Union Omaha

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).

Union Omaha
Full nameUnion Omaha Soccer Club
Nickname(s)The Owls, Los Búhos
FoundedMay 1, 2019 (2019-05-01)
StadiumWerner Park, Papillion, Nebraska
Capacity9,023
OwnerGary Green
Head coachJay Mims
LeagueUSL League One
2021USL League One, 1st of 12
Playoffs: Champions
WebsiteClub website

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]

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][6] 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.[7]

Stadium
Werner Park Entrance

The team plays in Werner Park, a baseball park south west of Omaha in the suburb of Papillion.[1][8][9] The Sarpy County owned stadium was opened ten 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.[10] Werner Park received additional locker rooms, field enhancements, and offices to accommodate the soccer operations.

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

Players
As of October 31, 2021[11]
No. Pos. Player Nation
2 MF Emir Alihodžić  Bosnia and Herzegovina
3 DF Damià Viader  Spain
5 MF Tobias Otieno  Kenya
7 MF Ethan Vanacore-Decker  United States
8 MF John Murphy  United States
9 FW Greg Hurst  Scotland
10 MF Nicolas Firmino  Brazil
11 FW Evan Conway  United States
12 MF Austin Panchot  United States
13 DF Daltyn Knutson  United States
14 MF Christian Molina  El Salvador
15 FW Elma N'For  Cameroon
16 DF Jacob Crull  Austria
17 MF JP Scearce  United States
18 DF Blake Malone (on loan from Orange County SC)  United States
19 FW Ricardo Rivera  Puerto Rico
20 MF Devin Boyce  United States
22 MF Conor Doyle  United States
24 GK Rashid Nuhu  Ghana
25 DF Ferrety Sousa  DR Congo
28 DF Illal Osumanu  Ghana
30 MF Yoskar Galvan-Mercado ([A])  United States
33 GK Kevin Piedrahita  United States
  1. ^
    USL Academy Contract
    2.

Staff

Current staff
Coaching staff
Jay Mims Head coach
Bobby Murphy Assistant coach
Daniel Galvis Goalkeeping coach
Sport management and organization
Martie Cordaro President
Peter Marlette General Manager
James Cahilellis 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 Evan Conway 6
2021 28 14 9 5 44 22 51 1st Champion Cancelled 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 16 8 5 3 20 16 050.00

Average attendance
YearReg. SeasonPlayoffs
2020 – –

Honors
  • USL League One regular season
  • USL League One

Player honors
Year Player Country Position Honor
2020 Evan Conway United States Midfielder All-League First Team
Damià Viader Spain Defender All-League First Team
Ethan Vanacore-Decker United States Forward All-League Second Team
Assists Champion
Rashid Nuhu Ghana Goalkeeper All-League Second Team

References
  1. USLLeagueOne com Staff (May 1, 2019). "Omaha Unveiled as USL League One's Newest Club". USL League One. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  2. WOWT. "USL League One comes to Omaha". www.wowt.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  3. Smith, Rex (October 29, 2020). "Championship game canceled after multiple Union Omaha players test positive for COVID-19". WOWT. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  4. Shinzel, Gene (October 23, 2021). "2021 USL League One season". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  5. "Union Omaha wins first USL League One title in Owls' second season". Omaha World Herald. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  6. Northam, Mitchell; USA, Pro Soccer (May 2, 2019). "USL League One expanding to Omaha, Nebraska in 2020". Pro Soccer USA. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  7. Ristau, Reece. "Introducing Union Omaha: Pro soccer team unveils colors, crest, name ahead of city's USL debut". Omaha.com. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  8. Peters, Chris. "Pro soccer is coming to Omaha: New team will begin play at Werner Park in 2020". Omaha.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  9. Star, Lincoln Journal. "Omaha lands USL soccer franchise, will begin play in 2020". JournalStar.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  10. "ROYALS' NEW BALLPARK: Sarpy's funding plan is complex". Omaha World Herald. June 2, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  11. "Roster". Union Omaha. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
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