Wednesday, October 30, 2002
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today that 12 franchises will be inducted into the USL Hall of Fame on opening day of its Annual Operations Meeting November 7 as members of the 10+ Club category.
The 10+ Club category, which will honor franchises that have operated as members of USL for 10 or more years, is one of four categories in the Hall of Fame. The others include Coaches, Players and Builders, which honors individuals who have forged and built USL and the sport of soccer in North America.
USL will announce the Builders inductees Thursday and the Coaches and Players inductees Friday.
The franchises to be recognized for their longstanding USL membership are the Carolina Dynamo, Charleston Battery, Charlotte Eagles, Cocoa Expos, Connecticut Wolves, El Paso Patriots, Nashville Metros, Richmond Kickers, Vancouver Whitecaps and former clubs Albuquerque Geckos and Austin Lone Stars.
“We have established 10 years as a benchmark for recognition,” said USL President and founder Francisco Marcos. “Reaching that plateau is an outstanding achievement in this business and it is important to recognize these clubs and individuals for their dedication and ability to persevere through numerous hardships, which no person or club is exempt from.”
“We have wanted to establish a USL Hall of Fame for several years and I am excited to finally be able to honor some of the men, women and organizations who have helped make USL a success over the years. Recording the history of the sport is an important part of establishing soccer as a significant member of the North American sports landscape. Documenting our own history will assist the overall effort of recognizing the long-standing presence of soccer in North America as well as the prominent figures within the sport.”
Inaugural 10+ Club Inductee Profiles
Albuquerque Geckos
(Albuquerque Outlaws, Albuquerque Gunners, New Mexico Roadrunners and New Mexico Chiles)
1986-1999
The Albuquerque franchise was one of the original members of the Southwest Indoor Soccer League in 1986. After playing the 1986-87 season as the Outlaws, the club switched its name to the Gunners. As the Gunners, the club reached the postseason indoors in 1988 and was one of the original clubs to play in outdoors in 1989. After the 1990 outdoor season, the club became the New Mexico Roadrunners, a name that only survived the 90-91 indoor season before being changed to New Mexico Chiles for the 1991 outdoor season. The franchise discontinued playing indoors. The Chiles reached the postseason three times in the next six years, falling in the league final in 1991 to the Richardson Rockets. In 1995, the club moved up to the Pro League (Third Division) and made another jump the following year to the Select League (Third Division). The stayed at the third division level with the addition of the A-League in 1997 as a member of the D3 Pro League. The club was reborn as the Albuquerque Geckos that year and saw its best season in club history. The Geckos claimed the league championship, downing the visiting Charlotte Eagles 4-1, after a 15-3 season. Albuquerque moved up to the A-League the following year, but was unable to conjure similar success. After one season, the club was purchased and moved to Sacramento, where it would ultimately be operated by the league for the majority of the year before ceasing operations at the end of the 1999 season.
The club was founded by Al Valentine and later owned and operated by Joe Shealy, who brought together the Roadrunners and the former APSL New Mexico Chiles side.
Austin Lone Stars
(Austin Sockadillos)
1987-2000
The Austin franchise was started by USL founder Francisco Marcos as the Southwest Indoor Soccer League’s first expansion team for the 1987-88 season. The Sockadillos were among the teams who moved outdoors with the league in 1989. In 1992, the team made a subtle name change (Soccadillos) to indicate the separate indoor and outdoor operations. The franchise became the Lone Stars in 1994 and joined the D3 Pro League in 1997. The organization also founded the W-League’s Lady Lone Stars, which played from 1999-00. The club, which reached the postseason seven times in 12 outdoor seasons, ceased operations after the 2000 season. Austin played host to the 1998 D3 Pro League Championship tournament. Joining Marcos as owners and operators of the franchise were Saeed Kadkhodaian and Wolfgang Sunholz.
Carolina Dynamo
(Greensboro Dynamo)
1993-Present
The Dynamo joined the USL system in 1993 as the Greensboro Dynamo, playing their home games at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. The club’s owner, Neil Macpherson is a shareholder in England’s Nottingham Forest Club, while his father was a past chairman of the team. Due to the interest of his family, the Dynamo’s logo resembles Nottingham Forest’s. The team actually began as an amateur club in 1992 and was a southeast regional finalist in that year’s Open Cup tournament. Greensboro’s debut in USL was made memorable as the team won league titles in each of its first two seasons, becoming just the second outdoor team to win back-to-back league titles. The team moved up to the Pro League (Third Division) in 1995, where it missed the postseason for the first time despite a winning record. In 1996, the club changed to a more regional focus and changed its name to Carolina, entered the Select League (Third Division) and posted a 15-3 record. The Dynamo upset the A-League’s New York Fever, 1-0, in the Second Round of the U.S. Open Cup before falling to DC United in the Quarterfinals. The following year, the club moved up again to the newly-added A-League and saw immediate success, reaching the A-League final, where it fell to the Milwaukee Rampage 2-1 via a shootout. The Dynamo took 1998 to focus on the construction of a new stadium and returned as a member of the D3 Pro League in 1999. In their first year back the Dynamo upset the A-League’s Orange County Zodiac 2-0 in the Second Round of the U.S. Open Cup before falling to the Columbus Crew in the Third Round. The club’s new Macpherson Stadium, named in honor of Macpherson’s father, was unveiled in 2002.
