NEWS & NOTES

REPUBLIC FC’S DANNY VITIELLO BECOMES THIRD MEMBER OF 50 SHUTOUTS CLUB
Sacramento Republic FC goalkeeper Danny Vitiello became only the third goalkeeper to record 50 regular season shutouts in the USL Championship as he posted a two-save performance in the club’s 2-0 victory against Rhode Island FC on Saturday night.

Vitiello joins Evan Newton (58) and current New Mexico United goalkeeper Alex Tambakis (57) in reaching the landmark. The Massapequa, N.Y. native is the youngest goalkeeper to reach the landmark, doing so aged 29 years, 107 days old, surpassing Tambakis, who recorded his 50th shutout aged 31 years, 261 days old. Vitiello reached the half-century in his 132th regular season appearance. He is currently averaging a shutout every 2.64 appearances.

Most Individual Shutouts in the USL Championship Regular Season
1. Evan Newton – 58
2. Alex Tambakis (NM) – 57*
3. Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 50*
4. Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 49*
5. Brandon Miller – 43

* - Active Player

HARTFORD ATHLETIC SCALES HEIGHTS IN EXPECTED GOAL CHARTS

Hartford Athletic recorded a season-high 22 shots on Friday night in the club’s 3-0 victory against Loudoun United FC. In doing so, it posted the highest Expected Goals mark on record in a game in the USL Championship regular season with a mark of 6.64xG.

Hartford surpassed the mark of 6.44xG recorded by Phoenix Rising FC in a 5-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC on May 22, 2021. The contest also marked the second time Athletic had surpassed 6.00 Expected Goals in a contest in club history, having notched a 6.27xG mark in a 5-1 victory against Loudoun United on September 7, 2019.

Highest Team Expected Goals Mark in a USL Championship Regular Season Contest (2017-present)
1. Hartford Athletic – 6.64xG vs. Loudoun United FC, 6/20/25 – Won 3-0
2. Phoenix Rising FC – 6.44xG vs. Las Vegas Lights FC, 5/22/21 – Won 5-1
3. Hartford Athletic – 6.27xG vs. Loudoun United FC, 9/7/19 – Won 5-1
4. New York Red Bulls II – 6.17 vs. Philadelphia Union II, 9/8/20 – Won 6-0
5. New York Red Bulls II – 6.04 at Loudoun United FC, 10/19/19 – Lost 7-3

Individually, Hartford forward Kyle Edwards’ 2.25xG mark ranked 19th among individual players in a USL Championship regular season game, while Mamadou Dieng’s 2.09xG mark ranked 30th. They are only the second set of teammates to each record an Expected Goals mark above 2.0xG in the same game in the Championship, following Brian Ownby (2.32xG) and Enoch Mushagalusa (2.12xG) for Louisville City FC against the New York Red Bulls II on October 6, 2022.

TAMPA BAY ROWDIES’ MANUEL ARTEAGA SCORES 50TH REGULAR SEASON GOAL

The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Manuel Arteaga became the 32nd player to record 50 regular season goals in the USL Championship during his side’s contest against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at Highmark Stadium on Saturday night. The Venezuelan forward reached the landmark in his 132nd appearance in the Championship.

Arteaga has averaged a goal every 201.2 minutes in the Championship’s regular season. He currently places 14th in strike rate among players who have recorded at least 50 goals in the league and sixth among active players in that category.

Best Strike Rate Among Active Players in USL Championship Regular Season (Min. 50 goals)
1. Cameron Lancaster (LOU) – 80 goals, 116.7 mins/goal
2. Cal Jennings (CHS) – 76 goals, 132 mins/goal
3. Romario Williams (IND) – 62 goals, 157.9 mins/goal
4. Phillip Goodrum (LOU) – 55 goals, 175.9 mins/goal
5. Frank López (ELP) – 50 goals, 190 mins/goal
6. Manuel Arteaga (TBR) – 50 goals, 201.2 mins/goal

LOUISVILLE CITY’S REGULAR SEASON UNDEFATED STREAK ENDS AT 19 GAME

Louisville City FC suffered its first defeat of the 2025 USL Championship regular season last Friday night with a 2-1 loss to North Carolina FC at First Horizon Stadium. It was the side’s first regular season loss since September 22, 2024, leaving the club tied for the fifth-longest undefeated streak in the Championship’s regular season.

