As she listened to him describe the type of team he wanted to create, she realized she could be the one to do it. “I was like, ‘Ron, you know, I didn’t go to Wharton,’” Ellis said, referencing the business school at the University of Pennsylvania. One thing Ellis didn’t need to learn, though, is that the key to the franchise’s overall success would be wins on the field. For the Wave’s second signing, Ellis went with Alex Morgan, the face of American soccer. When it came time for Ellis to find a manager, she was committed to hiring a woman.

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Persons: Ellis, Ron Burkle, “, Ron, ’ ” Ellis, ”, Abby Dahlkemper, Alex Morgan, Jill, ” Dahlkemper, Casey Stoney Organizations: U.S, University of Pennsylvania, University of California Locations: Wharton, Los Angeles, England