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USL Championship’s All-Time Hispanic Team – Goalkeeper and Defenders

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Last week as part of our series for Hispanic Heritage Month, we took a look at the Top 20 current Hispanic players in the USL Championship.

This week, we’re going bigger as we start to reveal the players that have earned a place in the Championship’s All-Time Hispanic Squad with the goalkeeper and defenders that have stood out most over the league’s first decade.

All are familiar names, including current players in the league, three of which appear today. While the back line has a more recent feel than other areas of the field, the quality all four players bring is unquestionable.

Check back in next Friday to see the Midfielders.

Click on each player below to learn more about their Championship careers.

Albuquerque Council Releases Details of New Mexico United Stadium Lease

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico United will supply a total investment of $32.5 million toward the proposed 12,000-seat stadium that would become its permanent home, including $10 million up front in capital investment. It also aims to bring a professional women’s soccer team to the state should the stadium bond be approved by voters in November, the club announced on Thursday, as details of the lease between the club and the City of Albuquerque were released.

The new venue is estimated to bring 780 new jobs to the city, while the club will pay the city $800,000 a year for use of the soccer-specific venue and $100,000 a year minimum for concessions and revenue generated from the facility over the course of a 25-year lease as a rent-paying tenant. The city will also have 15 dates available each year at the facility for events and concerts.

“Today’s binding letter of intent with the City of Albuquerque is about more than dollars,” said New Mexico President and CEO Peter Trevisani in an open letter to fans. “Yes, we are pledging $32.5 million of total investment, including $10 million upfront in capital investment that will lead to 780 jobs without raising taxes a dime. But beyond that, this letter is a promise. A promise that we’re fully invested, that we’ll be in the Land of Enchantment for a long time, and that we’ll never stop working and doing our part to help create the best possible version of New Mexico.”

New Mexico United currently ranks second in the USL Championship this season with an average attendance of 8,337 fans per game despite attendance restrictions implemented under health and safety protocols at its current home Isotopes Park. That trails only Louisville City FC, which last year opened its new 15,000-capacity venue in the Butchertown neighborhood of the city. Additionally, Trevisani pledged that a professional women’s team would arrive within three years upon completion of the facility should the stadium bond be approved by voters in November, which would provide $50 million toward the new venue, for which Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller has been a vocal proponent in favor. The commitment to growing the women’s game in New Mexico arrives in the same week as the USL announced the launch in 2023 of its new professional Division II Women’s league, USL Super League.

“[This would be a] gathering place for New Mexicans, a hub of innovation, a celebration of the state, and a symbol of hope for generations to come,” said Trevisani. “This stadium has always been and will always be about so much more than soccer. It’s about progress, elevating our state, and a belief that we deserve good things. It will undoubtedly be an economic catalyst but more importantly it will be a catalyst of dreams.”

New Mexico United’s proposed new venue is among a collection of new stadiums currently under construction or in the proposal phase across the USL Championship and USL League One. This season saw three clubs open new venues as Phoenix Rising FC began play at its new 10,000-seat venue at Wild Horse Pass, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC opened a new 8,000-seat downtown facility, and the Charlotte Independence moved into a newly-renovated American Legion Memorial Stadium in the city’s downtown.

Last week, 2022 expansion Championship side Monterey Bay F.C. held its official groundbreaking at Cardinale Stadium, which will serve as the club’s permanent home as it joins the league next spring, while progress is underway for fellow expansion club Queensboro FC in Queens, New York and its 7,500-capacity venue, the first and lone current professional soccer-specific stadium in New York City. The USL expects that between 25 to 30 new soccer-specific facilities will be created in the next three to five years as the Championship and League One continue expansion, bringing professional soccer to new markets across the United States.

