The whirlwind of activity and announcements on USL League One Day One is over. More announcements are sure to come over the next few weeks, but here’s what we know after the dust settled last night. We’ll go from the bottom of the 2022 table to the top.
North Carolina FC
An outside observer would expect a club that finished last two years in a row to blow the whole thing up. Instead, NCFC seems to be doubling down on their core group of players. Those returning include goals leader Garrett McLaughlin, assists leader Oalex Anderson, defensive mainstays Nelson Flores, Jordan Skelton, Gustavo Fernandes and Christian Young and a midfield core of Luis Arriaga, Jaden Servania and Raheem Somersall. Eight of their top ten players by appearances will return for 2023.
Also returning include goalkeeper Nicholas Holiday, who saw eight appearances with one clean sheet. 2022’s primary goalkeeper Will Pulisic, who made 22 appearances with three clean sheets, was not included in the initial decision.
Rounding out NCFC’s returning 14 include secondary midfielders Cole Frame, Marvin Mariche and Pecka, and secondary defender Britton Fisher.
It’s a bold move. Let’s see how it plays out in 2023.
Forward Madison FC
To call 2023 a disappointment for the league’s most supported club is an understatement. Rumors swirled over the last week, with talk of the club only returning four or five players. However, The Flamingos certainly made a splash on day one of roster decisions.
Indeed, only three players were confirmed as returning: defender and captain Mitch Osmond, and forwards Derek Gebhard and Nazeem Bartman.
It was free agency where the club really pulled some exciting moves. For 2023, they will bring on FC Tucson defender and minutes leader Jacob Crull; Richmond Kickers defensive standout Stephen Payne; defender Timmy Mehl, who helped Red Wolves SC to a championship while on loan from Tampa Bay Rowdies; and Fuego FC goals leader Christian Chaney.
Expectations will be huge at Breese Stevens Field this year.
Fuego FC
Day one was a relatively quiet affair in the Central Valley. The biggest news was the loss of leading goal scorer, Christian Chaney, to Forward Madison in free agency.
The club announced five returning players for 2023. Secondary goalkeeper Mitchell North, who made just seven appearances in 2022; forward Villyan Bijev, who was third in goals and tied for first in assists; mainstay defender Jordan Chavez; forward Cherif Dieye; and defender François Dulysse.
The big question will be how the club fills the giant hole left by Chaney’s departure. Goal scorers are at a premium in USL League One, with most other goals leaders locked down.
Hailstorm FC
The Northern Colorado club released their initial options decline decisions a day early, then added three options pickups on Wednesday. Not returning include forward Lachlan McLean, goalkeeper Thomas Olsen, midfielders Jerry Desdines and Daniel Scally and defender Denso Ulysse. Midfielder Shane McFaul also announced his retirement.
On Wednesday, the club announced three returnees for 2023: forward and goals leader Irvin Parra; defender Rob Cornwall; and midfielder Destan Norman.
This obviously leaves a huge question surrounding the future of assists leader and defender of the year Arthur Rogers, especially with how close as the club came to qualifying for the playoffs with Rogers defending and setting up Parra and others for goals.
Charlotte Independence
The Jacks, fresh off of a playoff qualification in 2022, announced six players as returning: defender and minutes leader Clay Dimick; defensive mainstays Shalom Dutey and Héctor Acosta; midfielder and young player of the year nominee Omar Ciss; and forwards Tresor Mbuyu and Khori Bennett, who tied for first with 11 goals apiece.
Dimick, Dutey, Ciss and Mbuyu all re-signed with the club, indicating their commitment to the core group of players who helped qualify Charlotte in 2022.
The club has a solid core around which to build, and should continue challenging for the playoffs and the title in 2023.
Union Omaha
After winning the championship in 2021, the Owls struggled late in the 2022 season and qualified for the 5th playoff spot, where they were quickly eliminated by eventual runners up Red Wolves SC. The club retains most of their core for 2023, returning: goalkeeper of the year Rashid Nuhu; defensive starter Ryen Jiba and backup Shaft Brewer, Jr.; midfield mainstays Joe Brito, JP Scearce, Dion Acoff, and secondary midfielders Luis Gil, Yoskar Galván-Mercado and Chavany Willis; and forward and goals leader Noe Meza.
This does leave an open question on the fourth and fifth members of the midfield core, 2022 minutes leaders Daltyn Knutson and veteran utility man Conor Doyle. The club has made no announcements thus far on those not returning.
Red Wolves SC
The league runners up only announced four returnees on day one. However they made sure to lock down rising star midfielder Moe Espinoza. Along with Espinoza, they return defenders Aaron Lombardi and Nico Cardona and starting goalkeeper Carlos Avilez.
Of course this does leave open questions on assists and minutes leader José Carrera-Garcia and goals leader Juan Galindrez, and playoff hero Rafael Mentzingen, all of whom joined Red Wolves SC in 2021 and were integral to their run to the USL League One finals in 2022.
So far the only player not returning is Tampa Bay Rowdies loanee Timmy Mehl, who signed with Forward Madison after being released by the Rowdies.
Tormenta FC
The defending league champions got right to business and locked down nine players from their incredible 2022 run. Playoff MVP and team goals leader (and almost Golden Boot winner) Kazaiah Sterling, and midfielders Gabriel Cabral and Kingsford Adjei were already on multi-year contracts. The club exercised options on goalkeeper Pablo Jara, defenders Deshawon Nembhard, Jake Dengler; midfielders Christopher Heckenberg and Tobias Otieno; and forward Arthur Bosua.
One notable player left unsigned at this time is comeback player of the year Adrian Billhardt, who co-led the club in assists and contributed five goals.
Greenville Triumph
Greenville Triumph had no announcements on day one. They issued a statement on social media indicating some announcements will be coming later in the week:
Richmond Kickers
The defending regular seasons champs had already announced the re-signing of three-time golden boot winner and three-time league MVP Emiliano Terzaghi to a long term deal. Along with the dynamic Argentine, the club will return forward Matt Bentley and midfielders Owayne Gordon and Chandler O’Dwyer on options. They also re-signed veteran goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald, who was nominated for goalkeeper of the year.
The club declined options on midfielders Matt Bolduc, Leonardo Baima and Christian Molina and goalkeeper Austin Causey. Bolduc in particular was the longest tenured player and a fan favorite, having been with the club since 2017. His 2022 season was cut short due to injury
Several huge questions remain from the Kickers almost all-star lineup from 2022. Assists leader and MVP nominee Jonathan Bolanos, who formed an incredible bond with Terzaghi both on and off the field remains unsigned. Young player of the year Ethan Bryant, as well as key midfielder Nil Vinyals and defensive standout Jalen Crisler are also still out there.
The club will not return another defensive standout, Stephen Payne, who signed with Forward Madison yesterday.