FC Tucson

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FC Tucson
Full nameFC Tucson
FoundedOctober 10, 2010; 13 years ago (2010-10-10)
StadiumKino North Stadium
Capacity3,200
OwnerJon Pearlman
Jeff Arnold
Head coachSebastian Pineda
LeagueUSL League Two
20233rd, Southwest Division
Playoffs: DNQ
WebsiteClub website

FC Tucson is an American soccer club based in Tucson, Arizona that plays in USL League Two. The club has an amateur women's team, FC Tucson Women, that play in the WPSL.[1] Organized in 2010, the club first fielded a team in March 2011, then joined the Premier Development League (PDL; now known as USL League Two) Western Conference in 2012.[2] in 2018, FC Tucson was a founding member of USL League One, where they played from 2019 to 2022. At the conclusion of the 2022 season, the ownership group changed and the team self-relegated back to USL League Two.[3]

Tucson plays their home games at the 3,200-seat

Kino Sports Complex North Stadium constructed in 2013.[4][5][6][7][8]

History

Beginnings

FC Tucson was founded in 2010 to bring preseason

2011 Desert Cup, a 3–1 loss.[9] The club's first goal was scored by former Pima Community College and Salpointe Catholic High School player Fernando Gauna after entering the match as a substitute. Later in 2011 Tucson competed against various teams from the region in a loosely organized exhibition league.[10] Their first match following the Desert Cup took place on May 13, a 7–2 victory over Yavapai FC.[11] On December 15, 2011, FC Tucson announced its move to the PDL.[12]

Early PDL and Open Cup success

See also:
2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

In its first season of play in the United Soccer League's Premier Development League (USL PDL, now USL League Two) the team placed second in the Western Conference Southwest Division with a record of 9 wins, 3 losses and 4 ties, riding a ten-game unbeaten streak (7 wins, 3 ties) from May 12 until June 30.

Seattle Sounders FC U-23 in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.[14] Defender Conor Spence was named to the All-Western Conference Team.[15][16] The club was named 2012 PDL Rookie Franchise of the Year.[17][18]

In May 2013 FC Tucson notched back-to-back victories over professional clubs to reach the third round of the

Dynamo.[28][29][30] As the first ever PDL club to defeat professional clubs in back-to-back matches, Tucson won the full $15,000 prize awarded to the PDL club with the best Open Cup finish. (Three other PDL teams also reached the third round.)[31][32][33] Tucson did not qualify for the PDL postseason in 2013, finishing fifth in the Southwest with five wins, five losses, and 4 draws.[34]

Mountain Division Dominance

See also:
Los Angeles Misioneros in Las Vegas.[35] The best regular-season record in the Western Conference earned Tucson the right to host the conference final four at Kino North Stadium where they defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 1–0 in the conference semifinals on a stoppage-time goal by Juan Sebastian De Rada. Tucson's postseason run came to an end in the Western Conference Championship game with a 3–0 loss to the Kitsap Pumas.[36] Team captain Ricardo Velazco, a midfielder, was named PDL Young (U21) Player of the Year. Billy Thompson was named PDL Goalkeeper of the Year. Both players were named to the All-League and All-Western Conference Teams.[37][38] FC Tucson was named PDL Organization of the Year.[39]

Tucson claimed its second-straight Mountain Division title in 2015 with a record of 8–2–4 in regular-season Premier Development League play.

OC Blues U23.[45] The streak put Tucson one point ahead of the Sol in the final PDL Mountain Division standings.[40][46][47]

Tucson defeated

Seattle Sounders FC U-23 by a score of 2–1.[49][50][51] Forward Pedro Espindola and Defender Kalem Scott were named to the All-Western Conference team.[52]

Professional

See also: 2019 FC Tucson season, 2020 FC Tucson season, 2021 FC Tucson season, and 2022 FC Tucson season

FC Tucson was purchased by Phoenix Rising FC of the United Soccer League, now known as the USL Championship, on October 11, 2017, and initially served as its PDL affiliate.[53][54][55] The 2018 season was ultimately FC Tucson's last in the PDL, since renamed USL League Two.

