Santa Clarita Blue Heat is an American women's soccer team, founded in 2010. The club was known as the Ventura County Fusion for its first two years of existence.

Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Full nameSanta Clarita Blue Heat Football Club
Nickname(s)Blue Heat
Founded2008; 16 years ago (2008)
StadiumCougar Stadium
Santa Clarita, California
Capacity7,500
OwnerCarlos Marroquin
Head CoachLeonardo Neveleff
LeagueUSL W League
2024UWS, 1st, West Conference
Playoff: Champions

The team plays its home games at Cougar Stadium on the campus of College of the Canyons. During the Fusion days, they played at Bulldog Stadium on the grounds of Buena High School in the city of Ventura, California.

The team had been a sis organization of the men's Ventura County Fusion team, which plays in the Premier Development League.

The Blue Heat was a member of the United Soccer Leagues USL W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada. In 2016, the team joined the United Women's Soccer (UWS). The Blue Heat won the first UWS championship by defeating New Jersey Copa FC 2–1 in Santa Clarita on July 30, 2016.[1][2]

Players (2018)

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[3] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   USA Lauren Brzykcy
2 FW   USA Ashley Sanchez
3 MF   USA Chloe Castaneda
4 DF   CAN Lauren Sesselmann
5 FW   USA Penelope Hocking
6 DF   USA Jessica Haidet
9   USA Zoe Hasenauer
9 MF   JAM Olufolasade Adamolekun
11   USA Sophie Cortez
17   USA Alea Hyatt
18   USA Victoria Buda
20 FW   USA Julia Hernandez
No. Pos. Nation Player
21   USA Alexa Orrante
22   USA Hailey Phipps
23   USA Alyssa Thompson
26   USA Angeles Escobar
27   USA Taylor Moorehead
28   USA Julia Amador Mejias
30   USA Brooke Littman
31   USA Cynthia Sanchez
  USA Sophia Cortes
  USA Jacqueline Villanueva
FW   CRC Fabiola Villalobos

Notable former players

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  • Edite Fernandes – Portugal
  • Deyna Castellanos – Venezuela
  • Ana Borges – Portugal
  • Carolina Venegas – Costa Rica
  • Julia Hernandez – Spain
  • Ashley Sanchez – USA
  • Lauren Sesselmann – USA/Canada
  • Natalia Kuikka – Finland
  • Evi Popadinova – Bulgaria

Year-by-year

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Year Division League Reg. Season Playoffs
2008 2 USL W-League 7th, Western did not qualify
2009 2 USL W-League 6th, Western did not qualify
2010 2 USL W-League 5th, Western did not qualify
2011 2 USL W-League 1st, Western Conference Final
2012 2 USL W-League 5th, Western did not qualify
2013 2 USL W-League 6th, Western did not qualify
2014 2 USL W-League 6th, Western did not qualify
2015 2 USL W-League 4th, Western did not qualify
2016 2 UWS 1st, Western Champions
2017 2 UWS 1st, Western Runner up
2018 2 UWS 3rd, Western did not qualify
2019 2 UWS 3rd, Western did not qualify
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19
2021 4 UWS 1st, West Champions
2022 4 UWS 2nd, West did not qualify
2023 4 UWS 1st, West Runner up
2024 4 UWS 1st, West Champions

References

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  1. ^ "Santa Clarita 2, New Jersey 1 (2 OT)". United Women's Soccer (UWS). July 31, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  2. ^ "Santa Clarita Blue Heat win national championship". Mason Nesbitt. Santa Clarita Valley Signal. July 30, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  3. ^ "Roster". Santa Clarita Blue Heat.
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