The Springfield Sirens are the newest members of the W-League, the nation’s only national women’s soccer league, and will begin their inaugural season in May of 1999. The Sirens will compete in the Northeast Division of the W-League’s W-2, which also consists of the New Hampshire Lady Phantoms, New York Magic, Rhode Island Rays, Central Jersey Splash and the New Jersey Wildcats. “We are extremely pleased with the expansion of a second women’s team in Massachusetts and the first in the Western part of the state,” said Francisco Marcos, president of USISL, Inc. “”The other Massachusetts-based team, the Boston Renegades, draw the most fans of any team in the W-League and we hope Springfield will enjoy the same success.” The W-League, which began in 1994 as an eight-team project, is the highest level of competitive women’s soccer in the United States. The league is split in to two divisions, the W-1 and the W-2. The W-1 features 16 teams in three conferences, while the W-2 will feature 18-22 teams. Over the two seasons, the W-League has enjoyed unparalleled success both on and off the field. To date, 26 current or former U.S. Women’s National Team players have or are currently competing in the W-League. Off the field, the response of the national media has been outstanding. The W-League is defined as an “open league,” which means teams can compete with professional players, but may also utilize college players without any player losing eligibility under NCAA rules. “The United States has the best female soccer players in the world. The Sirens will offer an exciting developmental environment to showcase talent on a higher and more competitive level of play,” said Sirens’ President Joseph Ferrara. “By providing women’s soccer at this level, we hope to give young girls and women the confidence to believe anything is possible and that perhaps one day their dreams to play professionally will come true.” The Sirens’ ownership group is Golden Goal, Inc., which is ran jointly by Ferrara and Dianne Fabrocini-Kopec, who played an instrumental role in bringing the D3 Pro League’s Western Mass. Pioneers professional men’s soccer team to the area.