By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — Neil Cassidy's summers just got a little busier.
 
Cassidy, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's soccer coach, was recently named the head coach of Rochester's Med City Football Club, it was announced Friday.
 
"I am excited to be involved with Med City FC," said Cassidy, who will begin his eighth season as the Cardinals head coach this fall—and was the head coach of the PDL Rochester Thunder during its two years in existence in 2009 and 2010, going 10-3-3 and qualifying for the PDL playoffs during the second season. "With the groundwork that the staff put in place last year, and some exciting talent coming in this year, I have high expectations for our season.
 
"I want to thank Frank for giving me this opportunity over the summer months, and I look forward to getting back with the Cardinals to kick off the 2018 season in August."
 
Med City Football Club is entering its second season as a member of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and plays in the North Conference, which is one of three conferences in the league's Midwest Region. The North Conference consists of teams from Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. The NPSL is the country's top national amateur league, and will include more than 100 teams from coast to coast this-coming season.
 
During the 2018 season, Med City FC will play a 17-game schedule, with nine home games and eight away games. The season runs from mid-May through mid-July, with playoffs to follow if the team should qualify.
"We're very excited to have Neil leading the team this season," said Frank Spaeth, Med City FC's general manager. "We had an outstanding inaugural season and many of the players who helped us experience a lot of initial success are returning. We believe that, with Neil at the helm, we can pick up where we left off and experience even more success both on and off the field."
Med City FC's name is derived from Rochester's longstanding history of medical excellence —Rochester is home to the world-famous Mayo Clinic and has become a true medical destination for people from across the country and around the world.
 
Rochester will kick off its inaugural season on May 9, squaring off at home against Union Dubuque FC in a 7 p.m. contest at the Rochester Regional Stadium on the campus of Rochester Community and Technical College.