Hispanic Heritage Month – Dani Rovira & Anthony Velarde, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

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Dani Rovira and Anthony Velarde are both in their third seasons at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, where the duo broke into the professional ranks prior to the 2019 season after their college careers. Rovira and Velarde have both been key elements to the Hounds’ consistent success, with Velarde having recorded 10 goals and seven assists in 65 regular season appearances in midfield, and Rovira having recently passed 2,000 minutes of action in 41 appearances in a defensive role for the squad. 

Both have Hispanic heritage, with Rovira having moved from his native Colombia to compete collegiately in the United States and Velarde hailing from California. The two Hounds sat down recently with the USL’s Maury Urcadez to talk about how the Spanish language and their love for the game brought them each a friend for life.   

Q: Dani, what does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you? 

ROVIRA: I was born in Colombia and coming to another country and getting to know other cultures is something very interesting, but meeting people who ask you where you come from? What do you like to do? What are your favorite things? It’s something that is very nice to hear. And then to share this month, to be able to share with people who do not know [what it is] people who have no idea, is something very nice, I think. 

Q: Anthony, where does your passion for the sport come from and what influence has your culture had on the person and player you are today? 

VELARDE: Simply put, my parents. I think my dad and I started when I was five years old playing with my siblings as well. And from there we played. My dad always put us [on teams] and my mom always supported us. My grandparents too, they love soccer and for me it’s those four people that have given me the license to play soccer and to be here right now. 

Q: Dani, you came from Colombia to play collegiate soccer. What motivated you to make such a big decision in your life? 

ROVIRA: Family, it was very great [having them as] support and knowing that I was going to leave them behind, but come to conclude something new, to start something totally interesting in another country, it’s something that motivated me a lot and gave me a lot of strength to see how far I can go. 

Q: There is also a reason why I am interviewing you both. Somebody told me that you guys have developed a great friendship, can you talk about that? You both are in your third season with the team, what happened there? 

VELARDE: No, I think that in the first year we started to talk in the first 5 months and then, little by little we started playing. I always liked the way he played, and we got closer.  And from there I just don’t know, I think that we both speak Spanish, we get along very well, and I think that I also love playing soccer with him and I think it was all of that for me.  

ROVIRA: It started growing from there I would say the love for soccer and everything in the end, when we travel with a team and it’s like what do you want to eat? What do you like to eat? Let’s go here and there. Everything complemented itself a little bit and every day together and in the third year it grows a lot, it grows a lot, and it is something very beautiful to get to experiment. 

Q: And now I want to ask if during practice you are competitive. One of you plays defense, the other is a midfielder. What is dynamic there? 

ROVIRA: I’d say that it is cool, also a totally natural competition and good for the both of us obviously and it’s just as cool when the coach says that we are both on the same team. So, it’s something that when you’re up against each other, you always want to win, but obviously you want the best for one another. That is the purpose of training, to see everyone giving it their all. Always competition.  

VALVERDE: One hundred percent. 

San Diego Loyal SC Promotes Shannon Mac Millan to VP of Community Relations

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SAN DIEGO – San Diego Loyal SC announced on Thursday that Shannon Mac Millan has been promoted to the club’s Vice President of Community Relations. The former United States Women’s National Team player, who has been part of the club since its launch on June 19, 2019, will continue to serve as SD Loyal’s Senior Advisor and Lead Analyst on broadcast through the 2021 season.

“I’ve been side-by-side with Shannon since the start of this club and no one else handles a job with such grace, especially being pulled in so many different directions,” said SD Loyal Interim President Ricardo Campos. “We are so fortunate and grateful to have her on our executive team and we know that our club’s values will continue to come to light with her leading the charge.”

Mac Millan will be responsible for overseeing the entire community relations department – which will bring the club’s mission and values to life – and will lead the charge in fostering relationships with community organizations and youth soccer clubs within the region. The club currently is connecting with the community through community initiative programs. As a familiar face to many in the sport and city, the former player brings invaluable experience and a natural ability to connect with others as she was a highly successful member of the USA women’s national team for 12 years before being inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2016.

