Last season, current Tampa Bay Rowdies forward Cal Jennings reached 50 regular season goals in the USL Championship faster than any player in league history, taking just 90 games to reach the landmark.

This past weekend, Louisville City FC’s Wilson Harris achieved an equally impressive feat as he reached his half-century of goals in the league’s regular season, sending LouCity to an opening day victory against El Paso Locomotive FC.

In this week’s edition of USL Championship News & Notes we’ll look at that, and where Harris stands among the league’s all-time greatest marksmen, and also at a career day for New Mexico United goalkeeper Alex Tambakis as he approaches the summit of one of the league’s all-time records.

We’ve also got our regular look at upcoming potential player milestones across the league, and the Week 3 Discipline Report.

Let’s dig in.

NEWS & NOTES

LOUISVILLE’S WILSON HARRIS HITS THE HALF-CENTURY MARK

Louisville City FC’s Wilson Harris became the youngest player to reach 50 regular season goals in the USL Championship’s history on Saturday afternoon, reaching the mark aged 24 years, 3 months and 17 days old with his game-winning finish against El Paso Locomotive FC. The 2020 USL Championship Young Player of the Year surpassed the mark previously held by 2020 USL Championship Golden Boot winner Junior Flemmings, who was 24 years, 8 months, 3 days old when he reached the half-century mark.

Harris has been one of the most prolific goalscorers in the USL Championship’s history since his debut for Sporting Kansas City II in the 2018 season. The California native currently ranks seventh in the league’s history in strike rate among players with at least 50 regular season goals, averaging a goal every 160.1 minutes so far in his career.

Best Strike Rate Among 50-Goal Scorers in USL Championship Regular Season
1. Cameron Lancaster – 166 appearances, 80 goals, 113.9 mins/goal
2. Cal Jennings – 91 appearances, 51 goals, 127.7 mins/goal*
3. Romario Williams – 124 appearances, 57 goals, 139.7 mins/goal*
4. Dane Kelly – 251 appearances, 106 goals, 150.3 mins/goal
5. Chandler Hoffman – 148 appearances, 66 goals, 156.2 mins/goal
6. Hadji Barry – 152 appearances, 79 goals, 157.7 mins/goal
7. Wilson Harris – 125 appearances, 50 goals, 160.1 mins/goal*
8. Jose Angulo – 132 appearances, 53 goals, 167.2 mins/goal
9. Junior Flemmings – 141 appearances, 57 goals, 171 mins/goal
10. Neco Brett – 201 appearances, 81 goals, 172.1 mins/goal*

* - Currently Active in USL Championship

NEW MEXICO’S ALEX TAMBAKIS SETS SINGLE-GAME CAREER BEST

New Mexico United’s Alex Tambakis set a single-game career-high with his nine-save performance in the club’s 1-1 draw against Rhode Island FC on Saturday afternoon. The performance continued the Greek shot-stopper’s ascent towards having recorded the most regular season saves in the USL Championship’s history, and surpassed his eight-save outing for the Charleston Battery against the Richmond Kickers on September 17, 2016.

Tambakis ranks second in the Championship’s history in both saves (548) and shutouts (45) to Evan Newton (573 saves / 58 shutouts), sitting 25 saves shy of the equaling Newton for the most saves in the USL Championship’s regular season entering Week 3. This weekend, he could become the second player to surpass 550 saves as he faces one of his former clubs when New Mexico visits the Battery at Patriots Point.

Most Saves in USL Championship Regular Season History
1. Evan Newton – 573
2. Alex Tambakis – 548*
3. Brandon Miller – 414
4. Matt VanOekel – 401*
5. Carl Woszczynski – 393

* - Currently Active in USL Championship

USL CHAMPIONSHIP, LEAGUE ONE PLAYERS SELECTED FOR INTERNATIONAL DUTY

Players from the USL Championship and USL League One are set to compete in the 2024 Concacaf Nations League Finals, the final stage of 2024 Copa America qualifying, and the opening round of 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying after earning selection to their senior national teams this week.

The Concacaf Nations League Finals will see El Paso Locomotive FC’s Jahmali Waite and Hartford Athletic’s Romario Williams represent Jamaica as the Reggae Boyz square off with the United States on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET in Arlington, Texas in the tournament’s Semifinals.

The final knockout stage of 2024 Copa America qualifying will see Indy Eleven’s Douglas Martinez Jr. represent Honduras as it faces Costa Rica for one of the final two berths, while Oakland Roots SC’s Neveal Hackshaw, San Antonio FC’s Shannon Gomez and Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC’s Noah Powder and Real Gill are part of Trinidad and Tobago’s squad to face Canada in the other playoff game set for Saturday in Frisco, Texas.

