NEWS & NOTES

LOUISVILLE CITY AIMS TO EQUAL SINGLE-SEASON WINS RECORD
Louisville City FC could equal the USL Championship’s single-season regular season wins record on Saturday when it hosts Phoenix Rising FC at Lynn Family Stadium. The side is one of only five clubs in league history to have recorded at least 23 regular season wins and would move level with Phoenix Rising FC in the 2019 regular season and San Antonio FC in the 2022 regular season on 24 wins.

Most Wins in a USL Championship Regular Season Campaign
T-1. San Antonio FC – 24 wins, 2022
T-1. Phoenix Rising FC – 24 wins, 2019
T-3. Louisville City FC – 23 wins, 2024*
T-3. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 23 wins, 2021
T-3. FC Cincinnati – 23 wins, 2018
6. Louisville City FC – 22 wins, 2022
T-7. Memphis 901 FC – 21 wins, 2022
T-7. New York Red Bulls II – 21 wins, 2016

LouCity could also add to its record for most home victories in a regular season and most home goals in a regular season on Saturday night. Louisville has recorded 15 wins and 54 goals in 16 home games so far this season, surpassing the wins mark by two and the goals mark by three going into its final game of the regular season.

Additionally, LouCity set a club record with 73 points this regular season following its 1-1 draw against San Antonio FC on Saturday night, surpassing its mark of 72 points in the 2022 campaign. The club’s campaign ranks fourth all-time in league history for total points but cannot reach the top three with one game to play.

BIRMINGHAM LEGION’S ENZO MARTINEZ REACHES 50-ASSIST LANDMARK

Birmingham Legion FC’s Enzo Martinez became only the fifth player to reach 50 regular season assists in the USL Championship era as he earned a helper on Rida Zouhir’s 90th-minute goal against Indy Eleven on Saturday night at Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

Martinez is now tied for fourth in league history on 50 assists in the regular season, and is the only player to have recorded at least 70 regular season goals and 50 assists. The 34-year-old ranks second all-time in USL Championship history to Dane Kelly for the most combined goals and assists in league history, sitting on 124 goal contributions for his career.

Most Combined Goals + Assists in USL Championship History
1. Dane Kelly – 132 (106 goals & 26 assists)
2. Enzo Martinez – 124 (74 goals & 50 assists)
3. Solomon Asante – 110 (52 goals & 58 assists)
T-4. Jorge Herrera – 107 (72 goals & 35 assists)
T-4. Neco Brett – 107 (81 goals & 26 assists)
6. Aodhan Quinn – 104 (54 goals & 50 assists)
T-7. Hadji Barry – 103 (79 goals & 24 assists)
T-7. Corey Hertzog – 103 (74 goals & 29 assists)

RHODE ISLAND FC SETS SINGLE-SEASON DRAW RECORD

Rhode Island FC played to the 15th draw of its inaugural season against the Charleston Battery on Saturday night at Patriots Point, setting a USL Championship single season record for the most drawn contests in a regular season.

RIFC’s draw with Charleston moved it into a position in which it will reach the USL Championship Playoffs during the final week of the regular season. With either a win or a draw against Miami FC on Saturday in its season finale, the side would become the second team in the past three seasons to qualify for the postseason having earned more draws than wins in the regular season after Oakland Roots SC in 2022 (11-10-13).

Most Drawn Contests in a USL Championship Regular Season
T-1. Rhode Island FC – 15 draws, 2024*
T-2. San Antonio FC – 14 draws, 2023
T-2. Charleston Battery – 14 draws, 2018
T-2. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – 14 draws, 2018
T-2. Rio Grande Valley FC – 14 draws, 2018
T-2. Ottawa Fury FC – 14 draws, 2017
T-7. 9 teams tied on 13 drawn contests

DETROIT CITY’S NATE STEINWASHER ADDS NAME TO GOALSCORING LIST

Detroit City FC’s Nate Steinwascher became the fourth goalkeeper to record a goal in the USL Championship’s history, and the first to score from the penalty spot, when he converted in the 95th minute of his side’s 3-0 victory against Miami FC at Keyworth Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Steinwascher is the second goalkeeper to record a goal this season following the stoppage-time equalizer recorded by Orange County SC’s Colin Shutler against Sacramento Republic FC on March 9 at Heart Health Park. It was the first goalkeeper goal in Championship history which did not affect the final outcome of the contest, with each of the goals recorded by Neal Kitson for the Rochester Rhinos against Antigua Barracuda FC on June 5, 2011 and by Joe Kuzminsky for the Charleston Battery against Loudoun United FC on May 28, 2022 also serving as game-tying goals.

