Union Omaha

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Union Omaha
File:Union Omaha logo.svg
Full name Union Omaha Soccer Club
Nickname(s) The Owls, Los Búhos
Founded May 1, 2019; 5 years ago (2019-05-01)
Stadium Werner Park, Papillion, Nebraska
Stadium
capacity		 9,023
Owner Gary Green
Head coach Jay Mims
League USL League One
2021 USL League One, 1st of 12
Playoffs: Champions
Website [www.unionomaha.com/ Club home page]
Current season

Union Omaha Soccer Club is an American professional soccer team based in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2020, the team made its debut in USL League One (USL1).

History

In 2019, USL1 awarded a franchise to Alliance Omaha Soccer Holdings to begin play in the 2020 season,[1] with former head coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha, Jay Mims, announced as the club's first manager.[1][2] Union Omaha finished 2020 in second place to qualify for the USL1 championship game. However, the match was canceled due to an outbreak of COVID-19 within the team's roster.[3]

By defeating the Richmond Kickers 2–0 in the second to last match of the 2021 season, the Owls became the USL League One regular-season champions and clinched the top seed for the playoffs.[4] Union Omaha then finished the season winning their first ever championship, beating defending champion Greenville Triumph SC 3–0 in the final.[5]

On April 19th, 2022, Union Omaha defeated Chicago Fire FC of the MLS in a penalty shootout (2(4)-2(5)) in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup to become the first USL1 team to defeat an MLS team in U.S. Open Cup history. Union Omaha defender Alex Touche scored from inside the box in the 122nd minute of extra time to equalize the game at 2-2 and force a penalty shootout.[6]

On May 25th, 2022, Omaha played Minnesota United FC and defeated them 2 - 1 becoming the first third division team since Orlando City in 2013 to go to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.

Crest

The team's name and crest were developed through fan engagement including town halls, workshops, interviews, and online polls to reflect the entire Omaha region.[1][7] In a bid to stay true to the roots of both the state and city, the team announced on October 3, 2019, the new name as a nod to the Union Pacific Railroad, with the great horned owl, a species of owl native to Nebraska, being the prominent focal point of the club's crest. The logo was designed by Matthew Wolff.[8]

Stadium

File:Werner Park Entrance.jpg
Werner Park Entrance

The team plays in Werner Park, a baseball park south west of Omaha in the suburb of Papillion.[1][9][10] The Sarpy County owned stadium was opened thirteen years ago in 2011, and is shared with the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Triple-A East. The ballpark cost $36 million to construct and is located near 126th Street and Highway 370, less than three miles (5 km) west of Papillion in unincorporated Sarpy County.[11] Werner Park received additional locker rooms, field enhancements, and offices to accommodate the soccer operations. During the 2022 U.S. Open Cup, the team hosted Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC at Caniglia Field, located on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.[12]

Sponsorship

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2020 United States Nike CHI Health (home)
Nebraska Medicine (away)
2021–present XCancer

Players

As of April 23, 2022 [13]
No. Pos. Player Nation
2 Midfielder Emir Alihodžić      Bosnia and Herzegovina
4 Defender Alex Touche      England
5 Defender Gabriel Claudio      United States
6 Midfielder Chavany Willis      Jamaica
7 Forward Noe Meza      United States
8 Midfielder Joe Brito      United States
10 Forward Hugo Kametani      Japan
11 Forward Kemal Malcolm      Jamaica
12 Midfielder Eddie Gordon      United States
13 Defender Daltyn Knutson      United States
16 Forward Alex Bruce      England
17 Midfielder JP Scearce      United States
19 Forward Ricardo Rivera      Puerto Rico
21 Defender Isaac Bawa      Ghana
22 Midfielder Conor Doyle      United States
23 Forward Giovanni Montesdeoca      United States
24 Goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu      Ghana
26 Midfielder Dion Acoff      United States
27 Midfielder Ryen Jiba      South Sudan
30 Midfielder Yoskar Galván-Mercado      United States
33 Goalkeeper Kevin Piedrahita      United States
  1. ^ USL Academy Contract

Staff

Current staff

Coaching staff
United States Jay Mims Head coach
United States Bobby Murphy Assistant coach
Front Office
United States Martie Cordaro President
United States Peter Marlette General Manager
United States Ric Granryd Director of Soccer Operations

Statistics and records

Year-by-year

As of October 24, 2020
Season USL League One Playoffs US Open Cup Top Scorer
P W D L GF GA Pts Position Player Goals
2020 16 8 5 3 20 15 29 2nd League Final Cancelled United States Evan Conway 6
2021 28 14 9 5 44 22 51 1st Champion Cancelled Scotland Greg Hurst 14

Head coaches record

As of October 24, 2020
  • Includes Regular Season, Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.
Name Nationality From To P W D L GF GA Win%
Jay Mims  United States May 1, 2019 Present 46 24 14 8 73 38 52.17

Average attendance

Year Reg. Season Playoffs
2020 2,500 –
2021 3,354 4,414

Honors

  • USL League One regular season
  • USL League One

Player honors

Year Player Country Position Honor
2020 Evan Conway United States United States Midfielder All-League First Team
Damià Viader Spain Spain Defender All-League First Team
Ethan Vanacore-Decker United States United States Forward All-League Second Team
Assists Champion
Rashid Nuhu Ghana Ghana Goalkeeper All-League Second Team
2021 Damià Viader Spain Spain Defender Defender of the Year
All-League First Team
League Finals MVP
Rashid Nuhu Ghana Ghana Goalkeeper Goalkeeper of the Year
Golden Glove Award
All-League Second Team
Greg Hurst Scotland Scotland Forward All-League First Team
Devin Boyce United States United States Midfielder All-League Second Team
Evan Conway United States United States Forward All-League Second Team

References

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External links

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