The USL Championship has been home to some outstanding goalkeepers in its history – including those on the way to even greater things at the top levels of the game – but two of its current veterans are putting up historic numbers in their careers.

This past weekend, the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Jordan Farr reached a significant landmark in his career with his 40th regular season shutout in the league. In this edition of the USL Championship News & Notes we’ll look at where he stands among the best goalkeepers in the Championship’s history.

We’ll also look at the records that are coming into view for Louisville City FC this season at home venue Lynn Family Stadium, provide another update as Nick Markanich’s scoring tear through the league continues, and look at what it will take for FC Tulsa’s Johan Peñaranda to contend for the USL Championship’s Golden Glove by the end of this season.

We’ve also got our regular look at upcoming individual landmarks around the USL Championship, and the Week 24 Discipline Report.

Let’s begin.

NEWS & NOTES

TAMPA BAY’S JORDAN FARR REACHES 40-SHUTOUT LANDMARK
The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Jordan Farr became the eighth goalkeeper to record 40 regular season shutouts in the USL Championship’s history this past Saturday night with a four-save performance in his side’s scoreless draw against Phoenix Rising FC. Farr is the second goalkeeper to reach 40 regular season shutouts this season after Sacramento Republic FC’s Danny Vitiello. Farr reached the mark in his 111th regular season appearance in the league.

Farr’s shutout percentage of 36 percent currently ranks third in the Championship among players with at least 40 shutouts in the league’s history, trailing only Vitiello and former Charleston Battery goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper, who recorded 40 shutouts in 110 regular season appearances in his career.

Highest Shutout Percentage in USL Championship Regular Season (min. 40 shutouts)
1. Danny Vitiello – 42 shutouts, 38.9 shutout percentage*
2. Odisnel Cooper – 40 shutouts, 36.3 shutout percentage
3. Jordan Farr – 40 shutouts, 36 percent shutout percentage*
4. Connor Sparrow – 40 shutouts, 32.8 shutout percentage
5. Brandon Miller – 43 shutouts, 32.1 shutout percentage
6. Evan Newton – 58 shutouts, 30.7 shutout percentage
7. Matt VanOekel – 46 shutouts, 29.7 shutout percentage*
8. Alex Tambakis – 49 shutouts, 23.6 shutout percentage*

* - active player

LOUISVILLE CITY FC’S HOME DOMINANCE CONTINUES

Louisville City FC earned its 10th home victory of the season this past Saturday with a thrilling 4-3 win against Sacramento Republic FC at Lynn Family Stadium. The result saw the side move within three of equaling the USL Championship’s single season record of 13 home wins in a regular season with six games remaining on the schedule this season.

LouCity’s attacking display saw the side reach 41 goals in 11 home games this season, setting a club record after twice previously having recorded 38 goals at home in a regular season campaign in 2019 and 2022.

The side is only the 11th in the USL Championship’s history to have reached at least 40 goals at home in a regular season campaign and is only 10 goals from equaling Phoenix Rising FC’s record of 51 home goals set in 2019. At its current average of 3.73 goals per game at Lynn Family Stadium, LouCity is on pace to record 63 goals at home this campaign.

Most Home Goals in a USL Championship Regular Season
1. Phoenix Rising FC (2019) – 51
2. New York Red Bulls II (2018) – 49
3. Real Monarchs SLC (2019) – 47
T-4. Reno 1868 FC (2017) – 42
T-4. New York Red Bulls II (2019) – 42
T-6. Louisville City FC (2024) – 41*
T-6. Phoenix Rising FC (2021) – 41
T-6. Tampa Bay Rowdies (2022) – 41 

NICK MARKANICH’S HOT SCORING STREAK CONTINUES FOR BATTERY

The Charleston Battery’s Nick Markanich continued his pursuit of the USL Championship’s single-season goalscoring record as he bagged his 21st goal of the season on Saturday night against Memphis 901 FC. Markanich is only the ninth player to have recorded 21 goals in a season and is now four goals from equaling the record of 25 goals held by former Louisville City FC forward Cameron Lancaster (2018) and former Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC forward Hadji Barry (2021).

Markanich’s current strike rate of a goal every 94.3 minutes ranks second among the nine players to have recorded 21 goals in a season.

Most Individual Goals in a USL Championship Regular Season
T-1. Cameron Lancaster, Louisville City FC (2018) – 25 goals, 80.2 mins/goal
T-1. Hadji Barry, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (2021) – 25 goals, 111.3 mins/goal
T-3. Matt Fondy, Louisville City FC (2015) – 22 goals, 106 mins/goal
T-3. Milan Iloski, Orange County SC (2022) – 22 goals, 118.1 mins/goal
T-3. Solomon Asante, Phoenix Rising FC (2019) – 22 goals, 124.4 mins/goal
T-6. Nick Markanich, Charleston Battery (2024) – 21 goals, 94.3 mins/goal
T-6. Danni König, OKC Energy FC (2015) – 21 goals, 119.2 mins/goal
T-6. Sebastián Guenzatti, Tampa Bay Rowdies (2021) – 21 goals, 119.4 mins/goal
T-6. Phillip Goodrum, Memphis 901 FC (2022) – 21 goals, 121 mins/goal

LAS VEGAS LIGHTS FC EQUALS LONGEST UNDEFEATED STREAK OF 2024

Las Vegas Lights FC equaled the longest undefeated streak in the USL Championship this season as it moved its run to 11 games with a 1-1 draw against Detroit City FC. The Lights have gone 5-0-6 since their most recent defeat to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 25 to match the season-opening 11-game undefeated streaks achieved by the Charleston Battery and Sacramento Republic FC.

