophy case. 

 

On Tuesday, Pensacola FC secured its sixth regular season title, the Third Coast Division championship, with a 7-1 win over its reserve side, Pensacola FC Academy. Tuesday’s win kept Pensacola FC perfect on the season at 7-0-0 with two games remaining. 

 

“Pensacola FC is excited to be back in the WPSL and to have taken the first step towards claiming another national championship,” Justin Witkin, Pensacola FC owner, said. “Coach Castleman has the ladies playing the best they have all season—just in time for the playoff run.

 

Pensacola FC closes out the regular season with two home matches: Saturday versus Gulf Coast United and June 27 versus Union 10 FC and will then travel to play the winner of the Delta Basin Division for the Gulf Coast Conference championship and a berth into the South Region Playoffs hosted this year by the Atlantic Conference winner. 

 

After weather postponed the start of its season, Pensacola has proved itself to be the class of the region, running roughshod through the competition, outscoring opponents 25 to two. 

 

Golden Boot candidate, Paige Phillips (Pensacola State College 2023-2024) leads the club with eight goals on the season, including two hat tricks, followed by Emma Beltz (University of West Florida (2021-2024) with four goals on the season and Ava Matherne (East Tennessee State University 2023- ) with three. 

 

Defensively, Pensacola has proven to be almost impenetrable, conceding just two goals so far this season. Goalkeepers Mia Ferkranus (University of West Florida 2022- ) and Jaidin Kinch (University of South Alabama 2023- ) have a combined goal against average of just .29 goals per game. Ferkranus has two starts on the season with an individual goal against average of .5 so far. Kinch started the balance of the schedule for a .2 GAA seven games in.  

 

Pensacola FC has a long history in the WPSL beginning in 2012 as Gulf Coast Texans, winning its first conference title enroute to its WPSL Championship in a 4-0 over the Boston Aztec in the final in Pensacola. The following year, the club repeated as conference champions, along with South Region winners, falling to the San Diego SeaLions in penalty kicks in the WPSL Championships semifinal. 

 

After a hiatus the club returned to WPSL play in 2017, again winning the Southeast Conference and South Region to advance to the WPSL Championships final before falling 2-1 to Fire & Ice SC out of St. Louis. 

 

With its third straight conference and regional title in hand, Pensacola FC won its second WPSL championship in 2019 over Utah Royals Reserves FC 4-3 in extra time. 

 

“We’re incredibly excited to be back in the WPSL,” Chandler Castleman, Pensacola FC head coach, said. “We are looking forward to putting on the best run for the playoffs that we can.” 

 

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