In addition to the USL First Division’s RailHawks and the USL Premier Development League’s RailHawks U23s, the organization announced Wednesday the formation of the RailHawks Women, who will compete in the USL W-League beginning in 2008.

“When we started the franchise last year, we made it a point we wanted to bring women’s soccer back to the Triangle,” said Chris Economides, Carolina’s president and general manager. “If you look at the history of the Wings and Courage, they were tremendous franchises; very successful. We expect nothing short of that with the Carolina RailHawks Women.”

The W-League had a previous existence in the Triangle. The Raleigh Wings were a part of the league from 1998-2000 and were coached by Bill Palladino, the longtime North Carolina women’s soccer team assistant. The Wings won W-League titles in 1998 and 1999 and lost in the final in 2000.

The Wings folded when many of their players left to play for teams in the Women’s United Soccer Association, which launched in 2001 and had a team, the Carolina Courage, in the Triangle.

“I think this is a natural thing for this area to have a team,” said Jay Howell, who will coach the RailHawks Women. “In the past, you had the Wings that were a sensation. Then with the Courage here, they were another fantastic organization. Without having a high-level women’s team in the area, it didn’t feel right.”

The W-League is not to be confused with Women’s Soccer LLC, the proposed professional league that will launch in 2009 in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. Women’s Soccer LLC is, at least for now, an independent venture. The W-League falls under the United Soccer Leagues’ umbrella.

The W-League dates to 1995. In 2007, the league featured 35 teams in four conferences. They played between 12 and 14 matches. The W-League features international and professional players and also gives college players the opportunity to play throughout the summer while maintaining their collegiate eligibility, similar to the USL’s Premier Development League for men.

According to the USL, 54 current and former W-League players representing nine countries and 17 W-League teams were playing at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in China this month.

Five W-League teams are sister clubs to First Division sides (Atlanta, Rochester, Vancouver, Minnesota, Seattle), and several more operate with Second Division or PDL teams.

Carolina will be the second addition to the 2008 W-League. A club will also debut in Connecticut.

Carolina also announced Wednesday at least four local collegiate players will play for the women’s team next summer: North Carolina’s Betsy Frederick and Casey Nogueira, Duke’s Kelly Hathorn and N.C. State’s Lindsay Vera.

Frederick, a 5-9 sophomore midfielder, has appeared in two of the Tar Heels’ first six games this fall.

Nogueira, a 5-6 sophomore forward, played in 23 games as a freshman and scored the game-winning goals for the Tar Heels in the NCAA semifinal and final. This year, she’s scored twice in Carolina’s first six games.

Hathorn, a 5-9 junior midfielder/defender, has started in all six of the Blue Devils’ games this season and has one goal and four assists.

Vera, a 5-4 junior forward, started 16 games for the Wolfpack last year and scored five goals. This year, she’s started all six of State’s games and scored five goals.

Frederick, Nogueira and Hathorn each went to high school in the Triangle, too.

Frederick and Nogueira played together at Broughton High. In 2005, they led the Capitals to the NCHSAA 4-A state championship.

Hathorn scored 101 goals in her prep career at Durham Riverside High.

“I think it’s a big thing for girls to watch older girls play,” Hathorn said. “I know when I was younger I would go out and watch Duke play and Carolina play. A lot of times, they don’t have opportunities to see where they can go with soccer. For boys, it’s easier. Turn the TV on and it’s all over the place. For girls, it’s a really good to chance to come out here and see what they can do.”

Howell has served as the Capital Area Soccer League’s director of coaching since 1999, and he coaches several boys’ and girls’ teams in that organization.

Howell will be assisted by Monica Hall. Hall played collegiately at N.C. State in the mid 1990s, has coached throughout CASL and started the soccer program at Peace College. She is currently the girls’ varsity soccer coach at Ravenscroft School.

“This is a great moment for the Triangle,” Howell said. “This area has a tradition of producing fantastic teams and fantastic players. I think we’re going to put together a fantastic squad with players from all around the Triangle area and outside.”