Hess Makes Kansas City’s NWSL Professional Women’s Soccer Preseason Team
3/6/2021 10:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Hess finishes her coaching position with the Kansas City Roos and moves on to play professionally
KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Roos' Women's Soccer Volunteer Assistant Coach, Allie Hess, was announced as one of the finalists on the 32-player preseason roster of the Kansas City NWSL Professional Women's Soccer Team. Hess is a Kansas City Metro native, she graduated from Kearney High school, and played collegiately at the University of Missouri from 2014-17. The midfielder played in all 64 games of her career, scoring eight goals, notching six assists, and combining for 22-career-points for the Tigers.
"I fell in love with soccer in Kansas City, so it is almost as if things have come full circle for me to represent a professional team in my hometown," Hess said.
"We are lucky to have a coach on our staff with Allie's playing caliber and collegiate experience," Head Coach Jess Smith said. "We are so thrilled that she made the preseason team for our Kansas City NWSL team."
On Dec. 7, The National Women's Soccer League announced that professional women's soccer would return to Kansas City after being granted an expansion franchise. Hess attended the team's open tryouts earlier this year and got the call later that evening with an invitation to preseason camp. After preseason camp, the roster was cut to the 32 players who would represent Kansas City, Hess being one of them.
"Kansas City is such a special place for soccer and I am so happy to see a professional women's team back in KC, "Hess said. "There are so many young female athletes in KC who now have a team to watch, support, and look up to."
"It's an incredible opportunity to have a women's professional team in Kansas City. It will motivate and inspire our student-athletes to set their own goals to play professionally," Smith said. "We look forward to partnering with Kansas City's NWSL Club to grow the game in our community."
For the past two seasons, Hess has assisted on the Roos' coaching staff. During her coaching stint, she has studied at UMKC to earn her master's degree in Higher Education with a Sports Administration emphasis. She is set to graduate with her degree at the end of the semester.
"I want to continue coaching at the collegiate level after graduation because I want to help empower the next generation of female athletes," Hess said. "It has been amazing to see each student-athlete come through the Kansas City Roos' program and mature into amazing people on and off the pitch."
The Kansas City NWSL team begins preseason this month, taking on local college programs, including the University of Kansas, Kansas State, and Oklahoma. The team opens its inaugural season with the Challenge Cup, beginning Friday, April 9. The 2021 regular season is set to begin the weekend of May 15. Visit KCWoSo.com for more information.
"I fell in love with soccer in Kansas City, so it is almost as if things have come full circle for me to represent a professional team in my hometown," Hess said.
"We are lucky to have a coach on our staff with Allie's playing caliber and collegiate experience," Head Coach Jess Smith said. "We are so thrilled that she made the preseason team for our Kansas City NWSL team."
On Dec. 7, The National Women's Soccer League announced that professional women's soccer would return to Kansas City after being granted an expansion franchise. Hess attended the team's open tryouts earlier this year and got the call later that evening with an invitation to preseason camp. After preseason camp, the roster was cut to the 32 players who would represent Kansas City, Hess being one of them.
"Kansas City is such a special place for soccer and I am so happy to see a professional women's team back in KC, "Hess said. "There are so many young female athletes in KC who now have a team to watch, support, and look up to."
"It's an incredible opportunity to have a women's professional team in Kansas City. It will motivate and inspire our student-athletes to set their own goals to play professionally," Smith said. "We look forward to partnering with Kansas City's NWSL Club to grow the game in our community."
For the past two seasons, Hess has assisted on the Roos' coaching staff. During her coaching stint, she has studied at UMKC to earn her master's degree in Higher Education with a Sports Administration emphasis. She is set to graduate with her degree at the end of the semester.
"I want to continue coaching at the collegiate level after graduation because I want to help empower the next generation of female athletes," Hess said. "It has been amazing to see each student-athlete come through the Kansas City Roos' program and mature into amazing people on and off the pitch."
The Kansas City NWSL team begins preseason this month, taking on local college programs, including the University of Kansas, Kansas State, and Oklahoma. The team opens its inaugural season with the Challenge Cup, beginning Friday, April 9. The 2021 regular season is set to begin the weekend of May 15. Visit KCWoSo.com for more information.
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