Bay FC will celebrate Bebar and her partnership with local community partner Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative at a future home match
SAN FRANCISCO (Apr. 28, 2026) – Bay FC today announced Hannah Bebar as its nominee for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) 2026 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, which recognizes her community service and outstanding character off the pitch. As part of her nomination, Nationwide will donate $5,000 to Bebar’s local community of choice, Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative (BAWSI), which mobilizes the Bay Area women’s sports community to engage, inspire, and empower girls from under-resourced neighborhoods and children with disabilities by providing free, inclusive sports programs that level the playing field and expand access to play. All 16 nominees were announced by the league today.
Fans will have the opportunity to vote for Bebar as part of the Fan Impact Challenge winner of the award, with the winner receiving $10,000 toward a community organization of their choice during fan voting from August 14-29. The overall winner will receive $50,000, which will be donated to the community organization of their choice and announced during Championship Weekend. Bebar’s nomination follows two years of successful Bay FC Lauren Holiday Award nominees. In 2024, Bay FC defender Jen Beattie won both the fan vote and the overall award for her work in breast cancer awareness and education and for her partnership with the local community organization Pink Ribbon Good. Last season, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji partnered with Oakland-based Soccer Without Borders to support a middle school girls’ team in designing and providing them with their first-ever custom kits. The initiative was highlighted on a national stage during the 2025 NWSL Championship weekend.
“It is a tremendous honor to be nominated for this award and to have the opportunity to highlight the critical work of BAWSI, which has long supported girls across the Bay Area,” said Hannah Bebar. “From the very beginning of my time with Bay FC, I was immediately drawn to BAWSI’s commitment to leveling the playing field and expanding access to sports for girls from under-resourced neighborhoods and children with disabilities. I am deeply grateful to BAWSI for all they have accomplished and all the women who have paved the way, ensuring that we as professional athletes now have platforms to give back meaningfully.”
Bebar, who joined Bay FC in 2025, has built meaningful relationships with BAWSI participants and staff, demonstrating a genuine dedication to the organization’s mission. Her involvement with BAWSI has continued to deepen over time. She has remained a volunteer mentor and coach throughout her time with Bay FC, championing and highlighting the organization. Additionally, she was recently appointed to the organization’s official Advisory Council, an acknowledgment of the trust she has earned within the BAWSI community. In this role, Hannah actively contributes to shaping the organization’s direction and impact, while remaining consistently active by showing up, engaging directly with participants, and using her platform to champion equitable access to sports.
“Hannah leads with vision and intention on the field and in our community,” said Dr. Dana Weintraub, CEO of BAWSI. “As an Advisory Council member, her strategic thinking is already shaping BAWSI’s future. By bringing her Bay FC teammates onto BAWSI playgrounds, she is strengthening our Bay Area community and expanding what’s possible for BAWSI Girls.”
Founded in 2005 following the folding of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA), BAWSI was established by Marlene Bjornsrud, former general manager of the San Jose Cyber Rays, alongside USWNT legend and Bay FC co-founder Brandi Chastain and USWNT legend Julie Foudy. The organization was created to preserve the deep community connections that defined the WUSA and to ensure girls across the Bay Area had greater access to sport. Twenty years later, BAWSI remains a critical organization, providing resources and access to thousands of young girls across the Bay Area.
Earlier this season, Bay FC honored the first-ever women’s professional soccer team in the Bay Area – the Bay Area CyberRays – and the 25th anniversary of their 2001 historic Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) championship during the club’s Women’s Empowerment Match on March 21. The Bay Area CyberRays, founded in 2000 as part of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA), won the inaugural WUSA Founders Cup after defeating the Atlanta Beat in a 4–2 shootout in 2001. Led by Bay FC co-founder and USWNT legend Brandi Chastain, the team played a key role in advancing professional women’s soccer across the United States and the world. The Bay Area CyberRays later changed their name to the San Jose CyberRays following their inaugural season in 2002.
“Hannah understands the responsibility that comes with being a professional athlete and the importance of serving your community. Her commitment to and relationship with BAWSI is exactly why Marlene Bjornsrud, Julie Foudy, and I founded the organization: to ensure girls across the Bay Area feel seen, supported, and empowered through sport. I can’t think of a better person to represent the spirit of the Lauren Holiday Impact Award or the impact it celebrates.”
The Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, was introduced in 2024 to honor the two-time NWSL Champion and Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian ESPY Award Lauren Holiday. It spotlights players who exemplify dedication and commitment to giving back in service of their local communities. Holiday retired from the NWSL in 2015 following a career during which she won back-to-back championships, was named the 2013 NWSL MVP and awarded the Golden Boot, and was named the 2014 NWSL Championship MVP.
Bebar and Bay FC are back in action this Sunday, May 3, as they face the San Diego Wave on the road. The match kicks off at 4 p.m. PT, and fans can stream it live on Victory+, the official streaming partner of Bay FC. Bay FC returns to PayPal Park for its AANHPI match on Sunday, May 10, at 1 p.m. PT, where the club will face Utah Royals FC. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to participate in pre-match activities, including Bay FC’s inaugural Mother’s Day Scavenger Hunt, with 90 hidden prizes placed inside and around PayPal Park and in the tailgate areas.
Single-match tickets for all 2026 Bay FC home matches are on sale now at BayFC.com/tickets, giving all fans the opportunity to lock in their spot at PayPal Park for the season’s most anticipated contests. Visa is Bay FC’s preferred way to pay for tickets.
