San Antonio FC’s Tani Oluwaseyi joined an exclusive group in USL Championship history on his way to claiming the Player of the Week award on Tuesday.

Find out how, and which players he joined, with a feat that hasn’t been seen in the league in four years in this week’s edition of the USL Championship News & Notes.

Elsewhere, Birmingham Legion FC’s Enzo Martinez jumps into second place in the league’s regular season goal contributions list, while Indy Eleven’s Aodhan Quinn could reach a major landmark on Wednesday night in his side’s game against the Charleston Battery.

We’ve also got our regular look at upcoming landmarks for players across the league, and the Week 19 Discipline Report.

Let’s dig in.

NEWS AND NOTES

SAN ANTONIO’S TANI OLUWASEYI BAGS SECOND HAT TRICK

San Antonio FC’s Tani Oluwaseyi joined a short list of players who have recorded multiple hat tricks in the same USL Championship regular season on Friday night as he scored the first three goals in his side’s 4-0 victory against Memphis 901 FC at AutoZone Park. Oluwaseyi is the first player to notch two hat tricks in a single Championship season since the 2019 campaign, when both New Mexico United’s Kevaughn Frater and Real Monarchs SLC’s Douglas Martinez Jr. accomplished the feat.

Only former Louisville City FC player Matt Fondy has previously recorded three hat tricks in a single USL Championship regular season, with his campaign part of a 2015 season in which he set a single-season goalscoring record with 22 goals and claimed the league’s Most Valuable Player award.

Most Hat Tricks in a single USL Championship regular season
3 – Matt Fondy, Louisville City FC, 2015
2 – Tani Oluwaseyi, San Antonio FC, 2023
2 – Kevaughn Frater, New Mexico United, 2019
2 – Douglas Martinez Jr., Real Monarchs SLC, 2019
2 – Efrain Alvarez, LA Galaxy II, 2018
2 – Ethan Zubak, LA Galaxy II, 2018
2 – Dane Kelly, Reno 1868 FC, 2017
2 – Irvin Herrera, Saint Louis FC, 2016
2 – Kevin Molino, Orlando City SC, 2014
2 – Lucky Mkosana, Harrisburg City Islanders, 2013

LEGION FC’S ENZO MARTINEZ MOVES SECOND IN COMBINED GOALS+ASSISTS

Birmingham Legion FC’s Enzo Martinez moved into second place all-time in combined goals and assists in the USL Championship’s regular season history on Saturday night with his one goal, two assist performance against Las Vegas Lights FC moving him to 109 Goal Contributions in his career.

Martinez surpassed Jorge Herrera for second place in the list and has now recorded 66 goals and 43 assists in his career in the USL Championship. The 32-year-old has recorded a combined 35 goals and assists (22G+13A) since joining Legion FC prior to the start of the 2022 USL Championship season, already placing him third in club history behind Neco Brett (38) and Prosper Kasim (37).

Most Combined Regular Season Goals & Assists in USL Championship
1. Dane Kelly – 132 (106 goals & 26 assists)
2. Enzo Martinez – 109 (66 goals & 43 assists)
3. Jorge Herrera – 107 (72 goals & 35 assists)
T-4. Hadji Barry – 103 (79 goals & 24 assists)
T-4. Corey Hertzog – 103 (74 goals & 29 assists)

INDY’S AODHAN QUINN ENTERS WEEK WITHIN REACH OF 20,000 MINUTE LANDMARK

Indy Eleven’s Aodhan Quinn will enter Wednesday night’s contest within reach of recording 20,000 regular season minutes in the USL Championship’s regular season. The 31-year-old sits at 19,916 minutes going into Indy’s contest with the Charleston Battery, 84 minutes shy of joining Taylor Mueller, currently the lone player to have reached 20,000 minutes of regular season play in league history.

Quinn has played all but 30 minutes of the 2023 regular season for Indy, logging 1,500 minutes in 17 appearances for the side. At his current pace, he could become the all-time leader in regular season minutes played by the end of July, but competition for the record mark will continue with Mueller the lone retired player among the current Top 10 in regular season minutes among players.

