THE HEROINES: The Standard of Excellence Faces a New Test
Few teams in professional paintball have defined dominance quite like The Heroines. Built on a foundation of USA Women’ s National Team pedigree, discipline, and championship expectation, the franchise has assembled a historic résumé: Seven of twelve event wins, three World Cups, and three Series Championships in just four seasons, all while holding the highest match and points win percentage in pro history at over 85 %.
Yet one target remains untouched: A seasonopening victory.
This year, The Heroines enter a new chapter. Longtime captain and three-time series
champion Krista Titus has departed, leaving behind a legacy that shaped the team’ s identity. But the offseason brought strategic reinforcements in veterans Raelynne Burns and Hailey Leyva, both returning to the WNXL with experience and composure that fit seamlessly into Coach Anthony Vitale’ s blueprint.
“ They fill exactly what we needed,” Vitale said.“ Off-the-break shooting, survivability, and late-game execution. We added all three without compromising the integrity of the league.”
With league expansion, playoffs growing to six teams, and the high-profile debut of Pro 3v3 hitting the stadium stage, The Heroines enter 2026 as the team to beat— but also a team with something left to prove.
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