Long Island Rough Riders

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Long Island Rough Riders
Full nameLong Island Rough Riders
Nickname(s)Rough Riders
Founded1994; 30 years ago (1994)
StadiumHofstra University Soccer Stadium
Capacity1,600
OwnerPeter Zaratin
Head CoachTom Bowen
LeagueUSL League Two
20231st, Metropolitan Division
Playoffs: Conference Quarterfinals
WebsiteClub website

The Long Island Rough Riders are an American

American Soccer Pyramid
.

The team plays its home games at Hofstra University Soccer Stadium. The team's colors are white and blue.

The club also has a women's team, also called the

Long Island Rough Riders, who play in USL W League
.

History

Early years in the USISL

The Rough Riders played their first season in 1994, fielding a team in the

Greensboro Dynamo
in the national semifinal; they lost the game 2–1 in overtime as Greensboro went on to take the title.

For their second season in 1995, the Rough Riders added several more players who would go on to excel in

Tampa Bay Cyclones, and then beat Minnesota Thunder
2–1 to win the USISL Championship.

The Rough Riders lost several players to the nascent MLS in 1996, including Meola and Savarese, but went on to have a successful season nevertheless, finishing with an 11–7 record and winning the North Atlantic Division. They beat Delaware Wizards 2–0 in the second round of the playoffs, and qualified from a 'Select Six' tournament group, but lost 1–0 to the Richmond Kickers in the playoff semifinals.

Promotion to the A-League

With the merger of the USISL and the

New York/New Jersey MetroStars 1–0 on a golden goal. Defender Travis Rinker
made the All A-League Team that year.

The Rough Riders finished fourth in the Northeast Division in 1998, and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the

Darko Kolic
were much more prolific, scoring 15 and seven goals, respectively.

Fortunes improved significantly in 2000, as the Rough Riders claimed their first regular-season title at this level, winning the Northeast Division by one point over the

Rochester Raging Rhinos with a 16–9–4 record. Striker Edson Buddle scored 11 of the team's 54 goals, and goalkeeper Paul Grafer posting a 1.29 goals against average. Their title came thanks to nine bonus points earned for scoring three or more goals in a game. However, for a third straight season, playoff success eluded the Rough Riders, who lost 2–1 to the Toronto Lynx
in the conference quarterfinals.

The high of the first year of the new millennium was followed by a disappointing low in 2001 as the Rough Riders slumped to their first losing record in years (8–16–4), finishing sixth in the Northern Conference – 42 points behind divisional champions Hershey Wildcats. Following the campaign, team ownership decided to voluntarily relegate the team to the D3 Pro League for 2002.

Back to the Third Tier – USL Second Division

The Rough Riders bounced back magnificently in 2002, winning the D3-Pro League Atlantic Conference with a 13–6–1 record, six points clear of

Wilmington Hammerheads
was a tight game, but the Rough Riders emerged as 2–1 victors to take their second championship in franchise history.

The Rough Riders retained their divisional title in 2003, despite the league being re-aligned and renamed the Pro Select League. Long Island went 13–4–3, 13 points clear of the

Mid Michigan Bucks
. Despite being favorites to progress through the playoffs, they were upset by the Stallions 5–4 on penalty kicks after a scoreless tie in the playoff regional final.

Long Island struggled in 2004, finishing last in the Atlantic Division with an 8–11–1 record. The season was, however, significant because it marked the return of two former Rough Riders – Jim Rooney from the New England Revolution and Giovanni Savarese from overseas. Etienne was again Long Island's top scorer with 11 goals.

The USL Pro Soccer League became the USL Second Division in 2005, and reverted to a single-table format, consisting of nine teams all based on the East Coast. The season started in up-and-down fashion. An opening day 4–1 win over the

Ocean City Barons in the second round. The Rough Riders lost their final five games of the regular season, including a demoralizing 4–1 thrashing at home to Western Mass Pioneers, and finished the season in sixth place with a 7–13–0 record, missing the playoffs for a second straight year. Etienne was Long Island's top scorer again (nine goals), while Wilmer Cabrera
contributed five assists.

The next season was arguably the worst in team history, with the Rough Riders finishing at the bottom of the table with three wins and fifteen goals scored. The 2006 season was marred by a 13-game winless streak stretching from opening day through mid-July. Losses included: 5–0 to

USL-PDL
for the 2007 season.

USL-PDL

The Rough Riders' first season in PDL began with four straight wins, including a 3–1 road win against the

Rochester Raging Rhinos. Long Island's home form was their strong point, with five wins and a tie in front of their fans at Michael Tully Field. The Rough Riders' first season at this level ended with them fourth in the Northeast Division, nine points behind divisional champs Cape Cod Crusaders, and just out of the playoffs. Mike Grella was top scorer with five goals, while Jose Batista
contributed five assists.

