Richmond United’s Walker Bristow, Iisa Elovaara, Kenley Campbell, Sarah Flammia, recent club commit Emerson Moore will play for the club in its inaugural season.
RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond Ivy SC is pleased to announce the commitments of five Richmond United (RU) players — forward Walker Bristow, midfielders Emerson Moore, Sarah Flammia and Iisa Elovaara, and defender Kenley Campbell — to the inaugural roster pending league and federation approval.
“One of the things we’ve really stressed as a staff when creating a talented inaugural roster is to also have an investment in the longevity of the roster,” Richmond Ivy Head Coach Kimmy Cummings said. “We would be remiss to overlook the player pathway that is already being created within the Richmond soccer community. These four Richmond United academy players, with the addition of Emerson to the academy mix, shows the fruit of that labor and the early investment is one we are excited about. Sarah, Walker, Iisa, Kenley, and Emerson all bring very different qualities to the game and I believe they will raise the level of our environment while challenging for minutes!”
This group of 5 players will round out the rest of the Richmond Ivy roster for the 2024 USL W League season.
Bristow, Flammia, Elovaara and Campbell were key members of the U-19 team that ranked second in the conference and posted a 12-2-1 record during the 2023 season. The team will be headed to Seattle to compete in the ECNL Sweet Sixteen, vying for the national championship.
Moore will begin play with Richmond United this summer. She has spent her last five years at Skyline Elite.
“Since the beginning of our partnership between Richmond United, Richmond Ivy and the Kickers pro team, it has been essential for us to improve the opportunities and experiences for everyone in the RVA soccer community.” said Mika Elovaara, Richmond United Technical Director and Richmond Kickers’ Head Assistant Coach and Director of Methodology and Player Development. “I am delighted for the initial five RU players who the Ivy staff have selected for the inaugural roster. This connects another important piece in our pathway from youth to senior level soccer. Now the expectations for these five young women are raised on all levels, as they represent our partnership and our shared soccer culture everywhere they go. Our commitment to the local developmental pathway grows daily and we are excited for the girls and boys in the everyday Richmond United environment who now have an even more tangible goal in front of them. An exciting day for us all!”
Bristow has played the last five years of her club career with Richmond United, most recently playing on the U19 team. Before that, she played with Richmond Strikers for four years. Graduating this Spring from Douglas S. Freeman High School, Bristow has committed to play for Appalachian State and will start on campus this July.
“When I found out I made the team I was beyond excited to have the opportunity to play in the Ivy’s inaugural year with such high-level players! As a current Richmond United player, I think it is awesome that there is the opportunity for us to be a part of a pre-professional team and play and compete with more experienced players,” Bristow said.
In high school, Bristow started all four years on the varsity squad. She earned First-team All-Region, All-Metro and All- State recognition in her junior year, leading the team with 23 goals and 12 assists.
“Walker is a dynamic attacker that will put in work on both sides of the ball,” Cummings said. “She is able to defend and get stuck in to help us regain passion while quickly joining the attack to create dangerous opportunities. She is the type of player that continuously will raise her bar for excellence and I believe she will thrive with the Richmond Ivy this summer!”
As a scrappy forward, Bristow spends her time pressing, moving without the ball and trying to connect passes to go to goal quickly and cleanly. She helped the squad to a regional championship in 2021 and in 2023, helped them finish as regional runners up as she scored the lone goal in the Mavericks’ regional semifinal match.
“Walker is a promising young attacking player who we have watched grow into an active and productive forward throughout the Richmond United season,” Sporting Director Madeline McCracken said. “She is an intelligent and mobile attacker, and we believe she has the attributes needed to grow into a player capable of contributing to the success of the Richmond Ivy.”
Flammia played for Richmond United throughout her youth career, starting in the 6th grade and playing on the U-13 team twice. While on the U-16 team, Flammia earned ECNL National Playoffs: Under-16 Best XI in July of 2021.
“When I first found out I was invited to join the team, I was super excited and thrilled with the opportunity to join the Richmond Ivy team in the USL W League,” Flammia said. “I am very grateful that we now have an opportunity to continue playing soccer at the highest level locally here in Richmond.”
With Flammia’s addition, the Ivy attack adds another technical playmaker that specializes in taking on opposing defenders. In the 2022 season, she was tied for 50th on the InStat Index rankings across the whole of Virginia.
“Adding Sarah to our roster provides us depth and versatility in the midfield as we get ready to begin our inaugural W League season,” McCracken said. “She’s impressed us throughout the Richmond United season with her decision making and composure on the ball. She has a natural ability to read the game and is intent in her decision making. Her versatility will be a great asset to the Richmond Ivy.”
In December of 2020, she earned ECNL South Carolina Best XI recognition and South Carolina standouts recognition three weeks earlier. Flammia also earned ECNL Weekly Standouts recognition twice, in both of the last two weekends of October 2020.
“Sarah is a highly technical versatile midfielder that is capable of playing in many positions in the center of the pitch,” Cummings said. “Her ability to read the game and solve presented problems at a high level makes her dangerous in all phases of the game. I’m excited to see the level Sarah is able to bring to the environment on a daily basis.”
Committed to play for the University of Virginia in the fall, Flammia and the rest of the Cavaliers’ recruiting class will have been ranked in the top-20 since October of 2023.
On the ball, Campbell will push hard to force a turnover on defense. Once she gains possession, the RU alumna looks first to make the best pass available to start an attack.
