Ivy grows in Metro Richmond

by JoJo McShane, Special to the Citizen

The women's college soccer season is entering its postseason stretch, with conference tournaments underway and the NCAA tournament just around the corner.

Among the players whose teams are still alive: several Henrico natives who also played for the Richmond Ivy women's pre-professional team earlier this year.

In total, the 2024 Ivy team included eight players from Henrico who developed their game with the Richmond United and Richmond Strikers youth clubs and are now playing for notable college programs.

The Ivy is part of the United Soccer League's W League, which provides a chance for collegiate players to face high-level competition while building their fitness for their upcoming seasons. The team is based in City Stadium, located south of the Carytown district in Richmond. 


Kiley Fitzgerald, a junior captain for the University of Richmond, is a crafty midfielder who grew up playing for Richmond United and is passionate about representing her hometown.

“Playing for Richmond Ivy this past summer was an unforgettable experience," Fitzgerald said. "I loved reuniting with some of my old teammates while also having the chance to play alongside new, talented players who all pushed me to elevate my game."

Ivy Head Coach Kimmy Cummings played youth soccer for the Richmond Kickers and was on the first Richmond Destiny summer league team. The Destiny operated from 2004 to 2009 but struggled to garner sufficient support.

Since then, times have changed for women’s sports, and Richmond Ivy has the funding and widespread support to keep the team in place.

The Richmond Kickers also call City Stadium home, so housing both teams in the same stadium with the city as a backdrop has increased the outpouring of fans and support.

“Seeing Ivy-branded gear in the stands when we hadn’t even played a game yet was cool. I go to Kickers games now and see Ivy gear out in the wild, it’s crazy,” Cummings said.

Ivy Sporting Director Madeline McCracken played for Richmond United as a senior in high school, bringing even more meaning to what she and Cummings are trying to accomplish in the Richmond soccer community.

“This is the team that the community has been waiting for and when it was finally announced, people were already on board," she said. "We’re in a place where women’s teams are so supported and loved and the talent is extremely high. A combination of great talent, the fan base at City Stadium, and a phenomenal job with the branding."

Richmond Ivy is more than just a successful soccer team to Cummings and McCracken. They are working to create a pipeline for youth soccer players in Metro Richmond to compete at a high level during the summer, as girls gear up to return to college preseason or their respective club seasons.

Virginia Tech keeper and junior Lauren Hargrove, of Henrico, is a starter for the Hokies and has locked down the goal this season. Earlier this season, Hargrove started and played 90 minutes in her team's hard-fought 3-2 win against ACC powerhouse Florida State.

“Playing for Richmond Ivy and being a part of the start of something so special for the RVA soccer community was a dream come true for me," she said. "The amount of fan support my teammates and I received this past summer was unbelievable and more than I could have imagined. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to represent my hometown and show the USLW what Richmond soccer and our community are all about."

The connection between Ivy and the community doesn’t stop, and the support for local players will continue to grow as the team does. Cummings and McCracken have a shared destiny to elevate the level of soccer in the Richmond region.

“A young girl stopped me at a game and told me to write her name down, so I wrote it on my hand, thinking nothing’ of it," Cummings said. "And then she said that she would play for me one day. . . that was a full circle moment for me and encompassed everything we’re trying to accomplish with the Ivy."

Richmond Ivy players from Henrico:
●  Logan Marks
, Oklahoma State (Richmond United )
●  Lauren Hargrove
, Virginia Tech (Richmond United )
●  Camryn Miller
, University of Virginia (Richmond United )
●  Kiley Fitzgerald, 
University of Richmond (Richmond United)
●  Alexis Pierce
, Elon University (Richmond United)
●  Iisa Elovaara, University of Central Florida (Richmond United)
●  Walker Bristow, Appalachian State University (Richmond United)
●  Bree Fulkerson, 
Roanoke College (Richmond Strikers)