Charleston Battery
1993-Present
The Battery have been one of USL’s top clubs since day one in 1993. After an 8-8 inaugural campaign, the Battery won the division title in its second season and reached the semifinals. The following year, Charleston won the regular season title. In 1996, the Battery hosted the Pro League’s Sizzlin’ Six championship tournament, defeating the Charlotte Eagles for the title, 3-2, via a shootout. The club joined the A-League the following year and after suffering its only two losing seasons has become one of the top teams in the league. In 1999, the Battery surprised many with a run to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. While enjoying increasing success each year on the field, this organization’s crowning achievement may have come off the field in 1999 when it opened the 5,100-seat, soccer-specific Blackbaud Stadium. The facility features 2,500 reserved armchair seats, an interactive area and the Three Lions Pub, an English-style pub with soccer memorabilia from around the world. The stadium has played host to several events, including the 2002 CONCACAF Group B qualifying tournament for the FIFA World Youth Championship. The ownership of the Battery were brought together by current Colorado Rapids Head Coach Tim Hankinson, who founded the club behind the financial backing of several individuals including Tony Bakker, Miles Barkley, Nigel Cooper, John Powers and Ann Hunter.
Charlotte Eagles
1993-Present
The Eagles were formed in 1993 and joined USL along with the neighboring Charleston Battery. The team is owned and operated by Missionary Athletes International, a non-denominational, non-profit Christian ministry that uses soccer as a missionary tool around the world. While the franchise has made some news off the field with its ministry efforts, most of the headlines can be credited to the Eagles’ success on the field. In the last five D3 Pro League seasons, Charlotte reached the semifinals four times and finally won the title in 2000. A league championship record crowd of 5,350 fans turned out in Charlotte for the final. The following season, the club moved up to the A-League and found success, posting a 14-10-2 mark in its first season at the new level. The club reached the postseason in 2001 and 2002. Charlotte was honored as the A-League Organization of the Year in 2001 and General Manager Tom Engstrom was honored as D3 Pro League Executive of the Year in 2000. At the time the club joined USL, it was led by Brian Davidson, who was the East Coast Director of MAI and the team’s first Head Coach.
Cocoa Expos
1993-Present
Richard Stottler and Giles Malone began the Expos franchise in 1993, entering the team in the I-League. The Expos struggled indoors, but shined outdoors in the Florida sun, losing just three regular season games in their first two years. The club has reached the postseason seven times and the league championship match twice, falling to Richmond in 1995 and Central Coast in 1997. In 1996, the Expos played host to the Premier League’s Sizzlin’ Six championship tournament. The club has suffered just two losing seasons outdoors. In 1999, the Expos upset the D3 Pro League’s Northern Virginia Royals 5-3 in the First Round of the U.S. Open Cup before falling to the A-League’s Jacksonville Cyclones the following round.
Connecticut Wolves
1993-2002
The Wolves were one of the first teams in the Northeast to join USL in 1993 and been a constant since. The moved up to the Pro League (Third Division) in 1995 and the Select League (Third Division) the following year. With the addition of the A-League, the Wolves took another move up the ladder in 1997 and remained in USL’s top flight until 2002, when it returned to the D3 Pro League. Midway through the 1999 season, the Wolves were purchased by the city of New Britain, Connecticut in a landmark deal similar to the situation involving the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. Despite the club’s longevity, it has seen limited success competitively, reaching the postseason for only the second time in 2002 after posting only its second winning season in 10 years. The 10-8-2 Wolves upset the Western Mass Pioneers in a two-leg, aggregate points series in the first round before falling to the eventual champion Long Island Rough Riders in the semifinals. The club previously reached the postseason in 1996 (11-7), but were eliminated in the first round. The Wolves were brought into the USL landscape with the backing of the Onalfo, chiefly Cliff Onalfo, who served as Managing Director of the club.
El Paso Patriots
(El Paso Sixshooters, El Paso Spurs)
1989-Present
El Paso is one of the oldest franchises in USL. The Sixshooters took the field for one season as an indoor team in 1989 before becoming the Spurs in 1990. The following year, the club was brought under the ownership of Enrique Cervantes, who still owns the franchise today. Cervantes took the team outdoors and transformed it into the Patriots, the scud-busting missile utilized in Desert Storm. The team posted winning records the next four years to reach the postseason, but saw its greatest success as a member of the Pro League in 1995. Outside of another winning season and postseason appearance, the club reached and hosted the U.S. Open Cup Championship match, where it was defeated by the Richmond Kickers in penalty kicks after finishing tied 1-1. The club moved to the Select League (Division Three) in 1996 and the A-League in 1997. In its first A-League season, the club suffered its first losing season since its indoor days from 1989-91. One of the original founders of the Sixshooters was Dan Guard, who doubled as the club’s first coach.
