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USL League One alumni to watch in the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs

By ETHAN TRIEBSCH - ethan.triebsch@uslsoccer.com, 11/01/24, 3:45PM EDT

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Former League One greats on the hunt for silverware in USL Championship Playoffs

As we wait for the 2024 USL League One Playoffs, presented by Terminix to kick off on Saturday, the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs, presented by Terminix action begins Friday evening. All 16 teams vying to claim the USL Championship title feature players who made their mark in USL League One.

Check out which three League One alumni from each Eastern and Western Conference Quarterfinal match will have the biggest impact on their side's postseason hopes as the playoffs kick off this weekend.

No. 4 Las Vegas Lights FC vs. No. 5 Sacramento Republic FC

  • F - Trevor Amann (SAC): Following his record-breaking 2023 campaign with Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, the reigning USL League One Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner has enjoyed success in his first season in the USL Championship. The 26-year-old goalscorer bagged nine goals and totaled two assists across 33 league appearances this season.
  • GK - Raiko Arozarena (LV): The Cuba international has enjoyed the most productive season of his career, totaling seven clean sheets and 74 saves to help Las Vegas Lights FC confirm its best season in club history. The shot-stopper enjoyed a brief, yet successful, stint with Forward Madison FC in 2022 on loan from the Tampa Bay Rowdies, totaling four clean sheets in 16 appearances for the 'Mingos.
  • F - Khori Bennett (LV): Bennett totaled a career-high 14 goals during his first season in Las Vegas, becoming just the third player in club history to score 14 or more goals in a single season. The Kingston, Jamaica native made his mark on USL League One through a pair of productive seasons with the Charlotte Independence, bagging 17 goals in league play across the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

Watch Las Vegas vs. Sacramento from Cashman Field on Friday, Nov. 1 at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

No. 3 Memphis 901 FC vs. No. 6 Orange County SC

  • M - Chris Hegardt (OC): Since joining Orange County SC on loan from Norweigan side Stabæk Fotball earlier this year, the San Diego, Calif. native has totaled one goal and two assists for OCSC. Hegardt concluded the 2022 season with the Charlotte Independence on loan from Charlotte FC and made an instant impact at American Legion Memorial Stadium, providing three goals and five assists for the Jacks across 14 regular season and postseason contests.
  • F - Noe Meza (MEM): Meza made waves as a member of Union Omaha's 2022 and 2023 squads which enjoyed great success in regular season, USL League One Playoffs and U.S. Open Cup play. The 26-year-old totaled 23 goals and six assists across all competitions during his two seasons with the Owls and was named to the 2023 USL League One All-League Second Team. Over the offseason, Meza made the jump to the USL Championship where he has totaled a pair of assists across 25 league appearances with Memphis 901 FC.
  • GK - Colin Shutler (OC): The 2021 MLS SuperDraft selection made his professional debut in USL League One with North Texas SC in 2021, recording four clean sheets across 10 appearances. In 2022, Shutler signed with Orange County SC, and since becoming OCSC's regular starter in 2023, has tallied back-to-back seasons consisting of 10 or more clean sheets.

Watch Memphis vs. Orange County from AutoZone Park on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

No. 2 Charleston Battery vs. No. 7 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

  • F - Edward Kizza (PIT): Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC's leading goalscorer this season kicked off his professional career in 2021 with New England Revolution II, scoring five goals in 12 matches. After netting eight goals across all competitions for the Riverhounds between 2022 and 2023, the Ugandan exploded for a career-best 12 goals this season.
  • M - Aaron Molloy (CHS): After beginning his career in the Irish second division and later in the NCAA and USL League Two, the Dubliner's career took off following an ultra-productive 2022 season with Forward Madison FC. In his lone season in League One, Molloy earned All-League First Team recognition after tallying four goals and three assists with the 'Mingos. In his first season at Patriots Point, Molloy has racked up five goal contributions.
  • M - Arturo Rodríguez (CHS): In his first professional season back in 2019, Rodríguez was nearly unstoppable with North Texas SC. In League One's inaugural 2019 campaign, the FC Dallas Academy product totaled seven goals and 10 assists and was subsequently named the Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Golden Playmaker before scoring the winning goal in the 2019 USL League One Final. The 25-year-old guided the Battery to the 2023 USL Championship Final in his first season with the club, and across all competitions since joining Charleston, Rodríguez has registered 19 goal contributions.

