“To have a top-notch women’s soccer team coming to Atwood Stadium and showcasing all of the good things happening around town is exactly what Kettering has hoped for. Flint deserves this opportunity.”
Men’s and women’s soccer will kick off at Kettering University’s historic Atwood Stadium this summer, as the Flint City Bucks organization announced Wednesday it had acquired the women’s side Corktown AFC.
The team will be relocated and rebranded as Flint City AFC and will compete in the USL W League, according to a Bucks news release. Flint City AFC, formerly Detroit-based Corktown AFC, competed in the UWS National League’s Midwest North Conference in 2021, playing at The Corner Ballpark on the site of the former Tiger Stadium. The team finished second in the league with a 7-3 record.
“We are very excited to join Flint City to make this happen,” said Eddie Hudson, co-owner of Flint City AFC. “We have watched this fan base and supporter group grow, and we know they will love the energy, grit and skill that our ladies will bring to Flint.”
Kettering University took ownership of Atwood Stadium in 2013 and completed major renovations, including structure and seating upgrades and the installation of a best-in-class field to support soccer, football and lacrosse. The turf used for the field is the same type used at Ford Field and Michigan Stadium.
The four-time national champion Flint City Bucks relocated to Flint from Pontiac beginning with the 2019 season, when the team won its most recent title.
“This is outstanding news for the Flint community. To have a top-notch women’s soccer team coming to Atwood Stadium and showcasing all of the good things happening around town is exactly what Kettering has hoped for,” said Jack Stock, Kettering Director of External Relations. “Flint deserves this opportunity.”
The acquisition and relaunch of the women’s team signify the beginning of a new partnership between Hudson and the Bucks.
“We are excited to form this partnership with Eddie Hudson to launch a USL W League team in Flint, Michigan,” said Costa Papista, President of Flint City AFC, in the news release. “Starting a women’s side has always been on our radar, and the timing of USL W League’s launch is ideal for our organization. We know that our supporters will be excited as they have been strongly encouraging us to make this a reality.”