Long Island was again a playoff contender in 2008. The Rough Riders tied their first game of the season 1–1 before demolishing

Newark Ironbound Express, and agonizingly out of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Mike Grella and Michael Todd were the team's leading scorers, each scoring five goals. Todd and Tadeu Terra
tallied four assists apiece.

In 2009, the Rough Riders (12–2–2) finished in second place in the Northeast Division. Despite failing to qualify for the U.S. Open Cup, they clinched a spot in the divisional playoffs. The Rough Riders lost 2–0 to the

Ocean City Barons
.

The Rough Riders ended the 2010 season in fourth place in the Mid Atlantic Division with an 8–4–3 record. They made their fifth U.S. Open Cup appearance and advanced to the second round for the first time since 1997 when they defeated the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. They opened up the first round against the New York Pancyprian-Freedoms. Long Island took the lead in the first half as Danny Kramer scored off a cross from Ben Arikian. In the second half, the Rough Riders added another goal as Alex Grendi took a shot off a cross from Kramer and it found the back of the net. The Rough Riders were defeated by the Harrisburg City Islanders in the second round. In December, the team was invited by the Bermuda Football Association to participate in its BFA Christmas 2010 tour, a holiday tournament for local and international clubs. The Rough Riders played against Bermuda's Under-20 World Cup National Team, The Dandy Town Hornets, and Bermuda's Premier Division League Champions.

Long Island (12–1–3) finished atop of the Eastern Conference Mid Atlantic Division in 2011 which solidified a spot in the postseason. In their first playoff appearance in two years, the Rough Riders defeated the

Jersey Express. Midfielder Stephan Barea's winner in the 84th minute propelled the Rough Riders to the PDL Championship semifinal against the Laredo Heat
, where they'd lose 4–1.

In 2012, the Rough Riders welcomed back captain Danny Kramer and former MLS player, Gary Flood. The team finished in fifth place with a record of 6–7–3. The Rough Riders lost 2–0 to second round to Harrisburg City Islanders in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Long Island went 7–5–2 in 2013, finishing in third place in the division, failing to qualify for the postseason and U.S. Open Cup. Former Rough Riders player

Houston Dynamo
.

The Rough Riders concluded the 2014 season with an 8–4–2 record. They finished in third place of the Mid Atlantic Division and were four points shy from solidifying a spot in the playoffs.

In 2015, the Rough Riders finished in second place in the Mid Atlantic Division at 9–4–1, advancing to the PDL playoffs for the first time since 2011. The semifinal match against the

Vancouver Whitecaps against the Portland Timbers
in early November. Parker also earned his first call-up to the United States National Team training camp in January that included international friendlies versus Canada and Iceland.

The Rough Riders finish third in the Northeast Division with a record of 6–5–3 the next season.

In 2017, the Rough Riders went 10–2–5 en route to the PDL Eastern Conference Final. Long Island, which finished runner-up in the Northeast Division, defeated Mid-Atlantic winners New York Red Bulls U-23 in an Eastern Conference play-in game. The Rough Riders beat the Myrtle Beach Mutiny, winners of the South Division, in the conference semifinals, before losing to eventual PDL champion Charlotte on penalty kicks in the Eastern Conference Final.

Former Rough Riders midfielder Stephen Roche was named head coach on February 13, 2018. He guided Long Island to a 10–5–1 overall record and 9–4–1 record in the PDL, finishing in third place. The offseason was highlighted by midfielder Danny Bedoya signing with New York City FC, Rough Riders' parent club, on August 9.

MLS Affiliation

On April 21, 2016,

Premier Development League affiliate beginning with the 2016 season.[2]

Proposed USLD3 Expansion

The Long Island Rough Riders proposed an artificial turf soccer stadium on the campus of Suffolk County Community College Grant Campus in Brentwood. In an attempt to bring in a professional soccer team that would compete in the USL League One.[3]

