Yael Averbuch West has officially been named the general manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the club announced Tuesday. The news comes after Averbuch West was named to the position in the interim following the firing of Alyse LaHue in early July.

The team has also named Stephanie Lee as assistant general manager.

“Yael and Stephanie have done so much for our club in such a short period of time,” said Gotham FC Chair Tammy Murphy in a release. “They were instrumental in leading us to one of our most successful seasons in club history, and ownership is confident they will build on that success in 2022. The future is bright for Gotham FC, and I hope our fans are very excited about what we’re building here.”

In her time as interim GM, Averbuch West has hired Scott Parkinson to lead the team following Freya Coombe’s departure to Angel City FC. Additionally, the 2021 season saw the club amass an 8-11-5 record and reach the quarterfinals of the NWSL playoffs.

A former member of the USWNT, Averbuch West is the first former women’s national team player to be named general manager of an NWSL club. Currently, she sits on the NWSL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement committee.

“This is the right move for Gotham FC and the NWSL,” said Gotham FC Vice Chair Ed Nalbandian. “Yael has not only established herself as a leader for Gotham FC, but also as a leading voice in the league’s CBA negotiations. And Stephanie has done a tremendous job supporting the soccer and business side of the club, including updating our policies and procedures to be aligned with best practices. It’s been a pleasure to work with Yael and Stephanie the past several months, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to continue to work with them as we look to take the club to another level.”

“This organization has made dramatic improvements on and off the field in a few short years,” said Averbuch West. “I’m honored that ownership has given me the opportunity to continue the transformation of my hometown club into the preeminent destination for players, executives, coaches, and staff.”

Gotham FC has named Yael Averbuch West the club’s new interim general manager and head of soccer operations, the club announced Tuesday.

Averbuch West, a former United States women’s national team and NWSL player, ended her playing career with the Seattle Reign in 2018. She was drafted fourth overall in 2009 by Sky Blue FC, now Gotham, in the since-folded Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league and won a championship with the club her rookie year. Since retiring from the field, the 34-year-old has served as the executive director of the NWSL Players Association, a union she helped create in 2017.

“I’m very excited about this role and look forward to supporting the continued success of Gotham FC on the field,” Averbuch West said in a press release. “This was my first professional club as a player and is my hometown club, so it’s close to my heart. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Gotham has also appointed Kristin Bernert, co-founder of KB2 Sports, as the interim head of business operations and Stephanie Lee, former general manager of the Utah Royals, as interim assistant GM.

Averbuch West will take over the GM position from Alyse LaHue, who was fired from her post in early July following an investigation into a violation of NWSL policy. The league has been tight-lipped on the firing, sharing with The Equalizer’s Dan Lauletta that any NWSL findings will remain private.

“Following a complaint, the league conducted an investigation and shared the findings of that investigation with Gotham FC,” said an NWSL spokesperson. “Those findings will remain confidential and the league will not comment further on individual club personnel matters.”

LaHue’s tenure with Gotham included a successful club rebrand and an appearance in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup final. The club, formally known as Sky Blue FC, was in turmoil when LaHue took over as GM in 2019, plagued by off-field controversy, sub-par facilities and poor results on the field. Gotham FC’s remarkable turnaround under LaHue’s guidance has been lauded as one of the most successful in NWSL history.

Averbuch West takes over at Gotham FC amid a solid regular-season campaign, with the team second in the league standings and a playoff spot well within reach.