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Washington, D.C. (03/09/2026) — The Washington Spirit announced the new additions to its sporting staff today as the club prepares to open its 2026 season on Friday. The Spirit will be led by Head Coach Adrián González, who enters his first full season in charge after being promoted last June and leading the team to an appearance in the 2025 NWSL Championship.
“I am incredibly excited about the staff we put together for the 2026 season,” said General Manager Nathan Minion. “We have goals to accomplish a lot of special things this year and every person on our staff is bought in to that mission and essential to our success.”
COACHING STAFF ADDITIONS
Cristian Catena – Assistant Coach
- Catena, a Spanish coach, joins the Spirit after over 14 years at FC Barcelona, serving as head coach across all levels of the club’s academy. A holder of the UEFA Pro Licence, he brings extensive experience in player development and talent identification, having worked with players such as Eric García, Xavi Simons, and Alejandro Balde.
Salva Todolí – Assistant Coach/Video Analyst Lead
Victoria Boardman – Assistant Coach/Player Development Specialist
- Boardman joins the Washington Spirit as an assistant coach after previously serving on the coaching staff of the North Carolina Courage from 2023-25, where she helped lead the club to the NWSL Challenge Cup in 2023 and the NWSL playoffs in consecutive seasons. Boardman was also part of the inaugural coaching staff at San Diego Wave FC, helping guide the expansion club to the playoffs in its first season. A former professional player and England youth international, Boardman also has experience working within the U.S. Youth National Team system, she holds the U.S. Soccer Pro License and is currently pursuing the UEFA Pro Licence with the English FA.
On the Medical & Performance side, Alicia Tang was hired as the Vice President, Performance & Medicine to head the staff. Tang is a titled Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist with more than two decades of experience, including serving as the Lead of Physiotherapy for the England Women’s National Team (U14-Senior) from 2016-2023. Most recently, Tang led Derby County Football Club’s Academy medical and performance departments.
MEDICAL & PERFORMANCE ADDITIONS
Alicia Tang – Vice President, Performance & Medicine
David Rhodes – Senior Director, Performance Services
David McHugh – Director, Mental Performance & Team Culture
Erwin Benedict Valencia – Director, Medical Services
Artur Auzmendi – Pitch Performance Coach
Victor Cervera Raga – Return-to-Play Performance Coach
Denise Lee – Performance Nutrition Services Manager
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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