“I am beyond excited to embrace this role and help SD Loyal as it continues to grow and invest in our community,” said Mac Millan. “A huge thank you to Ricardo Campos and Andrew Vassiliadis (Chairman) for the opportunity to continue to give back through this incredible game.”

USL Announces New Professional Division II Women’s Soccer League

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TAMPA, Fla. –The United Soccer League (USL) will create a professional Division II women’s soccer league in the United States: the USL Super League. With this new league, the USL presents an unprecedented pathway for players–from youth to professional–within one ecosystem. The formation of the USL Super League will provide new opportunities for players, fans, coaches, referees, staff and executives looking to participate in women’s professional soccer.

The USL Super League’s compensation structure and professional standards will be consistent with the USL men’s professional leagues. The USL Super League brand reflects this commitment to gender equity and reaffirms that the USL portfolio is built upon a recognized and proven structure of success in international football.

“Today, we are thrilled to unveil the USL Super League and begin an exciting new chapter in the growth of Women’s Soccer in the United States,” said CEO Alec Papadakis. “We aim to make the USL Super League globally recognized and admired for its community-building, operational excellence, financial sustainability, and high level of competition. With these objectives in mind, we deepen our commitment to equitable treatment of our men’s and women’s pathways, and to create career opportunities for women to play professional soccer, women coaches, women technical directors, and women soccer executives. We at the USL League Office are united in our passion and commitment to the pursuit of this vision.” 

The USL Super League expects to double the number of professional women’s soccer teams in the United States when its inaugural season begins in 2023. The USL women’s pathway now includes the Girls Super Y League, the Girls USL Academy, the women’s pre-professional USL W League which kicks off next year, and the women’s professional USL Super League. The USL Super League will apply for Division II sanctioning from U.S. Soccer in the coming months.

“In our country, there are seven times as many professional soccer teams for men than there are for women,” said Betsy Haugh, USL Director of Women’s Soccer Operations. “We are going to improve that ratio, and we invite players and fans to join us in building a new, outstanding level of women’s soccer.”

The USL Super League and the pre-professional USL W League complement each other by generating fan excitement and spurring interest from clubs and cities across the country. For its inaugural 2022 season, the W League has already announced its first 16 member clubs and expects more than 30 teams to take the field in 2022. This growth reflects the heightened demand for elite women’s soccer among fans, partners and investors. The USL W league will continue to promote women’s college soccer and its more than 900 programs as the foundation of U.S. dominance in the world’s game.

USL will continue expanding its league office staff, including a robust club services group, to ensure all teams meet or exceed high standards throughout its women’s soccer vertical. The USL Super League will benefit from USL’s extensive media landscape, commercial and strategic partnerships, and national footprint, with clubs in more than 120 communities across the country. Soccer-specific stadiums are the bedrock on which the USL Super League will be built. USL Championship and League One clubs play in 26 soccer-specific venues across North America, with another 25-30 expected in the next five years.

For more information about the new second-division professional league, visit uslsoccer.com/usl-super-league and follow @USLSuperLeague on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

United Soccer League and Women In Soccer Launch “PITCH IT” Contest

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TAMPA, Fla.– The United Soccer League (USL) today announced the launch of the “PITCH IT” contest in partnership with Women In Soccer (WIS). The “PITCH IT” contest will give entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their soccer or sports-related business ideas to professionals working in the industry for a chance to win a cash prize. 

“This is a shout out to the grinders who are working independently in soccer,” said Courtney Carroll Levinsohn, founder of Women In Soccer. “We see you, we believe in you, and we want to support your entrepreneurial journey to make a difference in the game!” 