Watch Charleston vs. Pittsburgh from Patriots Point on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

No. 3 Detroit City FC vs. No. 6 Tampa Bay Rowdies

  • D - Eddie Munjoma (TBR): The former United States youth international kicked off his professional career in USL League One with North Texas SC in 2020. Munjoma totaled seven goal contributions for North Texas before moving on to MLS and later the USL Championship. In his first season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Munjoma has registered four assists across all competitions.
  • M - Damián Rivera (TBR): Rivera was loaned to the Tampa Bay Rowdies from the New England Revolution ahead of the 2024 USL Championship season and has since recorded seven goals and five assists across all competitions for the Rowdies. The 21-year-old's professional career began in USL League One with New England Revolution II in 2020, and Rivera went on to make 34 League One appearances, 21 MLS appearances and claimed the Supporters' Shield with the Revs in 2021.
  • M - Maxi Rodriguez (DET): Before Rodriguez became one of four 'City Centurions' with his 139 appearances and counting for Detroit City FC, the 29-year-old was a member of the Richmond Kickers' inaugural 2019 USL League One side. With 12 goals and five assists across all competitions this season, Rodriguez is one goal contribution shy of matching his career-best total from 2022.

Watch Detroit vs. Tampa Bay from Keyworth Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

No. 1 Louisville City FC vs. No. 8 North Carolina FC

  • F - Oalex Anderson (NC): Recently anointed as North Carolina FC's all-time leading scorer with his 12 goals on the season, Anderson was electric during his four years in USL League One with the Richmond Kickers and North Carolina FC. After winning MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders FC in 2016, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines international enjoyed a career resurgence in USL League One winning the title a season ago with NCFC. Anderson's 42 goal contributions are tied for the second-most in League One history.
  • F - Evan Conway (NC): Conway began his professional career with Union Omaha during the Owls' inaugural 2020 campaign and played a key role in kicking off a USL League One dynasty. The 26-year-old helped Omaha win its first USL League One Players' Shield in 2021 and claim its first League One title by scoring the winning goal in the 2021 USL League One Final against Greenville Triumph SC. The two-time USL League One All-League selection scored a personal-best 12 regular season goals in his first season in Cary, N.C.
  • M - Elijah Wynder (LOU): The 21-year-old Louisville City FC Academy product first earned consistent play at the professional level during a brief loan stint with FC Tucson in 2022 where he registered a pair of assists in 12 League One contests. Since then, Wynder has developed into a bonafide star with LouCity, providing 11 goals and three assists across all competitions for the USL Championship juggernauts since returning from his loan.

Watch Louisville vs. North Carolina from Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

No. 2 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. No. 7 Oakland Roots SC

  • F - Ronaldo Damus (COS): An integral member of that star-studded, title-winning North Texas SC side in 2019, Damus won the inaugural USL League One Golden Boot with 16 goals for North Texas. Following a pair of seasons in League One, the Haiti international has claimed a USL Championship title with Orange County SC in 2021, spent time in Sweden's top-flight with GIF Sundsvall in 2022, and is coming off of back-to-back seasons with 11 or more league goals with San Diego Loyal SC in 2023 and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in 2024.
  • GK - Christian Herrera (COS): Following a short stay with Orlando City B during USL League One's inaugural 2019 campaign, Herrera bounced around between Tacoma Defiance and Oakland Roots SC before finding consistent play with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. The former United States youth international has constructed back-to-back seasons consisting of 10 clean sheets with the Switchbacks.
  • D - Niall Logue (OAK): The Derry, Northern Ireland native enjoyed collegiate success with Yavapai College and Ohio State University before returning to Europe where he spent time with Derry City FC and Finn Harps FC. Logue returned to Arizona and spent the 2020 USL League One season as FC Tucson's captain. Since then, Logue has found success at the USL Championship level with Memphis 901 FC in 2021 and 2022, Hartford Athletic in 2023 and Oakland Roots SC in 2024.

