Steel City FC (Pennsylvania)

Last updated
Steel City FC
Full nameSteel City Football Club
Founded2019 as Pittsburgh Hotspurs
Ground Founders Field,
Cheswick, Pennsylvania
Capacity1,500
Head coachDan Brower
League USL League Two
2024 1st, Great Lakes Conference
5th, East Conference
Website https://www.steelcityfc.com/

Steel City FC is an American pre-professional soccer club based out of Pittsburgh. The club has two senior teams, with the men's team playing in the USL League Two and the women's team playing in the USL W League, along with several youth teams.

Contents

Men's team history

Formed in the 1980's as a youth soccer team, the Pittsburgh Hotspurs launched its Men's First Team in 2019 to compete in the National Premier Soccer League. [1] According to the team's first coach Tom Campbell, NPSL officials contacted the Hotspurs about joining the league after the Fort Pitt Regiment folded after the 2018 season. [2] Ahead of the cancelled 2020 season, the Hotspurs partnered with the women's team Steel City FC. The team won their first trophy in 2020, winning the NPSL Members Cup over Cleveland SC, FC Buffalo, and Erie Commodores FC. [3]

In 2021, the Hotspurs merged with another youth soccer club, Arsenal FC of Pittsburgh. Prior to the start of the 2023 season, the entire Pittsburgh Hotspurs organization rebranded as Steel City FC, adopting the former name of the women's team. [4]

Steel City FC made their U.S. Open Cup debut in 2024 [5] , losing to NISA club Michigan Stars FC in the first round by a score of 1-0. [6]

In December 2024, Steel City announced it would join USL League Two for the 2025 season. [7]

Seasons

As of July 23, 2024
YearDivisionLeagueReg. SeasonPlayoffs
Pittsburgh Hotspurs
2019 4 NPSL 6th, Eastdid not qualify
2020 Season canceleld due to COVID-19
2021 4 NPSL 2nd, Rust BeltRegional Quarterfinals
2022 4 NPSL 2nd, Rust BeltRegional Quarterfinals
Steel City FC
2023 4 NPSL 1st, Great LakesRegional Finals
2024 4 NPSL 1st, Great LakesRegional Finals

Women's team history

The club's women's team was founded as a separate organization, competing in the Women's Premier Soccer League through the 2019 season. [1] [8] Ahead of the 2020 season, Steel City FC merged with the Pittsburgh Hotspurs. [9] The team joined United Women's Soccer for the 2021 season. [10] Following the 2020 merger with the Pittsburgh Hotspurs, the team continued to use the moniker Steel City FC until 2022, when the team competed under the Hotspurs brand for a single season before the entire organization rebranded as Steel City FC.

In December 2024, the women's team joined the men's team in moving to the USL and joined the USL W League for 2025. [7]

Seasons

As of July 23, 2024
YearDivisionLeagueReg. SeasonPlayoffs
Steel City FC
2015 3 WPSL 2nd, Can Amdid not qualify
20163 WPSL 6th, Great Lakesdid not qualify
20173 WPSL 3rd, Great Lakesdid not qualify
2018 3 WPSL 6th, Ohio Valleydid not qualify
20193 WPSL 3rd, Keystonedid not qualify
2020Season canceleld due to COVID-19
2021 4 UWS 4th, Midwest Southdid not qualify
Pittsburgh Hotspur FC
2022 4 UWS 5th, Penn-NYdid not qualify
Steel City FC
2023 4 UWS 7th, East ConferenceFirst Round
2024 4 UWS 5th, East Conferencedid not qualify

Players

Men's first-team squad

As of 2022 [11]

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
1 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Garrett Watson
2 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Justin Kopay
3 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Giuseppe Croce
4 DF Flag of Ghana.svg  GHA William Dodzi
5 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jack Emanuel
6 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Ethan Hackenberg
7 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nicholas Graeca
8 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Michael Sullivan
9 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Bryan Akongo
10 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nick Kolarac (Captain)
11 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Charlie Lawrence
12 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Keaton Jennings
13 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Rami Bensasi
14 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Gabe Norris
15 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Tate Mohney
16 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Anthony DiFalco
17 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nolan Hutter
18 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Eben McIntyre
19 DF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Mikel Ubeda
20 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Ryan Mertz
No.Pos.NationPlayer
21 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nathan Prex
22 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nathan Schlessinger
23 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jonathan Swann
24 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Ryan Kopay
25 MF Flag of El Salvador.svg  SLV Rodrigo Albayeros
26 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Ryan Landry
27 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Evan Anderson
28 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Zander Plizga
29 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Tyler Caterino
30 FW Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Brice Gandhi
31 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Cole DeVaul
32 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Owain Hawkins
33 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Connor Hudson
34 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jacob Conti
35 DF Flag of Israel.svg  ISR Tom Tzabari
36 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Evan Thomas
38 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Amir Awais
39 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Luke Kost
40 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Josh DiMatteo
41 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Danny Rogers

Colors and Badge

During their time as Pittsburgh Hotspurs, the club predominantly wore blue and yellow. Following the rebrand, the club adopted a new color scheme of dark blue, black, and gold.

Honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Premier Soccer League</span> Football league

The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is an American men's soccer league. The league is officially affiliated to the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and has automatic qualification for the U.S. Open Cup. It is the successor of the Men's Premier Soccer League, a regional league originally based in the Western United States, which has now expanded nationwide to encompass teams from 29 states. The league's motto is "A National League with a Regional Focus".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Texas FC</span> Soccer club

West Texas FC is an American soccer team based in Midland, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Lone Star Conference of the South Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erie Commodores FC</span> Soccer club

Erie Commodores FC is an American soccer team based in Erie, Pennsylvania, competing in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Saxon Stadium, located on the campus of Mercyhurst University. In 2021, the Commodores expanded by adding a pro-am women's team that competes in United Women's Soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit City FC</span> Professional American soccer club

Detroit City FC is an American professional soccer club based in Detroit, Michigan, that competes in the USL Championship. The club played in the National Premier Soccer League from 2012 to 2019 and the National Independent Soccer Association in 2020 and 2021. Detroit City plays its home matches at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, an enclave of Detroit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FC Motown</span> Soccer club

FC Motown is an American soccer club based in Morristown, New Jersey. Founded in 2012, the team currently fields teams in both the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and USL League Two. In 2020, the team formed a U23 side that competes in the EDP 23U league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Pitt Regiment</span> Football club

Fort Pitt Regiment was an American soccer club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2013, the team played its first season in 2014 as a member of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in the Great Lakes Conference of the Midwest Region. The team was named following a name the team contest that included West Penn United and Pittsburgh Rebellion as the other two options. The team ended play in 2018 and was replaced next season by the Pittsburgh Hotspurs as the Pittsburgh area's NPSL club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AFC Ann Arbor</span> Soccer club

AFC Ann Arbor is an American soccer club based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with a men's team that has played in USL League Two since 2020 and a women's team that has played in USL W League since 2020. The men's team played in the National Premier Soccer League from 2016 to 2019, and the women's team played in the United Women's Soccer during its inaugural 2019 season.

Nick Kolarac is a professional American soccer player who plays for Steel City in the National Premier Soccer League. He played in two different professional leagues in the United States including the USL and MASL. Kolarac also played in the top 2 development leagues in the America the PDL and NPSL.

The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in USL Championship soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan James (soccer)</span> Canadian soccer player

Ryan Lee James is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Scrosoppi FC in League1 Ontario.

Aarón Guillén is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a defender for USL Championship club Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Matthew "Matt" Perrella is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Florida Tropics in the Major Arena Soccer League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashville SC</span> American professional soccer club based in Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in Nashville, Tennessee. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team spent two seasons in the USL Championship before joining MLS as an expansion team. The club plays its home matches at Geodis Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States. It is principally owned by John Ingram, owner of Ingram Industries, along with investors and partial owners the Turner family of Dollar General Stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland SC</span> Soccer club

Cleveland SC is an American semi-professional soccer club based in the Greater Cleveland, Ohio region. Cleveland competes in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) as part of the Midwest Region's Great Lakes Conference. The club was established on February 19, 2018, taking over from the recently defunct AFC Cleveland as the city's representative in the NPSL.

Michael Bryant is an American soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder or defender for Detroit City in the USL Championship.

The 2020 National Premier Soccer League season was part of the 108th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States and the 18th season of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Miami FC, the defending league champions, left in the off-season and joined the National Independent Soccer Association and later the USL Championship.

Nathan José Kitchell Dossantos is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the Charleston Battery in the USL Championship.

Jahmali Waite is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship. Born in the United States, he represents Jamaica at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akron City FC</span> Soccer club

Akron City FC is an American soccer club based in Akron, Ohio, United States.

Anders Bordoy is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the National Premier Soccer League club, Steel City FC. Bordoy signed his first professional contract with the Riverhounds in 2023, having been in their academy since 2014. After the Riverhounds' 2023 Season ended, Bordoy returned to youth soccer, joining the Memphis Tigers.

References

  1. 1 2 Krysinsky, John (2 February 2023). "NPSLA Unified Badge: Pittsburgh's NPSL and UWS teams to rebrand as Steel City FC". pittsburghsoccernow.com. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  2. https://pittsburghsoccernow.com/2019/04/17/gearing-up-for-first-season-in-npsl-hotspurs-sign-former-riverhounds-kolarac-and-broome/
  3. https://pittsburghsoccernow.com/2020/07/30/pittsburgh-hotspurs-capture-npsls-members-cup/
  4. "PITTSBURGH HOTSPURS REBRANDS TO STEEL CITY FC IN ADVANCE OF THE 2023 SEASON". npsl.com. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  5. https://pittsburghsoccernow.com/2023/12/15/its-official-steel-city-fc-enter-2024-u-s-open-cup-proper-tournament-for-first-time-in-club-history/
  6. https://www.npsl.com/22162/
  7. 1 2 Krysinsky, John (6 December 2024). "Steel City FC 'delighted' to join USL: Men's team to League Two, Women's team to W League". Pittsburgh Soccer Now. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  8. "Steel City FC" (PDF). apps.pittsburghpa.gov. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  9. DeTemple, Marikaye (5 November 2019). "Pittsburgh Hotspurs SC Announce Women's First-Team". hotspurs-soccer.com. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  10. "Women's Soccer in the Steel City with Hotspurs First Team Coach Jordan Daloisio". openfieldintl.org. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  11. "2022 PITTSBURGH HOTSPURS MEN'S FIRST TEAM". steelcityfc.com. Retrieved 2 August 2023.