This winter break brought significant changes to Lexington Sporting Women, headlined by a coaching transition that saw the coach who led them to their historic unbeaten run move to the Lex Sporting men's team.
On December 8th, the club announced that head coach Masaki "Mac" Hemmi would be moving to lead the men's USL Championship team, with assistant coach Kosuke Kimura stepping up to take over the women's squad. The move, which became effective in January during the league's winter break, was always part of the plan according to the organization. Hemmi had transformed the women's team in just six months, leading them to a perfect 5-0-9 record and a league-record 14-match unbeaten streak. His November Coach of the Month award was a fitting cap to his time with the Gals in Green. Kimura, who played a vital role alongside Hemmi throughout the first half, brings his own impressive pedigree—he was the first Japanese-born player in MLS history and won an MLS Cup with the Colorado Rapids in 2010.
The roster saw some movement as well, though mostly subtractions rather than additions. The biggest news came on December 5th when the club terminated Mariana Larroquette's loan from Orlando Pride. The Argentine forward, who joined the team in July after Orlando won the NWSL Championship, never made an appearance for Lexington during her time with the club. The move was described as pre-agreed, allowing Larroquette to pursue other opportunities after Orlando's season concluded. On the positive side, Lexington added defender Regan Steigleder in early January, signing the 27-year-old from Kansas City Current. The Iowa native spent two seasons in the NWSL and brings experience from Sweden's second division as well. She'll bolster what was already the league's stingiest defense heading into the second half.
Individual honors continued to roll in during the break as well. Defender Allison Pantuso was named to the December Team of the Month after tying for the league lead in clearances while also contributing offensively with the lone goal in the 1-1 draw against Dallas Trinity on December 20th. Midfielder Taylor Aylmer earned a spot on the Team of the Month bench, her second consecutive monthly honor after being recognized in November as well. The duo joined McKenzie Weinert in representing Lexington on recent Team of the Month selections, a testament to the team's depth and consistent performance across all positions.
As the women prepare to resume play on January 31st at Fort Lauderdale, the biggest question will be whether Kimura can maintain the momentum Hemmi built. The good news is that Kimura was there for every training session and helped develop the tactical identity that made Lexington impossible to beat. With the league's best defense intact, a new signing to add depth, and a coaching staff that knows this group inside and out, Lexington looks poised to pick up right where they left off—with the top of the table in their sights and their minds set on a playoff run.