Monterey Bay Football Club Announces First-Ever USL W Head Coach in Club History
SEASIDE, California (Monday, February 23, 2026) – Monterey Bay Football Club (Monterey Bay FC W) announces today the appointment of Laura VanWart as Monterey Bay FC W’s first-ever head coach in club history leading into the club’s inaugural season in the USL W League.
“From my first conversation with Oliver Wyss, it was clear the club’s passion and vision for bringing women’s professional soccer to our community were real and powerful,” said Laura VanWart, Monterey Bay FC W Head Coach. “I knew immediately that I wanted to be part of building something special here. They [MBFC] are committed to creating a team that competes at the highest level, built around local talent and embraced across the 831. Now it’s our turn as a community to show up, support our women, and continue growing the incredible soccer culture taking root in our region.”
With over 20 years of coaching expertise, she has gained extensive coaching experience ranging from high school, collegiate and club teams. In addition to her new appointed role with MBFC W, Laura is entering her eighth season as head coach with the women’s soccer program at California State University, Monterey Bay.
“We are incredibly proud to announce Laura VanWart as the first Head Coach in our USL W history. Laura is an experienced leader, a proven developer of talent, and someone deeply respected within our community,” said Oliver Wyss, Chairman and Chief Soccer Officer. “As the head coach at CSUMB, she has demonstrated her ability to build strong cultures and unite players around a shared purpose. She is the ideal person to lead our inaugural season and to bring female players together under a vision of excellence, opportunity, and community impact.”
This new formation of Monterey Bay FC W, will bring forth new professional opportunities to local talent and create a variety of pathways to numerous individuals to establish a deeper connection with the community through MBFC W.
Monterey Bay FC Women will compete in the NorCal Division of the W League’s Western Conference. The 2026 inaugural season will consist of 10 regular season games played with the first match scheduled for May 9th. The official launch of the team’s crest and colors will be announced in the coming weeks.
Monterey Bay FC Communications – @MontereyBayFC
***ABOUT MONTEREY BAY FC
On February 1, 2021, the United Soccer League (USL) announced Monterey Bay Football Club (Monterey Bay FC) joined the USL Championship for the 2022 season. The Club plays on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and privately invested millions to upgrade the existing facilities of what is now known as Cardinale Stadium, to bring the venue’s capacity to 6,000. Monterey Bay FC is led by Majority Owner Ray Beshoff, Chairman and Chief Soccer Officer Oliver Wyss, and CEO Mike Sheehan. The Club currently holds international partnerships with two world-class institutions within professional soccer, C.F. Pachuca (LigaMx) and Schalke 04 (Bundesliga). In 2026, the club proudly announced its first-ever USL W club (MBFC W). Alongside a dedicated group of local investors, the Club revealed its official crest and colors in July 2021; a crest that was designed by and for the regional community. Learn more about the Club at MontereyBayFC.com.
PRESS CONTACT:
Marco Peralta, Monterey Bay FC
E: marco@montereybayfc.com