Longest Regular Season Undefeated Streak in USL Championship History
1. FC Cincinnati – 23 games, 2018
2. Richmond Kickers – 22 games, 2013
T-3. Phoenix Rising FC – 20 games, 2019
T-3. Richmond Kickers – 20 games, 2014
T-5. Rochester Rhinos – 19 games, 2015
T-5. Louisville City FC – 19 games, 2024-25

Quick Hits

- Oakland Roots SC defender Kai Greene’s game-winning goal against Birmingham Legion FC was his first goal in the USL Championship since scoring against Tacoma Defiance on August 29, 2021. The goal was Greene’s third in 249 regular season appearances in the league.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC became the seventh team on record in the USL Championship to hit the woodwork on four occasions in a single game in its 2-1 loss to Lexington SC last Friday. The single-game record is held by Hartford Athletic, which hit the woodwork five times against Loudoun United FC on September 7, 2019.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC goalkeeper Christian Herrera became the 18th goalkeeper to record 300 saves in the USL Championship’s regular season with a three-save performance against Lexington SC last Friday night.

- Indy Eleven became the last team to be held scoreless in the USL Championship this season in its 1-0 loss to Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday night. The Boys in Blue had scored in 11 consecutive games to start the 2025 season.

- Las Vegas Lights FC has recorded eight shutouts this regular season following its 1-0 victory against Indy Eleven on Saturday night. The club’s next shutout would equal its single-season record of nine, recorded in the 2019 and 2024 seasons.

- Birmingham Legion FC’s Matt VanOekel moved to 49 regular season shutouts in his side’s 1-0 victory against Sacramento Republic FC last Wednesday night. VanOekel is the third-eldest goalkeeper to post a shutout in the Championship regular season, raising his mark to 38 years, 8 months, 29 days.

- North Carolina FC’s Finn Sundstrom became the second-youngest player to record a goal for the club in the USL Championship on Friday night. The NCFC Academy product scored his first in the pro ranks aged 18 years, 213 days old. Sundstrom trails former NCFC forward Julian Placias, who scored his first goal for the club in the league aged 18 years, 14 days old against New Mexico United on April 20, 2024.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 250 regular season appearances
Kai Greene (OAK) – 249
Phanuel Kavita (BHM) – 249

Approaching 200 regular season appearances
Mark Segbers (CHS) – 196  

Approaching 150 regular season appearances
Douglas Martinez Jr. (CHS) – 149
Ethan Zubak (OC) – 147

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Patrick Hogan (IND) – 99
Charlie Dennis (PHX) – 98
Wahab Ackwei (ELP) – 97
Aiden McFadden (LOU) – 97
Nathan Dossantos (CHS) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Bolu Akinyode (MIA) – 19,715

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Mark Segbers (CHS) – 14,892
Jordan Scarlett (HFD) – 14,884
Amadou Dia (LOU) – 14,791

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Drew Skundrich (LDN) – 9,998
Dariusz Formella (PHX) – 9,986
Sam Gleadle (LOU) – 9,865
Jake McGuire (NC) – 9,810
Romario Williams (IND) – 9,789
Danny Crisostomo (TBR) – 9,707
Phillip Goodrum (LOU) – 9,673
Sergio Rivas (NM) – 9,673
AJ Paterson (BHM) – 9,635
Patrick Seagrist (TUL) – 9,623

Goals
Approaching 80 regular season goals
Augustine Williams (PIT) – 78
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 76
Cal Jennings (CHS) – 76

Approaching 40 regular season goals
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 39
Ethan Zubak (OC) – 39
Rodrigo López (SAC) – 39
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 38
Dariusz Formella (PHX) – 38
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 37
Marcus Epps (LEX) – 37

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 47
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 46

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 29
Cam Lindley (IND) – 28
Robbie Mertz (PIT) – 28
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 27

Saves
Approaching 650 regular season saves
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 645

Approaching 250 regular season saves
Antony Siaha (HFD) – 237

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Colin Shutler (OC) – 194
Logan Ketterer (LEX) – 188
Jahmali Waite (ELP) – 188

Shutouts
Approaching 50 regular season shutouts
Matt Van Oekel (BHM) – 49

Approaching 30 regular season shutouts
Christian Herrera (COS) – 29

Discipline Report – Week 17

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 17 of the 2025 USL Championship season:

Miami FC’s Michael Lawrence has been suspended for one game following his red card for serious foul play against Detroit City FC on June 21. Lawrence will be unavailable for selection in Miami’s regular season contest against FC Tulsa on Saturday, July 5.

San Antonio FC’s Luis Paredes has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against New Mexico United on June 21. Paredes will be unavailable for selection in San Antonio’s contest against El Paso Locomotive on Friday, July 4.

Charleston Battery assistant coach Devin Rensing was suspended for one game following his red card for deliberately leaving the technical area to dissent against Miami FC on June 18. Rensing served his suspension during the Battery’s contest against Phoenix Rising FC on June 21.