In order to enter the competition, entrepreneurs must meet the following criteria: 

  • Your vision or organization’s purpose uses soccer or sport as a medium/tool

  • You are a member of a historically underserved or underrepresented community or your company’s mission is to support members of these communities

  • You are a U.S. citizen and legal permanent resident

  • You are over 18 years of age

  • You are currently a member of the Women In Soccer community

Each submission for the “PITCH IT” competition will be reviewed by five industry professionals, including Lizzie Seedhouse, Senior Vice President of Digital, Emerging Technology & Strategy at the USL, Courtney Carroll Levinsohn, founder of WIS, Jessica McDonald, North Carolina Courage player and co-founder of Soccer Resilience, Melissa Ortiz, soccer analyst and former Olympian and professional player, and Christina Unkel, PRO referee and Football Laws Analyst for CBS Sports and The Athletic. 

“We’re extremely excited to be working with our great partners at Women In Soccer on this contest,” said Betsy Haugh, USL W League Director of Operations. “We look forward to supporting these entrepreneurs as they work towards achieving their dreams in soccer.”

Applications for the “PITCH IT” contest open today and will remain open until Friday, October 29 at 11:59 pm ET. The top five finalists will be announced on Monday, November 1 and each finalist will have until Tuesday, November 16 to submit their video submission outlining the details of their business plan. The winner of the “PITCH IT” contest will be announced on December 13. 

To submit your application for the “PITCH IT” contest, visit www.uslsoccer.com/pitch-it. 

USL Championship’s All-Time Hispanic Team – Forwards

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So far in our unveiling of the USL Championship’s All-Time Hispanic Team, we’ve revealed seven players across the defense and midfield that have made a sizeable impact in the Championship’s past and present to earn their place in the lineup.

This week, we conclude the series with the forward line, featuring three players that have shone brightly over the league’s first 11 seasons and achieved notable accomplishments both throughout their careers or during the time they shone in the league before moving on.

Included in the trio is one of the league’s all-time icons, a striker that accomplished what is so far a singular feat in the Championship’s history, and one of the league’s all-time best forward playmakers.

Click on each player below to learn more about their Championship careers.

Orange County SC’s Hwang Awarded First USL Educational Scholarship

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IRVINE, Calif. – USL Championship club Orange County SC announced on Thursday the award of the first USL educational scholarship to 15-year-old Sunheon Hwang of Irvine. Hwang becomes the first recipient of the Bellevue University scholarship under the partnership between the USL, its clubs and Bellevue University in the program’s history.

“This is another landmark moment for our pathway to pro and we are grateful for the partnership between the USL and Bellevue University,” said OCSC President of Soccer Operations Oliver Wyss. “Sunheon is a special soccer talent and a first-class student and there could not be a more deserving player for the first ever OCSC educational scholarship! We are looking forward to developing Sunheon in our professional environment while supporting his ongoing education!”

For OCSC, awarding the first Bellevue University scholarship represents another first for the club with regards to youth soccer players and the club’s commitment to providing the best pathway to professional soccer around the world.

“It’s been amazing playing for OCSC 2 and just being in a professional environment as a younger player,” said Hwang. “Every day, I learn more from high quality coaches and players around me that push me to do more all the time. I hope to continue working with this team and play the game I love at a high level.”

Hwang is an honor roll student at Crean Lutheran High School, and currently plays for OCSC2. Prior to joining the club, Hwang played for OCSC Youth Soccer Network affiliated club West Coast FC. In May, Hwang was selected to compete in Orange County SC’s USL Academy squad which competed in the USL Academy Cup Tournament in Tampa, Fla.

“Helping students like Sunheon achieve both their dreams – of earning a college degree and having a professional soccer career at the same time – is what Bellevue University does best,” said Dr. Mary Hawkins, university president. “Sunheon exemplifies our hard-working students and we’re very excited to see him take advantage of the opportunity to achieve his goals on and off the field.”

“This exciting announcement for Sunheon represents the purpose of the USL and Bellevue University partnership,” said Josh Keller, Sr. Vice President of Partnerships at the United Soccer League. “This scholarship is the result of a continued commitment from the league and its clubs to provide a unique and impactful professional player pathway, which includes a world-class education from Bellevue. We look forward to celebrating more of these stories across the league in the coming years.”

