Hershey Wildcats

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Hershey Wildcats
HersheyWildcats.PNG
Full nameHershey Wildcats
Nickname(s)Wildcats
Founded1997
Dissolved2001
Stadium Hersheypark Stadium
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Capacity15,641
Owner Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company (HE&R)
Coach Flag of the United States.svg Bob Lilley
League USL A-League

Hershey Wildcats were a professional soccer team, based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, that played in the USL A-League between 1997 and 2001. The team was owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company. The team played in Hersheypark Stadium, located at Hersheypark, and received its name from the Wild Cat roller coaster. In the Wildcats' 5-year history, the average attendance was 3,189 per game.

Contents

History

The Wildcats were moderately successful in their short existence, with Bob Lilley coaching the team for its entire five-year run, leading the Wildcats to the playoffs in each season. [1] In 2001, Hershey reached the A-League finals but were defeated 2–0 by the Rochester Raging Rhinos. [1]

Less than a week after the championship match, in October 2001, Hershey Entertainment announced that the Wildcats were folding. [2] Weak attendance, including a crowd of only 750 for the 2001 playoff semifinal, was a factor in the decision to fold the team. [2] [3] With the league unable to find a new owner for the club, the players became free agents.

Notable players that played for the Wildcats and then went on to play in Major League Soccer or other professional leagues include Jon Busch and Christof Lindenmayer.[ citation needed ]

Year-by-year

YearDivisionLeagueReg. seasonPlayoffsOpen CupAvg. attendance
19972USISL A-League1st, AtlanticDivision SemifinalsRound of 163,138
19982USISL A-League2nd, AtlanticConference Semifinals2nd Round3,794
19992USL A-League1st, AtlanticConference SemifinalsDid not qualify3,978
20002USL A-League3rd, AtlanticConference QuarterfinalsDid not qualify2,214
20012USL A-League1st, NorthernFinal3rd Round2,911

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Impact hire Lilley as head coach". CBC Sports. 2002-01-23. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  2. 1 2 Jeff DiVeronica (2001-10-20). "Hershey Wildcats folding". Democrat and Chronicle . Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  3. ↑ "Hershey Wildcats' folding takes many by surprise". York Daily Record. 2001-11-01.
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