Former Lexington SC W League star Shaye Seyffart signed a professional contract with Sport Futebol Damaiense (S.F. Damaiense) in Portugal after one season in Kentucky.
Seyffart’s spot on the Lexington roster was announced on the second day of the club’s W League Week with the former Washington Husky being joined by five other names announced including two current Kentucky Wildcats.
Prior to her season with LSC, Seyffart had become well-traveled in the world of college soccer, starting at Villanova before jumping to Florida and eventually Washington. It was at Florida where she met LSC W League coach Alan Kirkup, who she cited as a big reason for her decision to play for Lexington in its inaugural season.
Apart from her NCAA Division-I career, she was also part of the Player’s Development Academy (PDA).
While division rivals Indy Eleven ultimately hoisted the W League Final trophy on July 22, the season laid the foundation for a strong future of women’s soccer in Lexington, something that was further proven by Lexington SC announcing its upcoming USL Super League side that will start play in 2024 and introduce the first ever professional women’s soccer team to the Lexington area.
While professional women’s soccer in Kentucky is still a year away, Seyffart herself was able to utilize her experiences and strong play in Lexington to earn herself a professional contract in the top tier of professional women’s soccer in Portugal.
“(Alan Kirkup and I) are both extremely excited and proud of Shaye Seyffart and her continued journey as a professional women’s soccer player,” Lexington SC Women’s Sporting Director Michelle Rayner said. “Shaye was an integral part of our inaugural W League team and season in 2023. Even though it was difficult to see her leave Lexington Sporting Club to sign a professional contract, we are proud that our pre-professional pathway created the visibility for an opportunity such as this. Creating more opportunities for females to play at the highest level in a major league is so exciting to be a part of and we are thrilled to bring women’s professional soccer to Lexington in 2024.”
S.F. Damaiense currently competes in the Portuguese Liga BPI, the top tier of professional women’s soccer in Portugal, which sees two clubs qualify for the Women’s UEFA Champions League every year.
The club finished its 2022-23 season in 5th in the Liga BPI, and was successful in earning a win over newly promoted side Racing Power FC in its first match of the 2023-24 campaign. With a new year underway, both S.F. Damaiense and Seyffart will look to forever immortalize themselves in the Champions League.
About Lexington Sporting Club
Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in USL League One (U.S. Soccer third division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (women’s professional soccer launching in 2024). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,400 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC in the process of building the club’s formal stadium, performance center and training fields.