SAN JOSE, Calif. – Reno 1868 FC’s inaugural season ended sooner than the club would have liked in the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs, but Head Coach Ian Russell was still very pleased with the inroads the club made both on the field and in the community in the 2017 USL season.

Speaking with SJEarthquakes.com’s Jake Pisani in a Q&A this week, Russell praised both the players who helped 1868 FC finish third in the USL Western Conference in the regular season, and the fans that made the club a hit in the Reno community throughout the year.

Reno’s record-setting attack saw two of its players nominated for 2017 USL Awards, with USL Golden Boot-winner Dane Kelly nominated for Most Valuable Player and Assists champion Chris Wehan for Rookie of the Year. The club’s 75 goals far eclipsed any prior single-season total, with numerous players playing their part over the regular season.

“Having great players is obviously a huge help,” Russell told Pisani. “We had Dane Kelly, Antoine Hoppenot. They both scored a lot of goals. But I think the main thing is we had players in every position that were scoring goals. Our two center backs were scoring goals, all of our midfielders too. Chris Wehan got seven or eight goals. Goals came from everywhere. We did a lot of pattern play going to goal and I think that helped a lot.”

Among those who provided stellar secondary scoring for Reno was Earthquakes loanee Lindo Mfeka, who spent the majority of rookie season with 1868 FC. Notching a hat trick in the game that Reno set the single-season scoring record, the former University of South Florida standout took major steps forward in his first professional season, steps that might not have been available if not for the hybrid partnership between San Jose and Reno.

“I think Reno is really good for Lindo’s development,” Russell told Pisani. “Attacking midfielder. Scored some huge goals for the club. If he was with the [Quakes], he wouldn’t have played much so Reno was a great avenue to get him a lot of minutes and playing time.”

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As much success as 1868 FC had on the field, the club’s presence within the city was also a big plus for the club. Sitting in the Top 10 in average attendance outside Major League Soccer in the 2017 regular season, the support the club received was enjoyable for Russell, and bodes well for the club’s future.

“They really got behind it,” Russell told Pisani. “We have a supporters’ group called Battle Born Brigade. They really brought a lot of energy to the stadium. A lot of media coverage. The fan base actually grew as the season went on because it was such a new thing. It also helped that the team was successful. It’s exciting for Reno.”