Ranking in the top three in regular season minutes played and top 10 in regular season appearances, Aodhan Quinn has become one of the USL Championship’s iconic players.

This past weekend, he added another landmark to his resume, and did it from a very familiar place.

We’ve got more on that, plus a look at the remarkable career Neill Collins built at the Tampa Bay Rowdies since his appointment in 2018 that sees him depart one of the league’s most successful head coaches, Phoenix Rising FC forward Manuel Arteaga’s scoring streak, and what Louisville City FC’s Oliver Semmle is potentially on course to achieve as a first-year pro.

As always, we’ve got upcoming individual landmarks to watch for, and the Week 18 Discipline Report.

Let’s dig in. 

NEWS AND NOTES

AODHAN QUINN ON THE SPOT FOR A HALF-CENTURY

Indy Eleven’s Aodhan Quinn became the 24th player to reach 50 regular season goals on Saturday night with his brace against San Diego Loyal SC moving to the latest landmark of his illustrious career in the USL Championship. Quinn’s goals both came from the penalty spot, where he is now 5 of 5 this season.

Quinn’s consistency from the penalty spot has been a key element in the creative midfielder reaching the half-century mark. The 31-year-old has recorded 23 penalty kick goals in 26 attempts in his career in the league, the most of any individual player on record in the Championship’s history.

Most Penalty Kick Goals in the USL Championship Regular Season
1. Aodhan Quinn – 23 of 26
2. Justin Portillo – 19 of 21
T-3. Hadji Barry – 16 of 18
T-3. Jorge Herrera – 16 of 18
5. Wal Fall – 15 of 18

Quinn is now also one assist from becoming the first player in the USL Championship’s regular season to record both 50 goals and 50 assists, with current Indy teammate Solomon Asante (51 goals, 48 assists) the only serious challenger to reach the mark first.

NEILL COLLINS LEAVES MAJOR LEGACY AT ROWDIES

Neill Collins will depart the Tampa Bay Rowdies following Saturday night’s contest against Oakland Roots SC as one of the most successful coaches in the USL Championship’s history. Since taking the helm in Tampa Bay on May 18, 2018, the 39-year-old has led the side to an 85-39-34 regular season record, placing him tied for fourth in league history, as well as two Eastern Conference titles (2020, 2021), one Players’ Shield (2021) and 98 wins overall across all competitions.

Since Collins’ appointment, the Rowdies 85 victories are tied for the third-most wins in the Championship’s regular season alongside Phoenix Rising FC – Louisville City FC has recorded 89 in that span – while his individual winning percentage sits at .563 in the regular season.

Most Head Coaching Wins in USL Championship Regular Season
1. Bob Lilley – 152
2. Mike Anhaeuser – 130
3. John Wolyniec – 88
T-4. Neill Collins – 85
T-4. Leigh Cowlishaw – 85  

HIGH FIVE FOR RISING FC’S MANUEL ARTEAGA

Phoenix Rising FC’s Manuel Arteaga scored for the fifth time in as many games on Saturday night in his side’s victory against Memphis 901 FC, marking the longest streak of appearances with a goal in the league this season. Previously the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Charlie Dennis, Birmingham Legion FC’s Enzo Martinez and Loudoun United FC’s Zach Ryan had recorded sequences of four consecutive appearances with a goal.

Only 10 players in the Championship’s history have recorded goalscoring streaks of at least six games previously, with the most recent achieved by Santi Moar for Phoenix Rising FC between Aug. 28 and Sept. 25 2021. The current league record for most consecutive games with a goal is held by 2021 Championship MVP Hadji Barry, who recorded goals in eight consecutive games for Sporting Kansas City II in the 2018 season.

LOUCITY’S SEMMLE SURGES INTO SHUTOUT LEAD

Louisville City FC’s Oliver Semmle recorded his eighth shutout of the 2023 season on Saturday night to take the league lead in the category, with the 25-year-old German shot-stopper also in contention for the league’s Golden Glove with a 0.69 goals-against average through 13 games this season.

With 18 games to go for LouCity in the regular season, Semmle has a chance to make a run at the Championship’s single-season shutout record of 15, set in the 2018 campaign by current Los Angeles FC and Canadian Men’s National Team goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau with Ottawa Fury FC and equaled last season by San Antonio FC’s Jordan Farr.