The USL scholarship was established in July of 2021 and each member club of the USL Championship and League One are granted one full scholarship annually to award to a player to pursue their undergraduate or graduate degrees. Bellevue University is the Official Education Partner of the USL.

USL Alumni Set to Compete for United States in World Cup Qualifying

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When the United States Men’s National Team resumes 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying on Thursday night against Jamaica at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, it will do so with 14 alumni from the USL Championship, USL League One and USL League Two preparing to represent their nation.

Among them are former All-League selections and league title winners, an indicator of the platform the USL’s professional and pre-professional divisions have provided over the past decade to the next generation of players making their way to the top of the sport in the United States.  

Players like 2016 USL Championship Title winner Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls II), two-time USL Championship Playoffs participant Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union II), and 2019 USL League One Title winner Ricardo Pepi (North Texas SC) were among the notables last month, and they’re joined in the squad this time by youngster Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City II) and veteran Gyasi Zardes (Ventura County Fusion).

The United States hosts Jamaica on Thursday night to open its qualifying campaign before visiting Panama on Sunday, October 10 and closing its three-game run with a home contest against Costa Rica in Columbus, Ohio on October 13.

In total, the players selected have made a combined 162 appearances in the USL Championship, 13 games in USL League One, and 78 appearances in USL League Two. Find out more about the players who came through the USL on the way to national team duty.

Brenden Aaronson, Philadelphia Union II (2017-18): Aaronson is the first of two players in the squad that came through the Union II on his way to Europe, where he now features for Red Bull Salzburg in Austria and has this season recorded three goals and three assists across all competitions. Aaronson made 24 appearances and recorded one goal and five assists for the Union II across his two seasons, and helped the side claim its first postseason victory when it defeated Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in a penalty shootout in the 2018 USL Championship Playoffs.

Tyler Adams, New York Red Bulls II (2015-16): The first signing in New York Red Bulls II history may no longer be its youngest, but Adams’ progression from the Championship to the USMNT and one of the top clubs in Europe is one of the most remarkable in the past five years. Handed the captain’s armband in the last qualifying window, the 22-year-old made 33 appearances across the Championship’s regular season and playoffs on his way to helping the Red Bulls II become the first MLS-owned-and-operated side to win the Championship final in 2016, logging more than 2,400 minutes in the league.

George Bello, Atlanta United 2 (2018-20): Bello took his first steps into the professional ranks with ATL UTD 2 as a 16-year-old during the 2018 season. He went on to make 19 appearances overall and record one goal in just over 1,000 minutes of action for the side before moving full-time into Atlanta’s MLS squad. This year the 18-year-old has made 23 appearances for Atlanta and has made the step up to the senior national team after competing previously at the U-15 and U1-7 levels.

Gianluca Busio, Sporting Kansas City II (2017-20): Busio made his professional debut for Sporting Kansas City II in the 2018 season and quickly drew attention after recording two assists and 12 key passes in 10 games as a 16-year-old. Three years on – and with both 16 games in the Championship and another 61 in Major League Soccer for Sporting Kansas City – the 19-year-old this summer made the move to Serie A’s Venezia FC, where he has already notched his first goal and assist in six appearances in Italy’s top flight.

Sean Johnson, Atlanta Blackhawks (2009): The Georgia native spent time in USL League Two with the Atlanta Blackhawks prior to the start of his professional career, making six appearances in the 2009 season. Since then, he’s made more than 300 regular-season appearances in Major League Soccer at Chicago Fire FC and New York City FC, earning a reputation as one of the league’s top goalkeepers.

Sebastian Lletget, LA Galaxy II (2015): Sometimes you need a tune-up, and that’s exactly what Sebastian Lletget’s one appearance for Los Dos served as against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC as he got acclimated after a move from West Ham United earlier that year. Four years after his senior national team debut, Lletget has become one of the indispensable members of Head Coach Gregg Berhalter’s squad and has recorded eight goals in 32 senior appearances.

