Racing Louisville FC has exercised the option on head coach Bev Yanez's contract to keep her in the role through the 2026 NWSL season, the club announced on Wednesday.
Yanez is one of only two women in the 14-team league who are full-time head coaches this season. Ella Masar is currently the interim head coach of Chicago Stars FC.
"It's very important for me to be somewhere that values my authenticity and the hard work the players and staff put in so consistently," Yanez said in a statement.
Yanez is in her second season as head coach.
Racing Louisville is 6-2-5 (W-D-L), the club's best start to date through 13 games. The team is currently in a playoff position (seventh) with 20 points.
Racing Louisville finished in ninth place and missed the playoffs in all four seasons it has competed in the NWSL.
Yanez, a former NWSL player, was an assistant coach with Racing Louisville prior to her appointment as head coach following the 2023 season.
"Bev and I have had the pleasure of watching each other grow on and off the field over these last three years," Racing Louisville general manager Caitlyn Flores Milby, who started as an intern at the club, said in a statement.
"We've developed a close and productive working relationship, and we make a great team.
"Bev has built a strong team culture, and I believe that has translated into the on-field success that we've seen thus far this season. I'm excited that Bev will continue to be an integral part of this club's growth as we chase our first-ever NWSL playoff berth."
Yanez played in two different U.S. professional leagues in addition to stints in Finland, Japan, and Australia as a player before retiring in 2020.
Yanez immediately transitioned into coaching. She earned her U.S. Soccer B License through the NWSL and NWSL Players Association's free course offered to current and former players. Yanez then earned her A-Senior License in 2023.
At 36 years old, Yanez is the third-youngest coach in the NWSL.
"I am a true believer that I am only as good as the people who surround me," she said.
"I think we are in a good space as a group with a positive culture on and off the field. I'm looking forward to, and am genuinely thankful for, the opportunity to continuing working with this group."
Last week, Racing Louisville won The Women's Cup, a four-team friendly tournament in Brazil.
The team resumes its NWSL regular-season play on Friday against the league-leading Kansas City Current.