Racing Louisville FC announced on Monday that it has mutually agreed to part ways with general manager Ryan Dell.
Dell became the team’s first GM ahead of the 2023 season after nine years with the U.S. Soccer Federation. His contract ran through the end of 2024 with a mutual option for 2025, ESPN confirmed.
Racing Louisville announced that the decision was made as Dell “pursues another opportunity in the soccer industry.”
“We appreciate Ryan’s effort and contributions over the past two seasons,” John Neace, the chairman of club parent company Soccer Holdings, said in a statement. “While we fell just short of our goal of making the NWSL playoffs this year, Ryan departs having helped us establish a core group of players who will be competitive in 2025 and beyond. Along with the coaching staff, they promise to make next season an exciting one for us. We wish Ryan the very best in his next career move. He has a bright future.”
Louisville has finished in ninth place in all four seasons of its NWSL’s existence, including both years under Dell. The club has not yet made the playoffs.
This season was the first in charge for 36-year-old head coach Bev Yanez, who is a former NWSL player. In a statement, the club said it “intends to move quickly in appointing its next general manager.”
Louisville joins the Portland Thorns, Houston Dash and Bay FC as NWSL teams currently without a full-time general manager.
Dell came to Louisville with a soccer operations background through U.S. Soccer. He started as a support staff manager for the U.S. women’s national team at the 2015 and 2019 World Cups before taking over as team administrator and then team manager.
His connection to U.S. Soccer brought the USWNT to Louisville for a friendly against Argentina in October, the team’s first game in the city in 20 years.