Nadia Caballero is joining Queensboro FC as the USL W League team’s first head coach. The pre-professional women’s soccer league is set to kick off its inaugural season in May.

A former player, Caballero spent 15 years competing for various premier Spanish Clubs, including Sevilla FC. After retiring from the field, she started running non-profit soccer camps at Parade Grounds in New York and coaching the Woodhaven FC girls’ teams to multiple LIJSC Division Championship appearances. Caballero spent the past the past three years with DV7 Academy, where she was Technical Director of the Women’s Program and coach of the champion U11 NYSC/EDP boys’ team.

“I am thrilled to be joining Queensboro FC and could not be more excited to begin building this groundbreaking team,” said Caballero. “The entire organization has demonstrated their commitment to developing women’s soccer and I am honored to be fielding the first-ever Queensboro FC II W team this summer.”

Since the start of her career in Spain, Caballero has been a pioneer of women’s soccer. She joined several previously male-only development teams and successfully lobbied for the Andalusian Soccer Federation to lower the First National Division playing age from 16 to 14.

“We are delighted to have Nadia as the newest member of our league-leading coaching staff here at Queensboro FC,” said Adam Schneider, Queensboro FC Team President. “As a founding member of the USL W League, our club is dedicated to creating an equitable and premier pathway to pro for all players, and Nadia’s passion for the game, excellence as a player and demonstrated coaching expertise will set the tone for the women’s program both here at Queensboro FC and for teams around the league.”

The USL W League aims to enhance the women’s soccer pipeline between college and the pros, providing an option for players who don’t make NWSL rosters to compete professionally without going overseas. The league hired veteran soccer executive Amanda Vandervort as president in October and has at least 30 teams set to begin play across the United States.

Queensboro FC II W is partnered with Queensboro FC, a new professional men’s soccer team in Queens, N.Y. that will compete in the USL Championship beginning in 2023.

The first-ever Queensboro FC W League open tryouts will take place in Mount Vernon, N.Y. on Jan. 15.