Semmle could also become the first first-year professional to lead the Championship in shutouts since the 2014 season, when current Los Angeles FC goalkeeper John McCarthy earned both Rookie of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year in his first pro campaign with the Rochester Rhinos with 10 shutouts and a 0.72 goals-against average.

Quick Hits

- Orange County SC recorded the most shots in a game by a single team this past Saturday with 25 shots in its 3-1 victory against Monterey Bay F.C., while Milan Iloski’s eight individual shots rank second by an individual player in a single game this season.

- New Mexico United’s Alex Tambakis recorded the 42nd regular season shutout in the USL Championship on Saturday against El Paso Locomotive. He is now one shutout behind Brandon Miller for second all-time in the league’s regular season history.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Steven Echevarria recorded the first two-goal game of his career on Tuesday night against Monterey Bay F.C. The central midfielder had scored once in his prior 91 regular season games in the league, with that goal coming earlier this season.

- Both Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Speedy Williams (16,235) and New Mexico United’s Alex Tambakis (16,187) moved into the Top 15 in regular season minutes in the USL Championship’s history on Tuesday night.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 250 regular-season appearances
Josh Suggs (NM) – 249

Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Emrah Klimenta (OAK) – 199
Phanuel Kavita (BHM) – 197
Speedy Williams (COS) – 197
Christian Volesky (MB) – 197 

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Lucky Mkosana (TBR) – 149
Matt LaGrassa (SAC) – 148
Luiz Fernando (MEM) – 148
Chris Wehan (NM) – 148
Marcus Epps (TUL) – 148

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Shane Wiedt (SAC) – 99
Dariusz Formella (OAK) – 99
Tabort Etaka Preston (LV) – 99
Joe Kuzminsky (COS) – 98
Yuma (ELP) – 97
Deklan Wynne (CHS) – 97
Andrew Fox (OC) – 97
Rashid Tetteh (TUL) – 97
Douglas Martinez Jr. (IND) – 97
Sergio Rivas (NM) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Josh Suggs (NM) – 19,970
Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 19,826
Hugh Roberts (MB) – 19,797
Kenardo Forbes (PIT) – 19,772

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Conor Donovan (SAC) – 14,594

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Tyler Gibson (LOU) – 9,909
Luiz Fernando (MEM) – 9,698
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 9,675
Anderson Asiedu (BHM) – 9,640

Goals
Approaching 75 regular season goals
Neco Brett (BHM) – 73

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Romario Williams (COS) – 49
Lucky Mkosana (TBR) – 48

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 49
Solomon Asante (IND) – 48

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Oscar Jimenez (LOU) – 29
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 27
Charlie Adams (SD) – 27

Saves
Approaching 300 regular season saves
Trey Muse (CHS) – 287

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Jake McGuire (MIA) – 188
Kyle Morton (LOU) – 187

Shutouts
Approaching 40 regular-season shutouts
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 39

Approaching 30 regular-season shutouts
Joe Kuzminsky (COS) – 29
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 27 

Discipline Report – Week 18

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 18 of the 2023 USL Championship season:

Indy Eleven’s Gustavo Rissi has been suspended for one game following his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against San Diego Loyal SC on July 1. Rissi will be unavailable for selection in Indy’s contest against FC Tulsa on Saturday night.

Oakland Roots SC’s Memo Diaz has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Rio Grande Valley FC on June 28. Diaz will be unavailable for selection in Oakland’s contest against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday night.

Birmingham Legion FC’s Gabriel Alves has been suspended one game for caution accumulation following his eighth yellow card of the season against San Antonio FC on July 1. Alves will be unavailable for selection in Birmingham’s contest against Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday night.

Sacramento Republic FC’s Arnold Lopez has been suspended one game for caution accumulation following his eighth yellow card of the season against Rio Grande Valley FC on July 1. Lopez will be unavailable for selection in Sacramento’s contest against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night.

Loudoun United FC’s Jace Clark was suspended for one game following his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against the Charleston Battery on June 30. Clark served his suspension during Loudoun’s contest against Hartford Athletic on Monday night.

The following players enter the upcoming matches one caution away from a yellow card accumulation suspension for their eighth yellow card of the season. Here is the breakdown per club:

• El Paso Locomotive FC (1) – Bence Pavkovics

• Indy Eleven (1) – Cam Lindley

• Miami FC (1) – Callum Chapman-Page

• San Antonio FC (1) – Alen Marcina