DETROIT, Michigan – The Detroit City Football Club and head coach Sam Piraine welcome back seven returners from last year’s squad to its 2022 USL W League side. Kayla Addison, Alia Fredericks, Bella Reitano, Morgan Reitano, Meyah Romeo, Bella Sabo and Syd Smith join 10 fellow returners previously announced to the roster.
Addison returns for her second season with Le Rouge. Addison made appearances with both the first and second teams a year ago. Addison had a standout collegiate career with Grand Valley State – totaling 58 goals and 26 assists from 2009-2012. The Southfield, Michigan, native is fourth in Laker history with 16 career game winners. Addison was a multiple-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-American honoree.
Fredericks returns for her second season with the Club. The DCFC West product played collegiately at Eastern Michigan. The Linden, Michigan, native started 66 of 71 matches for the Eagles – totaling 10 points from her position on the backline. Prior to joining Le Rouge, Fredericks was a UWS All-Midwest First-Team selection as a member of the Michigan Legends. With the Legends, Fredericks led the team with 12 points and was third among UWS players with six helpers.
Bella Reitano returns after completing her freshman season at Purdue Fort Wayne. The midfielder from Fenton, Michigan, made seven started with 18 appearances. She was second on the team with four goals – earning a spot on the Horizon League’s All-Freshman team. In high school, Bella was an All-State honorable mention while recording over 40 goals and 40 assists in her prep career. She won a pair of State Cups with Nationals Union in 2018 and 2020.
Morgan Reitano was a part of Le Rouge’s initial women’s team in 2020 and comes back for her third season in Rouge and Gold. Morgan was a First-Team All-Horizon League selection this past season with Purdue Fort Wayne, leading the team with six goals and 41 shots in 1,393 minutes of action. The Forward out of Fenton has started 38 matches in her collegiate career – totalling eight goals and three assists. She was a two-time all-state honoree and a four-time state cup finalist with Nationals – winning in 2018.
Romeo enters her third season with Detroit City. The American-raised Trinidadian has made several appearances for the Trinidad and Tobago women’s national team – as recently as this year and the 2020 CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers. Romeo has been active in the Club since arriving in 2020, also serving as a coach with DCFC Youth City. Romeo played her collegiate soccer at Monroe College and Queens College – totalling 51 appearances.
Sabo returns to City after earning UWS 2 All-Great Lakes First-Team honors in 2021. Sabo played two seasons at Northern Illinois before transferring to Ferris State. The midfielder made 27 appearances with 10 starts with the Huskies. The Grand Blanc native was tabbed as one of the top 100 prep players in the state of Michigan and earned Division I All-State accolades as a senior after leading Grand Blanc High School to a 27-2 record and a state runner-up finish as a junior in 2018. Sabo was an all-state, all-conference, all-region and all-district choice on the prep level and set a school record with 27 assists in a single campaign.
Smith is another member from 2020’s inaugural roster back for year three. Smith is a junior at Western Michigan. She has made 11 appearances for the Broncos through two seasons of play. The forward out of Salem HS was an All-State honoree and a two-time state cup finalist – winning it in 2018.
The club has announced 14 players to 2022’s roster – headlined by All-Conference honorees Madison Duncan and Kenna White. Shannon McCarthy highlights a group of newcomers – coming home to Detroit after spending three seasons playing professionally in Kazakhstan for BIIK Kazygurt – making it to the round of 16 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2019 and 2020. For a full view of DCFC’s USL W League roster, click here.
Piriane announced his staff in April. Former DCFC men’s player and current DCFC Youth West coach Danny Dragoi joins the staff along with Tyler McManus – Le Rouge’s current Director of Youth Development – and goalkeeper’s coach Eric Perilla – who holds the same role with the Club’s USL Championship side and Academy program.
Detroit City FC’s season opener is on May 7 at 7:30 pm against Kalamazoo FC at Keyworth Stadium. For a full view of the 2022 schedule, visit detcityfc.com/womens-schedule.
After two years in the UWS, Detroit City will kick off the USL’s newly established W League. The club announced the move on December 1 after the men’s side moved from NISA in the third division to U.S. Soccer’s second tier with the USL Championship. Le Rouge will compete in the league’s Great Lakes Division against AFC Ann Arbor, Flint City AFC, Indy Eleven, Kalamazoo FC, Kings Hammer FC, Midwest United FC, and Racing Louisville FC’s second team.
Season tickets are on sale at tickets.detcityfc.com and start at just $150 – season tickets cover both men’s and women’s home regular-season matches – Women’s season packs start at $49.
For more information about Detroit City FC, visit detcityfc.com.com and follow @DetroitCityFC on Twitter and Facebook and @detroitcityfootballclub on Instagram.
About USL–W
The USL W League is a pre-professional women’s soccer league set to kick off in May 2022. The USL W League strives to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development. The league and its member clubs are committed to investing in women’s soccer – through financial resources and time, energy, and attention – and are united in our mission to grow the women’s game.