Finally, South Georgia Tormenta FC’s Joshua Ramos has been named in the U.S. Virgin Islands’ squad that will play a home-and-home series with the British Virgin Islands in the opening round of Concacaf’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

USL Championship & League One National Team Call-Ups – March, 2024
Burundi (2) – Irakoze Donasiyano (Oakland Roots SC), Pacifique Niyongabire (Tampa Bay Rowdies)

Cuba (1) – Raiko Arozarena (Las Vegas Lights FC)

Dominican Republic (1) – Riki Alba (Las Vegas Lights FC)

El Salvador (5) – Bryan Tamacas (Oakland Roots SC), Jairo Henriquez (Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC), Amando Moreno (El Paso Locomotive FC), Nelson Flores Blanco (North Carolina FC), Jeremy Garay (El Paso Locomotive FC)

Guinea-Bissau (1) – Bura Nogueira (San Antonio FC)

Honduras (1) – Douglas Martinez Jr. (Indy Eleven)

Jamaica (2) – Jahmali Waite (El Paso Locomotive FC), Romario Williams (Hartford Athletic)

Lebanon (1) – Jackson Khoury (South Georgia Tormenta FC)

Malta (1) – Yannick Yankam (Lexington SC)

Puerto Rico (1) – Callum Stretch (South Georgia Tormenta FC)

Rwanda (1) – Nshuti Innocent (One Knoxville SC)

Somalia (1) – Hassan Gabo (Greenville Triumph SC)

Trinidad and Tobago (4) – Neveal Hackshaw (Oakland Roots SC), Real Gill (Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC), Noah Powder (Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC), Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC)

U.S. Virgin Islands (1) – Joshua Ramos (South Georgia Tormenta FC)

Quick Hits

- FC Tulsa’s Phillip Goodrum has scored in four consecutive regular season appearances after his game-winning goal against Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday evening. That has matched his individual best in the USL Championship – Goodrum scored in four consecutive appearances for Memphis 901 FC between July 9 and August 3 in 2022 – and took him to 40 regular season goals in 97 appearances overall.

- Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s Kenardo Forbes moved into a tie with Josh Suggs for second place in regular season appearances in the USL Championship with his 264th appearance on Saturday night as the Hounds hosted Orange County SC. Forbes also moved into third place in the league’s regular season minutes list, where he currently sits at 20,946 minutes, just 291 minutes behind current leader Hugh Roberts.

- Oakland Roots SC’s Ilya Alekseev became the youngest player to record a goal for the Roots since the club joined the USL Championship for the 2021 season as he made his league debut, scoring the equalizer against the Charleston Battery in a 1-1 draw at Pioneer Stadium at the age of 18 years, 164 days old.

- Rhode Island FC’s 1-1 draw with New Mexico United on Saturday marked the 12th consecutive inaugural game in which a newcomer to the league was unable to take victory. The last two teams to win their inaugural contests in the USL Championship remain Las Vegas Lights FC and Atlanta United 2, each of which won their debuts in the 2018 season.

- Monterey Bay F.C. has won its first three home openers in club history at Cardinale Stadium after defeating Phoenix Rising FC 1-0 on Saturday night. The victory marked Monterey Bay’s first against Rising in club history.

- Sacramento Republic FC Head Coach Mark Briggs recorded his 50th regular season win at the club on Saturday night with a 1-0 victory against Miami FC. Briggs is the 19th Head Coach to reach a half-century of regular season wins with a single club in the USL Championship era, with the current record held by former Charleston Battery Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser with 130.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Seth Casiple (OC) – 198

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Matt Sheldon (DET) – 149
Will Seymore (NM) – 149
Albert Dikwa (RI) – 149
Kevon Lambert (SA) – 149
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 147
Tyler Gibson (IND) – 146  

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Yuma (ELP) – 99
Younes Boudadi (IND) – 99
Conor McGlynn (RI) – 99
Prince Saydee (RI) – 99
Harry Swartz (NM) – 99
Tommy McCabe (LDN) – 99
Maxi Rodriguez (DET) – 98
Enoch Mushagalusa (HFD) – 97
Deshane Beckford (HFD) – 97
Bruno Lapa (MEM) – 97
Taylor Davila (LOU) – 97
Phillip Goodrum (TUL) – 97
Memo Diaz (OAK) – 97
Mobi Fehr (MB) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Thomas Vancaeyezeele (HFD) – 9,995
Robbie Mertz (PIT) – 9,824
Prosper Kasim (BHM) – 9,777
Albert Dikwa (RI) – 9,703
Danny Griffin (PIT) – 9,619

Goals
Approaching 70 regular season goals
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 69
Augustine Williams (IND) – 66

Approaching 60 regular season goals
Romario Williams (HFD) – 57
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 56

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Rodrigo Da Costa (NC) – 47

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 46
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 46

Approaching 40 regular season assists
Christiano Francois (LDN) – 38

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 28
Rodrigo Da Costa (NC) – 28
Cam Lindley (IND) – 27

Saves
Approaching 300 regular season saves
Paul Blanchette (OAK) – 289
Kendall McIntosh (SA) – 278

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Rocco Rios Novo (PHX) – 190
Nathan Steinwascher (DET) – 182

Discipline Report – Week 3

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 3 of the 2024 USL Championship season:

Memphis 901 FC’s Akeem Ward has been suspended for three games following his red card for abusive language against Indy Eleven on March 16. Ward will be unavailable for selection in Memphis’ contests against Sacramento Republic FC on March 30, Orange County SC on April 6, and Loudoun United FC on April 13.

Memphis 901 FC’s Oscar Jimenez has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Indy Eleven on March 16. Jimenez will be unavailable for selection in Memphis’ contest against Sacramento Republic FC on March 30.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Koa Santos has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Detroit City FC on March 16. Santos will be unavailable for selection in Colorado Springs’ contest against San Antonio FC this Saturday.