“I think it is incredible for this new pathway to be created in this pre-professional space,” Campbell said. “I never thought this would be an option for me, and I am so glad to be proved wrong. This is such an amazing experience to gain skills and practice with some of the top players in the area while training to be able to venture off to my own college in the next few months with success.”
During her high school career, Campbell was ever present on the Collegiate back line. A 2023 First-Team All-Metro winner, Campbell helped Collegiate to the 2022 League of Independent Schools (LIS) Title after the team made the conference finals the year before. As a sophomore in 2021, Campbell was named LIS player of the year and made the First-Team All-Metro.
“Kenley is an unshakeable defender that is consistently poised both in and out of possession,” Cummings said. “In the build, she is able to start the attack with dangerous penetrating passes; defensively, she utilizes her positioning, and overall defensive technique, to regain possession. I believe she’s an excellent addition to the overall culture we have built with Richmond Ivy!”
Even from the backline, Campbell made herself known on the attack. On April 12, Collegiate took on rival high school St. Catherine’s and won 2-0. Not only did Campbell’s defending contribute to the shutout but she scored one of the two goals.
“Kenley is a hard-working and determined young player,” McCracken said. “She reads the game well and can handle pressure and remain composed on the ball in the backline; which will make her a valuable asset to our team. She has grown into a solid defender during her time with Richmond United and we look forward to continuing to assist in her development with the Ivy.”
With Richmond United, Campbell was just as ever-present on the pitch. She was quick on her feet and unafraid to take off with the ball or to stop an oncoming player, ranking second on the team in Interceptions and third in Clearances through the 2023-2024 season. In October of 2023, Campbell was named to the Top Drawer Soccer list of Club Soccer Standouts.
Campbell has committed to William & Mary and will start there in the fall of 2024.
Elovaara has played all of her youth career with Richmond United and brings more international experience to the Ivy roster.
She was invited to the Finland U17 and U18 camps and played with both teams. In her debut with Finland, Elovaara claimed an assist in their win over Estonia in 2022.
“I’ve probably watched 100 games at City Stadium,” Elovaara said. “And I’m so excited to have a chance to compete to play there now! It feels surreal to possibly play in front of the amazing RVA soccer fans! It has been amazing seeing all of the support! Thank you! And I can’t wait to see everyone at City Stadium!”
High School teammates with fellow-Ivy Walker Bristow for three years, Elovaara started all games her freshman year on the unbeaten regional champion Freeman Mavericks in 2021, and was ever-presented in 2022 and 2023 as well, when the Mavericks finished as regional runner-ups. A staple as the holding midfielder for RU, Elovaara led her RU U17 team in assists in 2022-2023 and ranked second with the U19s in 2023-2024.
“Iisa is a well-rounded midfielder, with a high soccer IQ,” McCracken said. “We believe that she can contribute in all phases of the game both offensively and defensively. Her work ethic, passion and character on and off of the field will serve as an example to her teammates, and the type of culture we are looking to create in Richmond. She will be a strong addition to our squad as we begin our USL W League season.”
Strong when in possession, Elovaara uses her knowledge of the game and her ability to press to affect the game and then find teammates quickly.
“Iisa is a tremendous student of the game; her ability to read the game and find pockets of space can help break opponents down quickly,” Cummings said. “She has the versatility to play in the midfield or back line and brings international playing experience that adds an additional level to her player profile. Iisa may be one of the biggest soccer supporters in City Stadium, I’m excited to bring her passion to the field level to compete with Richmond Ivy.”
Elovaara has committed to attend and play for the University of Central Florida starting in the fall of 2024.
The youngest player on the Ivy roster, Moore recently committed to play for Richmond United in their 2024-2025 season, as well as committing to the Ivy. Originally from Lynchburg, she has competed for Skyline Elite in Charlottesville for the last 5 years. Ranked No. 4 in Virginia according to PrepSoccer.com, Moore will start with RU in June.
“I’m really excited and I feel really lucky to get this opportunity,” Moore said. “It’s amazing that so many people are supportive even though it is just the first season and I’m really thankful. I can’t wait to play in an area full of fans that love the game.”
As a midfielder, Moore consistently distributes the ball. In her freshman year on Virginia Episcopal School’s varsity squad, she played in all 12 games, snagging 26 goals and 22 assists for a grand total of 74 points. Moore says in addition to her attacking proficiency, she’s drawn to 1v1 situations where she can ultimately take possession of the ball as well.
“Emerson is a young player who is eager to play, train and compete in the W League,” McCracken said. “She impressed us with her technical quality, creativity, receiving skills and awareness. She also possesses the personality and values we look for in our players. We are so excited to welcome Emerson to the Richmond Ivy SC family!”
In her time with Skyline Elite, Moore was selected to attend the US Soccer Talent ID Center in 2022. In 2021, she attended the University of North Carolina’’s ID Camp, winning the 1v1 competition. More recently, in the summer of 2023, Moore was invited to the Girls Academy League National Talent ID Event.
“Emerson is a very attacking minded midfielder that brings a goal hungry mindset to the game; she is technical with the ball at her feet and has the ability to thread the needle with penetrating passes into the final seam,” Cummings said. “She has a passion for growth and is consistently aiming to push herself to the next level. I’m incredibly excited to have her involved with the Richmond Ivy inaugural season!”