Mark McKenzie, Philadelphia Union II (2016-2019): It’s remarkable to think that it’s only been two years since Mark McKenzie last suited up in the Championship for his final six appearances for the Union II, but that’s how quickly the big center back has risen up the depth chart for the USMNT. McKenzie made his debut for the Union II in 2016 and made a total of 17 appearances overall, recording 31 interceptions and 68 clearances in his final three years, and now has also made the move to Europe where he competes for Genk in Belgium’s top flight.

Ricardo Pepi, North Texas SC (2019-20): A native of El Paso, Texas, Pepi burst onto the scene in the opening weeks of USL League One’s inaugural season for North Texas SC as he became the first player to record a hat trick in the league in NTSC’s inaugural game, a 3-2 victory against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. Pepi went on to record nine goals and earned League One All-League honors while helping his side claim the inaugural League One title at the end of the season as he scored twice in the postseason. The 18-year-old has since gone on to become the youngest player to record a hat trick in Major League Soccer history this season for FC Dallas, and last month scored on his senior national team debut in the side’s 4-1 win on the road against Honduras.

Miles Robinson, Charleston Battery (2017), Atlanta United 2 (2018): Robinson took some time to emerge in the professional ranks, making six appearances on loan with the Battery in his rookie season before recording another 14 with Atlanta United 2 in the 2018 season. That seemed to set him up for success, with the youngster earning MLS Best XI honors in 2019 while making three senior international appearances going into the 2021 Gold Cup this summer. With more than 80 regular-season appearances in Major League Soccer now under his belt, Robinson is fast becoming a fixture in the U.S. squad.

Cristian Roldan, Tacoma Defiance (2015): Roldan only made one appearance for the Defiance, but it certainly was a memorable one. Selected by Seattle Sounders FC in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft after competing in USL League Two for the Washington Crossfire, the former University of Washington standout made his debut in the Defiance’s first game in the Championship and scored in the side’s 4-2 victory against Sacramento Republic FC. It’s been up and up ever since as he approaches 200 regular-season appearances in the top flight.

Zack Steffen, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (2016): Steffen arrived on loan with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on loan from Columbus Crew SC after returning from an early stint in Europe, and arguably began his ascent to the top of the USMNT goalkeeping depth chart at Highmark Stadium. In nine appearances for the Hounds, Steffen recorded two shutouts and 37 saves before returning to Columbus the following year and becoming the club’s No. 1. Now at Manchester City, Steffen is entering his prime at the top of his game, last season winning the Premier League and League Cup with City.

Matt Turner, Richmond Kickers (2016-17): A former USL League Two standout, Turner made a handful of appearances for the Kickers in his rookie season in 2016 but then came into his own with 20 appearances for Richmond the following year. Now established as one of the top goalkeepers in Major League Soccer with the New England Revolution, Turner recorded 81 saves and seven shutouts while competing for the Kickers that helped set up his future success, which now sees Turner in line for a potential Goalkeeper of the Year award this season.

DeAndre Yedlin, Sounders FC U23 (2012): A graduate of the Seattle Sounders FC Academy, Yedlin returned to the Pacific Northwest in 2012 and had an outstanding season in USL League Two for the Sounders FC U23s, appearing in all 16 games and recording one goal and one assist on his way to being named to the League Two All-League Team at the end of the season. The following year he signed as a Homegrown Player with the Sounders and has gone on to achieve success both domestically and overseas in addition to making 67 appearances for the USMNT.

Gyasi Zardes, Ventura County Fusion (2011-12); LA Galaxy II (2014): Before joining the LA Galaxy as a Homegrown signing in 2013, Gyasi Zardes was one of the central figures for two season at USL League Two’s Ventura County Fusion, where he was named to the All-Western Conference Team in 2012 alongside Yedlin before the two squared off in the Western Conference Final of the USL League Two Playoffs that season. Zardes has since recorded 85 goals in Major League Soccer – and two in his two loan appearances for the LA Galaxy II in the Championship – while recording 14 goals for the United States.