Players

Roster

Notable former players

See also: All-time Long Island Rough Riders roster

This list comprises notable former players of the men's Long Island Rough Riders

Year-by-year

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup
1994 3 USISL 1st, Northeast Sizzling Nine did not enter
1995 3 USISL Pro League 1st, Coastal Champion did not qualify
1996 3 USISL Select League 1st, North Atlantic Semifinals did not qualify
1997 2 USISL A-League 3rd, Northeast Division Finals Quarterfinals
1998 2 USISL A-League 4th, Northeast Conference Quarterfinals did not qualify
1999 2 USL A-League 3rd, Northeast Conference Quarterfinals did not qualify
2000 2 USL A-League 1st, Northeast Conference Quarterfinals did not qualify
2001 2 USL A-League 6th, Northern did not qualify did not qualify
2002 3 USL D3-Pro League 1st, Atlantic Champion did not qualify
2003 3 USL Pro Select League 1st, Atlantic Regional Finals 2nd round
2004 3 USL Pro Soccer League 3rd, Atlantic did not qualify did not qualify
2005 3 USL Second Division 6th did not qualify 2nd round
2006 3 USL Second Division 9th did not qualify did not qualify
2007 4 USL PDL 4th, Northeast did not qualify 1st round
2008 4 USL PDL 3rd, Northeast did not qualify did not qualify
2009 4 USL PDL 2nd, Northeast Divisional Semifinals did not qualify
2010 4 USL PDL 4th, Northeast did not qualify 2nd round
2011 4 USL PDL 1st, Mid Atlantic National Semifinals did not qualify
2012 4 USL PDL 5th, Mid Atlantic did not qualify 2nd round
2013 4 USL PDL 3rd, Mid Atlantic did not qualify did not qualify
2014 4 USL PDL 3rd, Mid Atlantic did not qualify did not qualify
2015 4 USL PDL 2nd, Mid Atlantic Divisional Playoff 2nd round
2016 4 USL PDL 3rd, Northeast did not qualify 1st round
2017 4 USL PDL 2nd, Northeast Conference Finals did not qualify
2018 4 USL PDL 3rd, Mid Atlantic did not qualify 2nd round
2019 4 USL League Two 3rd, Mid Atlantic did not qualify did not qualify
2020 4 USL League Two Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 4 USL League Two 1st, Metropolitan Conference Quarterfinals did not qualify
2022 4 USL League Two 2nd, Metropolitan National Finals did not qualify
2023 4 USL League Two 1st, Metropolitan Conference Quarterfinals did not qualify

Honors

  • USISL Northeast Conference Champions 1994
  • USISL Pro League Coastal Conference Champions 1995
  • USISL Pro League Champions 1995
  • USISL Select League North Atlantic Conference Champions 1996
  • USL A-League Northeast Conference Champions 2000
  • USL D3-Pro League Atlantic Conference Champions 2002
  • USL D3-Pro League Champions 2002
  • USL Pro Select League Atlantic Conference Champions 2003
  • USL PDL Mid Atlantic Division Champions 2011
  • USL PDL Eastern Conference Champions 2011
  • USL League Two Metropolitan Division Champions 2021, 2023
  • USL League Two Eastern Conference Champions 2022
  • USL League Two Runners Up 2022

Staff

Position Staff
Head Coach Tom Bowen
Assistant Coach Scott Leamey
Sporting Director Stephen Roche

Last updated: August 2018
Source: Long Island Rough Riders Official Website

Stadium

Average attendance

Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at https://web.archive.org/web/20100105175057/http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.%7B%7BOriginal

  • 2007: 558
  • 2008: 628
  • 2009: 510
  • 2010: 423
  • 2011: 453
  • 2012: 400
  • 2013: 468
  • 2014: 525
  • 2015: 515

References

  1. Tribune Company
    . Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "New York City FC Announces Long Island Rough Riders as PDL Affiliate". nycfc.com. New York City Football Club. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Rough Riders soccer team proposes Brentwood stadium for SCCC | Newsday". December 8, 2016.
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2011-05-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Player Bio: Nelson Becerra - ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". Archived from the original on 2010-10-20.
  6. ^ "Rhett Bernstein - Brown". Archived from the original on 2012-09-26. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2016-04-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Player Bio: Kevin Garcia - VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". Archived from the original on 2011-07-23.
  9. ^ "Player Bio: Thorne Holder". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2016-04-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ NCAA Notes cstv.com [dead link]
  12. ^ "Player Bio: Ryan Meara". Fordham Official Athletic Site. Archived from the original on 2010-09-30. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  13. ^ "Player Bio: Jimmy Nealis - GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". Archived from the original on 2010-08-05.
  14. ^ "Player Bio: Conor O'Brien - BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". Archived from the original on 2010-12-29. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  15. ^ "Player Bio: David Reed - ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15.
  16. ^ http://dc.united.mlsnet.com/player/travis-rinker[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ "Player Bio: Jack Stefanowski - Stony Brook Official Athletic Site". Archived from the original on 2013-03-04. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  18. ^ "Player Bio: Tadeu Terra - ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". Archived from the original on 2010-10-06.
  19. ^ "Guillermo A. Valencia – Assistant Women's Soccer Coach – Women's Soccer Coaches".
  20. ^ "Cordt Weinstein | Major League Soccer". Archived from the original on 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  21. ^ "Game Schedule - 2016 Regular Season - Long Island Rough Riders". www.uslleaguetwo.com. Retrieved 2022-08-07.

External links

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