FC Tucson became the second team (and the first pre-existing team) to join the USL Division III league (later renamed USL League One) on February 6, 2018. Thus, the team became fully professional.[56][57]

On February 18, 2021, FC Tucson announced that Benevolent Sports Tucson LLC, led by Brett Johnson, completed the transfer of ownership from Phoenix Rising FC.[58] The team was no longer affiliated with Rising FC and was again eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup.[59]

On October 18, 2022, following a 10th place finish in USL League One, Benevolent Sports Tucson announced the sale of the FC Tucson brand rights to an ownership group led by FC Tucson co-founder Jon Pearlman. As part of the transfer in ownership, FC Tucson also announced a self-relegation back to USL League Two for the 2023 season. The team retains the rights to a USL League One franchise, pending the construction of their own soccer-specific stadium.[60][61]

Ownership

  • FC Tucson Events, LLC (Greg Foster, Chris Keeney, Jon Pearlman & Rick Schantz) (until 2017)[12]
  • Phoenix Rising FC (2017–2021)
  • Benevolent Sports Tucson, LLC (2021–2022)
  • Jon Pearlman, Jeff Arnold (2022–present)

Colors and badge

Tucson FC's official colors are red, black, and white.

FC Tucson's badge was designed by Erik von Weber prior to the 2011 Desert Cup. Similar in appearance to the traditional soccer shield, the badge is instead shaped like an

stars, typically used in football badges to represent titles won.[63]

Sponsorship

Seasons Shirt manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2011–2012 Adidas —
2013 Audi Tucson
2014–2018 Chapman Automotive
2019 Macron Banner-University Medicine[64]
2020 Chapman Automotive
2021 Puma[65] —
2022 Front: Quik Mart
Back: CARF International[66]
2023 Champro Sports Singularity Capital
2024 Adidas Front: Singularity Capital
Sleeve: HJ3 Composite Technologies

Stadium

  • Murphey Field at Mulcahy Stadium (2011)
  • Kino Sports Complex North Field #5 (2012–2013)
  • Kino Sports Complex North Stadium (2014–present)

Kino North Stadium was dedicated on October 30, 2013.[67][68] The stadium seats 2,900, with 1,800 in a partially-covered grandstand on the west sideline.[7][69] The stadium's construction was part of a larger package of soccer facilities improvements to the Kino Sports Complex approved by Pima County's Board of Supervisors in April 2012.[70] FC Tucson defeated MLS side Chivas USA 1–0 on November 15, 2013, in the first match held at the stadium.[6][71]

Club culture

Supporters

Members of the local American Outlaws chapter organized an FC Tucson supporters group called the Cactus Pricks after FC Tucson's 2011 Desert Cup appearance.[72]

Rivalries

Football kit (red jersey, white shorts, and blue socks).
July 4th colors

In 2014 FC Tucson announced the Southwestern Showdown, an annual series with Albuquerque Sol FC, a PDL expansion team placed with Tucson in the Western Conference's newly formed Mountain Division. The club earning the most league points over all regular-season meetings is awarded "The Golden Rattler" trophy to hold for the following year. Ties are broken by goal difference or, if there is none, final division standings.[73] For the final match of the series in both 2014 and 2015, the club wore red jerseys, white shorts, and blue socks in celebration of the 4th of July holiday. On both occasions, Tucson won to claim the series title.[44][74]

La Copa Frontera, a supporters cup competition organized by the Cactus Pricks, the Las Vegas Mobsters' Mob Squad, and Albuquerque's Sandianistas, was organized in 2015.[75] In that year the Sol claimed La Copa with a sweep of the Mobsters, despite ultimately finishing second to Tucson in head-to-head competition by virtue of goal difference.[76]

