Annapolis Blues FC

Last updated

Annapolis Blues FC
Annapolis Blues FC Logo.png
Full nameAnnapolis Blues Football Club
FoundedJune 2022;3 years ago (June 2022)
Stadium Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Annapolis, Maryland
Capacity34,000
OwnersMichael Hitchcock
Kyle Beckerman
Alex Yi
Head coachesColin Herriot (Men), Ashly Kennedy (Women)
League USL League Two , USL W League
2024 1st, Mid-Atlantic Conference
Playoffs: Conference Final (Men)
Website https://annapolisblues.com/
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Annapolis Blues FC is an American soccer club founded in 2022. For the 2025 season, Annapolis Blues FC introduced a women's team. The men's team currently competes in the Chesapeake Division of USL League Two, considered the fourth tier of the United States soccer league system. The men's team previously played in the National Premier Soccer League. The women's team competes in USL W League.

Contents

The team's home field is the Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.

History

In June 2022, the National Premier Soccer League announced a new expansion team would be placed in Annapolis for the 2023 season. [1] The ownership effort was led by former DC United front office member Michael Hitchcock, former United States men's national soccer team player Kyle Beckerman, and former FC Dallas player Alex Yi. [2] The latter two are Maryland locals while Hitchcock owns multiple NPSL teams including Appalachian FC and 2021 national champion Denton Diablos FC. During the summer the team held an online poll where fans could choose between four potential team names and crests; Annapolis Blues FC, Annapolis Kraken SC, Annapolis Seawolves SC, and Annapolis Yard FC. The name Annapolis Blues FC was announced on August 16 after over 1,200 votes had been cast. [3] It was also announced around this time that the team would play its home games at the Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on the campus of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. [4]

The Blues announced Colin Herriot as the team's first head coach on December 13. [5]

The team's first game was a pre-season friendly against Philadelphia Union Development Squad on Wednesday, May 10 at Memorial Stadium. The Community Shield match saw 3,915 fans and raised money to support local charity Rebuilding Together Anne Arundel County. [6] Following three away games to start the season, Annapolis played its first regular season home game on Saturday, June 3 against FC Frederick and set an NPSL attendance record with 8,368 fans. [7] [8] The Blues won the match, 4–2. The next home match against Virginia Beach City FC drew 7,665 attendees. [9] The following month they broke the conference championship record again as a crowd of 8,480 watched the Blues defeat the Alexandria Reds in the conference final. [10] They once again set the NPSL attendance record during their 2024 home opener with 11,171 fans watching Annapolis defeat DMV Elite FC 6–2. [11] At the end of the 2024 season Annapolis held the top eight and ten of the top eleven NPSL attendance records. [12]

In November 2024 the team announced it would add a women's team. The women's team competes in the USL W league. [13] On December 20, 2024, it was announced that the club would be joining USL League Two for the upcoming 2025 Season. [14] In May 2025 the Annapolis Blues beat Christos FC in their home opener in front a USL League Two record crowd of 12,853. [15]

Seasons

Men's team

SeasonRecordPosition USOC
LeagueConf/DivPldWDLGFGAPtsConf/DivOvrPlayoffs
2023 NPSLMid-Atlantic10811328251st7thRegional Semi-FinalIneligible
2024 NPSLMid-Atlantic109014811271st1stConference FinalDNQ
2025 USL League 2Chesapeake147163125224th4thDNQDNQ

Women's team

SeasonRecordPosition USOC
LeagueConf/DivPldWDLGFGAPtsConf/DivOvrPlayoffs
2025 USL WChesapeake10910345281st5thConference FinalIneligible

Attendance

Home Attendance
SeasonRegular Season TotalRegular Season AveragePlayoffs TotalPlayoffs AverageHighestCombined TotalCombined AverageRef.
2023 38,7707,75415,5627,7818,48054,3327,762 [10] [16] [17]
2024 46,1459,22915,1607,58011,17161,3058,758 [18]
2025 60,9488,707——12,85360,9708,707 [note 1]

Players & staff

Men's Coaches

  • Flag of Scotland.svg Colin Herriot, head coach (2023–present)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Daniel Louisignau, assistant coach (2023–present)

Women's Coach

  • Flag of the United States.svg Ashly Kennedy, head coach (2025–present)

