Orange County Waves was one of two
professional teams founded for the
2011 Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) by the same team of investors; alongside the
Bay Area Breeze, based in Northern California. Originally conceived as
Orange County Sol, the team aimed to be a continuation of the defunct
Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) franchise
Los Angeles Sol.
Anschutz Entertainment Group, rightholders of the Sol name, blocked its use for the new teams. Former Sol coach Abner Rogers was recruited as well as several ex-Sol players. It was intended that the Waves would progress to WPS, then the top level of professional women's football in the United States. Experienced
Ajax America Women coach Brian Boswell joined as assistant to Rogers, who flew to the
2011 Algarve Cup to scout for players. The team won the national WPSL Championship in its only season of existence, beating
Chicago Red Stars 2–1 after extra time in the final. Rogers was named Coach of the Year. In December 2011 the team's owners withdrew funding from Orange County Waves, in order to focus their attentions on Bay Area Breeze. ==2011 squad==