USL Championship All-Time Individual Regular Season Minutes
1. Taylor Mueller – 20,077
2. Josh Suggs, New Mexico United – 19,992*
3. Aodhan Quinn, Indy Eleven – 19,916*
4. Hugh Roberts, Monterey Bay F.C. – 19,887*
5. Kenardo Forbes, Pittsbugh Riverhounds SC – 19,843*
6. Paolo DelPiccolo, Louisville City FC – 17,518*
7. Sean Totsch, Louisville City FC – 17,501*
8. Alex Dixon, Monterey Bay F.C. – 17,295*
9. Phanuel Kavita, Birmingham Legion FC – 17,018*
10. Yann Ekra, Tampa Bay Rowdies – 16,970*

* - Active Player

NEW MEXICO UNITED’S JOSH SUGGS REACHES 250-GAME LANDMARK

New Mexico United’s Josh Suggs became only the third player to reach 250 regular season appearances in the USL Championship’s history on Saturday night when he came on as a second-half substitute in the side’s 1-0 victory against Detroit City FC. Suggs joins current Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Yann Ekra (262) and USL Championship all-time leading goalscorer Dane Kelly (251) in reaching the landmark.

With the appearance, Suggs is now eight minutes shy of reaching 20,000 regular season minutes in the league, a mark only previously achieved by former Championship All-League selection Taylor Mueller during his career with the Charleston Battery and Tacoma Defiance (20,077 minutes).

Quick Hits
- The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Cal Jennings scored the third hat trick of his career in the USL Championship on Saturday night in his side’s 3-0 win against Oakland Roots SC. Jennings is the second player to record hat tricks for three different clubs in the league’s history (Memphis 901 FC, Las Vegas Lights FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies). Only Dane Kelly has previously recorded four hat tricks in the Championship’s history, doing so for the Charleston Battery, Reno 1868 FC, and Charlotte Independence.

- New Mexico United’s Alex Tambakis recorded his 43rd regular season shutout in the USL Championship on Saturday night in the side’s 1-0 win against Detroit City FC. Tambakis is now tied for second place all-time in the league’s regular season history alongside former Goalkeeper of the Year winner Brandon Miller.

- San Antonio FC’s Tani Oluwaseyi’s six shots on target against Memphis 901 FC on July 7 were the most by a single player in a USL Championship game this season.

- The 36 combined shots recorded by Las Vegas Lights FC and Birmingham Legion FC in the 3-3 draw between the sides on July 8 was the second-most in a game so far this season, trailing only the 39 combined shots recorded by El Paso Locomotive FC and Detroit City FC on March 18.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 250 regular-season appearances
Kenardo Forbes (PIT) – 247
Hugh Roberts (MB) – 247

Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Phanuel Kavita (BHM) – 198
Christian Volesky (MB) – 198 
Speedy Williams (COS) – 197

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

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Andrew Fox (OC) – 98
Rashid Tetteh (TUL) – 98
Douglas Martinez Jr. (IND) – 98
Sergio Rivas (NM) – 98
Joe Kuzminsky (COS) – 98
Yuma (ELP) – 97
Deklan Wynne (CHS) – 97
Camden Riley (SD) – 97
Jorge Hernandez (SA) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Josh Suggs (NM) – 19,992
Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 19,916
Hugh Roberts (MB) – 19,887
Kenardo Forbes (PIT) – 19,843

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Conor Donovan (SAC) – 14,684
Paco Craig (MIA) – 14,617

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Tyler Gibson (LOU) – 9,942
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 9,765
Anderson Asiedu (BHM) – 9,730
Luiz Fernando (MEM) – 9,723

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) – 28
Jordan Farr (SA) – 27

Discipline Report – Week 19

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 19 of the 2023 USL Championship season:

Following the completion of an appeal process, Orange County SC’s Kyle Scott has been suspended for one game following his red card for violent conduct against Detroit City FC on June 24. Scott will be unavailable for selection in Orange County’s contest against Loudoun United FC this Saturday.

Following a review by the Independent Discipline Panel, Indy Eleven’s Adrian Diz Pe has been suspended for one game for violent conduct following an incident in the side’s contest against FC Tulsa. Diz Pe will be unavailable for selection in Indy’s contest against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on July 22.

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

• Monterey Bay F.C. (1) – James Murphy

• Phoenix Rising FC (1) – Renzo Zambrano

• San Antonio FC (1) – Alen Marcina