Watch Colorado Springs vs. Oakland from Weidner Field on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

No. 4 Indy Eleven vs. No. 5 Rhode Island FC

  • F - Noah Fuson (RI): The 24-year-old began his professional career with Forward Madison FC in 2020 and totaled three goals across 33 appearances and two seasons in Madison. Between 2022 and 2023, Fuson led Columbus Crew 2 to back-to-back MLS NEXT Pro Cup Finals and the inaugural title through his 20 goals and nine assists with the developmental side. Fuson made the jump to the USL Championship with expansion side Rhode Island FC and has only gone and constructed the most productive season of his five-year professional career, recording eight goals and a league-leading 10 assists to claim the Golden Playmaker award.
  • D - Grant Stoneman (RI): Stoneman began his professional career with Lansing Ignite FC back in 2019 and helped the club to a top-two finish in its lone season of existence. Since then, Stoneman spent four seasons in the USL Championship with San Diego Loyal SC before joining Rhode Island FC ahead of its inaugural season, netting one goal across 20 appearances with the expansion side this year.
  • M - Joe Brito (RI): Brito enjoyed a productive pair of seasons with Union Omaha to kick off his professional career, providing 16 goal contributions across all competitions for the Owls between 2022 and 2023. The New England Revolution Academy product and Hartford, Conn. native returned to the New England region in 2024 with Rhode Island FC. Through the side's inaugural campaign, Brito has scored three goals and recorded four assists.

Watch Indy vs. Rhode Island from Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

No. 1 New Mexico United vs. No. 8 Phoenix Rising FC

  • M - Mukwelle Akale (NM): After spending time developing with Villarreal CF in Spain and kicking off his professional career with Pafos FC in Cyprus, Akale returned to the United States to sign with South Georgia Tormenta FC in 2022. Across a pair of seasons in Statesboro, Ga., Akale tallied 12 goals and 10 assists to help the Ibises claim the 2022 USL League One title. Following his All-League campaign with South Georgia in 2023, Akale signed with New Mexico United where he has recorded a career-best seven assists and added three goals to help New Mexico top the Western Conference for the first time.
  • M - Charlie Dennis (PHX): Dennis spent time with South Georgia Tormenta FC during the club's time in USL League Two before returning to Statesboro when the club joined USL League One's professional ranks in 2019. Through a trio of seasons in League One with South Georgia and FC Tucson, Dennis tallied 12 goals and added 18 assists before being named to the USL League One All-League Second Team in 2021. The Southampton FC academy product spent a season with Oakland Roots SC before joining the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2023. Midway through the 2024 season, Dennis was transferred to Phoenix Rising FC and has since totaled three goal contributions across 15 appearances. 
  • F - Greg Hurst (NM): The 27-year-old goalscorer spent the first few years of his career bouncing around clubs in his native Scotland before finding his footing in USL League One in 2019 with Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. Hurst spent two seasons in Chattanooga and picked up All-League First-Team honors in 2020 following an eight-goal 2020 campaign before leading Union Omaha to the 2021 League One Players' Shield and 2021 League One title with 13 goals. Since then, Hurst has spent three seasons in the USL Championship with Phoenix Rising FC and New Mexico United, and with the latter, has totaled 12 goals this season.

Watch New Mexico vs. Phoenix from Isotopes Park on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.


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