Quick Hits
- Loudoun United FC’s 705 passes against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC were the most passes attempted in a single game in the USL Championship this season as the side posted an 87.4 passing accuracy rate in its 2-0 defeat.

- Las Vegas Lights FC’s 77.6 percent possession mark against Oakland Roots SC was the highest in a single game in the USL Championship this season as the side posted a 91.1 percent passing accuracy rate on 642 passes in its 3-2 defeat.

- Orange County SC’s current seven-game undefeated streak is its longest since a nine-game undefeated streak between July 16 and September 10, 2023.

- Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s Edward Kizza has recorded goals in four consecutive games following his game-winning goal for the Hounds in their 2-0 victory against Loudoun United FC this past Saturday. With 11 goals this season, Kizza has continued a streak of the Hounds having at least one double-digit scorer in every full season since 2015.

- Sacramento Republic FC’s Kieran Phillips has recorded a goal contribution in each of his past eight appearances, recording five goals and three assists.

- Miami FC is the seventh team in the USL Championship’s history – and the second this decade – to have conceded at least 80 goals in a regular season campaign. The side currently ranks fourth in league history with 81 goals conceded in 33 games.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 250 regular-season appearances
Lewis Hilton (TBR) – 248

Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Marcus Epps (HFD) – 196
Luiz Fernando (MEM) – 196
Joaquin Rivas (ELP) – 196

Approaching 150 regular season appearances
Nick Ross (SAC) – 148
Juan Tejada (COS) – 148
Tabort Etaka Preston (BHM) – 147  

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Manny Perez (LOU) – 97
Blake Bodily (TBR) – 96
Greg Hurst (NM) – 96

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Mitchell Taintor (SA) – 19,942
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 19,697

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Charlie Adams (LV) – 14,982
Sebastian Guenzatti (IND) – 14,882
Marcus Epps (HFD) – 14,711
Mark Segbers (CHS) – 14,664

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Paul Blanchette (OAK) – 9,943
Rashid Tetteh (TUL) – 9,690
Sam Gleadle (LOU) – 9,640
James Murphy (DET) – 9,638
Ben Ofeimu (IND) – 9,632

Goals
Approaching 80 regular season goals
Augustine Williams (IND) – 76

Approaching 70 regular season goals
Wilson Harris (LOU) – 66

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Luis Solignac (SA) – 49
Phillip Goodrum (LOU) – 47
Manuel Arteaga (TBR) – 46

Approaching 40 regular season goals
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 39
JJ Williams (RI) – 39
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 38
Ronaldo Damus (COS) – 38
Nick Markanich (CHS) – 37
Dariusz Formella (PHX) – 37
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 37
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 37

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

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

Saves
Approaching 250 regular season saves
Tomás Gómez (OC) – 236

Shutouts
Approaching 50 regular season shutouts
Matt Van Oekel (BHM) – 48

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

Discipline Report – Week 34

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 34 of the 2024 USL Championship season:

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Wahab Ackwei has been suspended for two games following his red card for Violent Conduct and Serious Match Misconduct against Orange County SC on October 16. Ackwei served the first game of his suspension in El Paso’s contest against Sacramento Republic FC on October 19 and will be unavailable for selection in the club’s contest against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday.

Oakland Roots SC’s Memo Diaz has been suspended one game for caution accumulation after receiving his eighth yellow card of the season against Las Vegas Lights FC on October 19. Diaz will be unavailable for selection in Oakland’s contest against Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday.

Orange County SC’s Kevin Partida was suspended for one game for caution accumulation after receiving his eighth yellow card of the season against El Paso Locomotive FC on October 16. Partida served his suspension during Orange County’s contest against New Mexico United on October 19.

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Tony Alfaro is no longer on caution accumulation warning after earning a Good Behavior Initiative credit following his third consecutive game without a yellow card against Sacramento Republic FC on October 19, moving him to nine cautions this season.

The following players and coaches enter the upcoming matches one caution away from their eighth yellow card of the season and a one-game suspension for caution accumulation. Per league rules, caution accumulation suspensions do not roll into the USL Championship Playoffs, and as a result players would solely receive a fine should they be awarded a yellow card in the final game of the regular season. 

Here is the breakdown per club:

• Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (1): Yosuke Hanya

• Hartford Athletic (1): Joe Farrell

• Indy Eleven (1): Callum Chapman-Page

• Loudoun United FC (1): Yanis Leerman

• Louisville City FC (1): Kyle Adams

• New Mexico United (2): Greg Hurst, Nanan Houssou

• North Carolina FC (1): Paco Craig

• Oakland Roots SC (1): Baboucarr Njie

• Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (1): Illal Osumanu

• Rhode Island FC (1): Clay Holstad

• San Antonio FC (1): Mitchell Taintor

• FC Tulsa (1): Harvey St. Clair