Record

Year-by-year

As of 15 July 2023
Season
Premier Development League
 Playoffs
US Open Cup
 Top Scorer 1 Head Coach
P W L D GF GA Pts Pos Player Goals
2012 16 9 3 4 21 16 31 2nd, Southwest Conference Semifinals Ineligible United States Donny Toia 4 United States Rick Schantz
2013 14 5 5 4 31 17 19 5th, Southwest Did not qualify
3R
 United States David Clemens
United States Gabriel Silveira 		5 United States Rick Schantz
2014 14 11 2 1 35 11 34 1st, Mountain Conference Final Did not qualify United States Ricardo Velazco 7 United States Rick Schantz
2015 14 8 2 4 28 15 28 1st, Mountain Conference Final
1R
 United States David Clemens 6 United States Rick Schantz
2016 14 11 1 2 38 12 35 1st, Southwest Conference Final
2R
 Brazil Afonso Pinheiro 9 United States Rick Schantz
2017 14 9 2 3 34 17 30 1st, Mountain Conference Semifinals
2R
 Israel Moshe Perez 12 United States Jon Pearlman
2018 14 7 3 4 29 19 25 2nd, Mountain Conference Final
2R
 United States Damian German 11 United States David Cosgrove
Season USL League One Playoffs
US Open Cup
 Top Scorer 1 Head Coach
P W L D GF GA Pts Pos Player Goals
2019 28 8 11 9 35 41 33 8th Did not qualify Ineligible2 United States Jordan Jones 10 United States Darren Sawatzky
2020 16 6 6 4 21 19 22 6th Did not qualify Ineligible2 United States Shak Adams
United States Josh Coan 		4 United States John Galas
2021 28 11 10 7 44 42 40 4th Semifinals Cancelled England Charlie Dennis 9 United States John Galas (2–4–3)
United States Jon Pearlman (9–6–4)
2022 30 8 14 8 34 44 32 10th Did not qualify 3R France Louis Perez
United States Donny Toia 		5 United States Jon Pearlman
Season USL League Two Playoffs
US Open Cup
 Top Scorer 1 Head Coach
P W L D GF GA Pts Pos Player Goals
2023 12 7 1 4 30 14 25 3rd, Southwest Did not qualify Did not qualify Spain Jose Contell 5 United States Mark Biagi

^ 1. Top Scorer includes statistics from league matches only.

^ 2. USL Championship owned team.

Head coaches

  • Includes Regular Season, Playoffs & U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.
Coach Nationality Start End Games Win Loss Draw Win %
Rick Schantz  United States October 10, 2010 January 8, 2017 83 49 19 15 059.04
Jon Pearlman  United States January 9, 2017 December 22, 2017 17 10 4 3 058.82
David Cosgrove  United States March 6, 2018 December 11, 2018 18 9 5 4 050.00
Darren Sawatzky  United States December 12, 2018 November 6, 2019 28 8 11 9 028.57
John Galas  United States December 24, 2019 June 30, 2021 25 8 10 7 032.00
Jon Pearlman (Interim)  United States June 30, 2021 October 7, 2021 15 7 5 3 046.67
Jon Pearlman  United States October 7, 2021 January 11, 2023 34 11 16 7 032.35
Mark Biagi  United States January 12, 2023 November 1, 2023 12 7 1 4 058.33
Sebastian Pineda  Colombia March 19, 2024 Present 0 0 0 0 !—

Players and staff

Staff

Front Office Staff
President & Technical Director Jon Pearlman
Chairman Jeff Arnold
Chief Operating Officer Kyle Cornell
Technical Staff
Head coach & Academy Head coach Sebastian Pineda
Assistant Head coach Jon Pearlman
Goalkeeping Coach Victor Verdugo
Head athletic trainer Alee Vladyka
Director of Sports Medicine Dr. Ty Endean

[77][78]

Notable former players

Honors

League

  • USL PDL Mountain Division
    • Champions (3): 2014, 2015, 2017
  • USL PDL Southwest Division
    • Champions (1): 2016

Player honors

Year Pos Player Country Honor
USL Premier Development League
2012 D Conor Spence  USA All-Western Conference Team
2014 M Ricardo Velazco  USA PDL Young (U21) Player of the Year
All-League Team
All-Western Conference Team
G Billy Thompson  USA PDL Goalkeeper of the Year
All-League Team
All-Western Conference Team
2015 F Pedro Espindola  BRA All-Western Conference Team
D Kalem Scott  CAN
2016 D Gordon Hall  CAN All-Western Conference Team
M Michael Turner  USA
2017 M Moshe Perez  ISR All-League Team
All-Western Conference Team
2018 D Henry Lander  ENG All-Western Conference Team
USL League One
2019 F Jordan Jones  USA All-League Second Team
2021 M Charlie Dennis  ENG All-League Second Team
D Noah Franke  USA
2022 M Louis Perez  FRA All-League Second Team

References

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External links

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