Nashville Metros
(Tennessee Rhythm)
1990-Present
Devinder Sandhu and Lynn Agee are the two principal figures in Nashville soccer, owning and operating the Nashville Metros for 13 years. The pair originally met Francisco Marcos at an indoor tournament in Fayetteville, Georgia in 1988. Two years later, despite not having an indoor facility in Nashville, the Metros were born as a member of USL, then known as the Sunbelt Independent Soccer League. Playing its first season entirely on the road led to a 0-10 record, but the pair were not discouraged. The following summer, the outdoor squad went 7-9. The early years continued to prove difficult as the indoor club only managed six wins in five seasons before it was dropped, finishing with a five-year mark of 6-48. The outdoor squad continued to finish below .500 until the summer of 1995 when it was 12-6 and reached the postseason. Two years later the pair helped take the team to the A-League as it became a member of USL. The franchise ownership changed slightly from 1999-00 and the team played under the Tennessee Rhythm before returning to Nashville Metros in 2001. The club would return to its roots, joining the PDL in 2002.
Richmond Kickers
1993-Present
Born in 1993, the Kickers have been one of USL’s premier franchises. Following two average seasons in its first two years, the club saw remarkable success in 1995, winning the Premier League (PDL) championship and the U.S. Open Cup. The Kickers defeated the El Paso Patriots for the coveted Open Cup title in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie. The club moved on to the Select League (Division Three) the following season and posted a respectable 10-8 mark in its first professional season and played host to the league’s Select Six championship tournament. With the addition of the A-League the following year, the Kickers took another step up the USL ladder and have not looked back. The club has not suffered a losing season since 1994 and has grown beyond just a professional team. The organization developed a youth league, a Super Y-League program and a PDL team. The Kickers reached the A-League Championship game in 2002, defeating the defending two-time A-League champion Rochester Raging Rhinos in penalty kicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Richmond was downed in overtime by the Milwaukee Rampage, 2-1, in the final. Richmond was honored as the A-League Organization of the Year in 2000. Two of the founding members of the Richmond Kickers were Bobby Lennon and Cookie Ketchum, who returned to USL after four years in 2000 with the Palm Beach Pumas of the PDL.
Texas Spurs
(Garland Genesis, Addison Arrows, Dallas/Fort Worth Toros, North Texas United, Fort Worth Kickers, Dallas Americans, Dallas Toros, Texas Toros, Texas Rattlers)
1986-Present
Although the club is currently donning its 10th name, the franchise dates back as one of the founding members of USL in 1986. Born as the Garland Genesis, the team won the inaugural Southwest Indoor Soccer League championship for the 1996-97 season. Since then, changes in ownership and name have been a regular occurrence, never playing under the same name for more than three years. Despite the constant changes, however, the club has stayed competitive, reaching the postseason 11 times in 14 outdoor seasons. The club saw its best postseason success indoors, though, reaching the final twice after claiming the league’s first championship. The club moved up to the Pro League (Third Division) in 1996, where it remained until returning to the PDL in 2001. Along with the ownership and name changes, the team has played throughout the greater-Dallas area, calling Garland, Addison, Fort Worth and Richardson home over the years. One of the early owners and operators of the club was Ken Mulhall.
Vancouver Whitecaps
(Vancouver 86ers)
1993-Present
One of the most recognized teams in Canada, the current Whitecaps franchise is one of the oldest in North America. Established as the 86ers, the club played its sixth season in USL, 10th in the A-League and 16th at the highest level of professional soccer in Canada. The 86ers were introduced to the American soccer in 1988, playing a series of games against teams in the Western Soccer League, which later merged with the Eastern-based American Soccer League to form the APSL (A-League). The Whitecaps went 3-2-1. In 1993, the 86ers returned to the American-based league as an official member. Since then, the franchise has only missed the postseason twice, reaching the semi-finals five times. During the 2000-01 offseason, the club changed hands again and saw a resurrection of the old North American Soccer League moniker, Whitecaps. After failing to reach the semifinals since 1997, the club returned to the final four in 2001 and again in 2002. Despite several ownership changes over the years, one of the constants in Vancouver soccer has been Bob Lenarduzzi. Lenarduzzi, a former Canadian National Team head coach, has served as the club’s general manager for 11 years, leading the club to the 1998 A-League Organization of the Year award. He was given the A-League Executive of the Year award in 2000. The franchise was originally a community-owned club with its 86ers moniker derived from Expo 86. The club was then owned by Milan Ilich and then the BC Lions, who were represented by David Braley.