Longest Undefeated Streak in the 2024 USL Championship Season
11 – Las Vegas Lights FC*, Sacramento Republic FC, Charleston Battery
9 – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Indy Eleven
8 – Loudoun United FC, Louisville City FC, Rhode Island FC

* - Active Streak

FC TULSA’S JOHAN PEÑARANDA AND THE GOLDEN GLOVE

FC Tulsa goalkeeper Johan Peñaranda recorded his fifth shutout in eight appearances this season in his side’s scoreless draw against Orange County SC on Friday night. The mid-season acquisition is now at a goals-against average of 0.38 in 720 minutes of action, which would put the 24-year-old on pace to claim the Championship’s Golden Glove, awarded to the goalkeeper with the lowest qualifying goals-against average over the regular season.

To qualify for the Golden Glove, Penaranda would need to reach 1,530 regular season minutes, a mark that equates to 50 percent of the club’s regular season minutes. That would require Peñaranda to play the full 90 minutes in at least nine of Tulsa’s remaining 14 regular season games, starting on Wednesday night on the road against current Western Conference leader New Mexico United.

Quick Hits

- Monterey Bay F.C. forward Alex Dixon became the eighth player to record 20,000 regular season minutes in the USL Championship this past Saturday night during the club’s contest against Birmingham Legion FC. Dixon also currently sits third in all-time regular season appearances with 271 in his career.

- Following its comeback victory against Indy Eleven on Sunday evening, New Mexico United leads the USL Championship this season with 15 points gained from losing positions. That mark also equals New Mexico’s club single season high, also achieved in the 2022 season.

- Indy Eleven’s Sebastián Guenzatti moved into a tie for fifth all-time in the USL Championship’s goalscoring regular season chart with the 74th goal of his career against Rhode Island FC last Wednesday night, joining Corey Hertzog.

- In conceding four goals against Louisville City FC this past Saturday, Sacramento Republic FC goalkeeper Danny Vitiello’s goals against total on the road this season doubled from four goals to eight.

- Miami FC’s defeat on Saturday night against El Paso Locomotive FC marked its seventh consecutive loss, the second seven-game losing streak the side has suffered this season. It is currently on course to record the fewest points in a USL Championship season since 2014, a mark that currently sits at 15 points. 

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 197
James Musa (IND) – 196

Approaching 150 regular season appearances
Graham Smith (CHS) – 149
Adrián Diz Pe (IND) – 149
Leland Archer (CHS) – 147

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Renzo Zambrano (PHX) – 99
Carter Manley (SA) – 99
Jackson Conway (CHS) – 99
Nick Moon (TBR) – 98
Jack Gurr (SAC) – 98
Andre Fortune (LV) – 98
Derek Dodson (BHM) – 97
Abdoulaye Diop (DET) – 97
Juan Carlos Azócar (PHX) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 19,894
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 19,887

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Duke Lacroix (COS) – 14,928
Wes Charpie (LOU) – 14,776
Charlie Adams (LV) – 14,662

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Michee Ngalina (HFD) – 9,994
Florian Valot (LDN) – 9,866
Jordan Farr (TBR) – 9,817
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 9,720

Goals
Approaching 60 regular season goals
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 59
Romario Williams (IND) – 58

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Albert Dikwa (RI) – 49
Frank Lopez (MIA) – 48

Approaching 40 regular season goals
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 39
Michee Ngalina (HFD) – 39
Leo Fernandes (TBR) – 38
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 38
JJ Williams (RI) – 37
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 37
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 37

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 48
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 46
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 46

Approaching 40 regular season assists
Christiano Francois (LDN) – 39

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 29
Jorge Hernandez (SA) – 29
Cam Lindley (IND) – 28
Florian Valot (LDN) – 28

Saves
Approaching 600 regular season saves
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 591

Approaching 450 regular season saves
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 441

Approaching 250 regular season saves
Jake McGuire (NC) – 242
Tomás Gómez (OC) – 236

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Hugo Fauroux (LDN) – 198
Antony Siaha (MB) – 191

Shutouts
Approaching 50 regular season shutouts
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 49

Approaching 40 regular season shutouts
Tomás Gómez (OC) – 38

Approaching 30 regular season shutouts
Nate Steinwascher (DET) – 27
 

Discipline Report – Week 24

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 24 of the 2024 USL Championship season:

Birmingham Legion FC’s Alex Crognale has been suspended for one game following his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against Monterey Bay F.C. on August 10. Crognale will be unavailable for selection in Birmingham’s contest against Detroit City FC on Friday night.

Memphis 901 FC’s Lucas Turci has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against the Charleston Battery on August 10. Turci will be unavailable for selection in Memphis’ contest against Miami FC on Wednesday night.

The following players enter the upcoming matches one caution away from their eighth yellow card of the season and a one-game suspension for caution accumulation.

Here is the breakdown per club:

• Hartford Athletic (1): Brendan Burke

• Indy Eleven (1): Callum Chapman-Page

• Memphis 901 FC (1): Marlon Santos

• North Carolina FC (1): Lamar Batista

• Orange County SC (1): Kyle Scott

• Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (1): Illal Osumanu

• San Antonio FC (2): Mitchell Taintor, Kevon Lambert

• FC Tulsa (2): Phillip Goodrum, Edwin Lazso