Front office

  • Flag of the United States.svg Fred Matthes, general manager (2022–present)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Steven Hooper, assistant general manager (2022–present)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Jim Gabarra, Women's general manager (2024–present)

Current squad

As of June 24, 2023 [19] [20]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Aidan Abril
— GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Owen Allegro
— FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Gordon Bernlohr
— FW Flag of Japan.svg  JPN Toshi Davis
— MF Flag of Argentina.svg  ARG Matias de Jesus
— DF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Elton De Oliveira Santos
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Luke Dunne
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Luke Eberle
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Liam Giblin
— FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Eric Gwadz
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Justin Harris
— GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Griffin Hemmendinger
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Miles Lam
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA James Lee
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Brian Lenzer
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Morgan Lussi
No.Pos.NationPlayer
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nathan Macek
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Myles Mansfield
— MF Flag of South Africa.svg  RSA Jade Mesias
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Francis Meyer
— GK Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Lucas Muller
— FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jacob Murrell
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Leo Palomo
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Evan Rabush
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jackson Ruckman
— FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Manuel Ruiz
— FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Andrew Schug
— GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Connor Smith
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Laurence Smith
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA TJ Walker
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Ethan Wright
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Webb Kosich

Women's team

SeasonRecordPosition
LeagueConf/DivPldWDLGFGAPtsConf/DivPlayoffs
2025 USL W League Eastern Conference – Chesapeake Division10910345281stConference Finals

Notes

  1. ↑ Total attendance figures: 9,126 + 7,453 + 8,421 + 7,096 + 7,736 + 8,263 + 12,853

References

  1. ↑ "The NPSL is Coming to Annapolis, Maryland in 2023". National Premier Soccer League. June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  2. ↑ Wagner, Bill (July 6, 2022). "Major League Soccer great Kyle Beckerman helping to bring amateur franchise to Annapolis". Capital Gazette. Retrieved June 24, 2023.(subscription required)
  3. ↑ Baumgart, Jacob (August 18, 2022). "New Semi-Pro Soccer Team Coming To Annapolis Announces Name, Home Field". Annapolis, MD Patch. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ "New Annapolis Professional Soccer Team To Play at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in 2023". Eye On Annapolis. August 9, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Colin Herriot Makes Blues History As Clubs First Head Coach". Annapolis Blues FC. December 13, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Community Shield Raises Money for Rebuilding Together Before 3,915 Fans". What's Up? Media. May 19, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  7. ↑ Wagner, Bill (June 4, 2023). "Annapolis Blues FC soccer club sets NPSL attendance record in home opener; 8,368 watch 4-2 win over FC Frederick". Capital Gazette. Retrieved June 24, 2023.(subscription required)
  8. ↑ "Annapolis Blues FC soccer club sets NPSL attendance record in home opener; 8,368 watch 4-2 win over FC Frederick". Annapolis Blues FC. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  9. ↑ Vasudevan, Anish (June 12, 2023). "From a record crowd to a signature coffee, Annapolis embraces its new soccer team". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  10. 1 2 "CROWD OF 8,480 SEES ANNAPOLIS BLUES DEFEAT ALEXANDRIA REDS IN MID-ATLANTIC CONFERENCE FINAL". NPSL. July 17, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Crowd of 11,171 Sees Annapolis Blues FC Best DMV Elite FC 6-2". NPSL. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Popular soccer club launches new team". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  13. ↑ "After an Incredible Two Seasons, Annapolis Blues Adding a Women's Team in 2025!". Eye On Annapolis. November 26, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Annapolis Blues FC to join USL League Two in 2025". USLLeagueTwo.com Staff. December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Annapolis Blues draw record crowd for home opener against Christos". Capital Gazette. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Annapolis Blues limited to one goal by Alexandria, suffer first loss in regular-season finale". The Baltimore Sun. July 10, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  17. ↑ Peterson, Sam (July 13, 2023). "Severna Park grad leads Annapolis Blues to first playoff win, 4-1 over Grove United". Capital Gazette. Retrieved July 15, 2023.(subscription required)
  18. ↑ "Annapolis Blues FC". Instagram. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Roster". Annapolis Blues FC. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  20. ↑ "ANNAPOLIS BLUES FC". annapolisbluesfc.bonzidev.com. National Premier Soccer League. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.