Position: Forward
Birthdate: July 16, 1990
Hometown: Glen Allen, Virginia
Height: 5-foot-11
Pronunciation: Brian Ownby
Previous Team: Richmond Kickers
Louisville City FC captain and forward Brian Ownby retired from professional soccer after the 2025 season, ending a storied 14-season career capped by nine years in purple.
Ownby hung up his boots as LouCity’s all-time assist leader with 37 between the USL Championship regular season and playoffs. He also ranked third on the club’s all-time scoring chart, fourth in games played and fifth in minutes.
Since signing with City in 2017, Ownby helped the club to two USL Championship titles (2017 and 2018), two USL Championship Players’ Shields (2024 and 2025) and four USL Championship Eastern Conference titles (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022).
Ownby was a star LouCity performer and fan favorite, delivering memorable and impactful moments that helped shape the club’s history. He also seemed to get better with age, scoring 17 of his 39 career goals after turning 30. Ownby’s career-best year came in 2021, when he scored five goals and tallied a career-high 10 assists.
Ownby often delivered in crucial moments for LouCity, particularly in the club’s two championship playoff runs.
He scored in each of LouCity’s first three playoff games in 2017 en route to the club’s first title. The next season, Ownby turned in two more memorable postseason performances as Louisville won back-to-back league crowns: He scored a brace in a 2-0 Eastern Conference semifinal win over the Bethlehem Steel, then scored again while adding two assists in a 5-1 Eastern Conference Final win over New York Red Bulls II.
In all, Ownby scored 24 regular season goals and nine playoff goals for Louisville City. He started in each of the four USL Championship Finals in which LouCity has appeared.
Ownby capped off his career by scoring the goal that clinched the 2024 USL Championship Players’ Shield title for LouCity — coming through in the clutch once more for his only goal of the 2025 campaign — against Miami FC in a 1-0 win October 11 at Lynn Family Stadium.
Ownby was appointed captain ahead of the 2024 season and wore the armband in 14 competitive matches for the club — limited over his final two seasons by injury.
2025: Ownby made 11 appearances, including one start. The striker scored his lone goal of the season came against Miami FC on October 11 to secure to USL Championship Players’ Shield.
Last Season: Missed all of the 2024 season after suffering an injury in LouCity’s final preseason friendly.
Highlights in Purple: Ownby was a productive offensive threat once he joined the club in 2017, especially in the postseason. He scored seven goals in his first year in purple, including three in the playoffs. In 2018 he notched three goals in two playoff games on the run to a second straight title. His dominant postseason performance continued in 2019 with 2 assists to help advance his club advance to the USL Championship Final. The 2021 campaign saw him reach new heights with then career-high 5 goals and a career-high in assists with 11. Ownby’s 2021 goal total was quickly topped in 2022 with 10 – including City’s only goal scored in the USL Championship Final – while adding 4 assists. His five assists in 2023 placed made him LouCity’s all-time assist leader with 37 as of the end of the year.
Before Louisville City: The University of Virginia product was named to the Soccer America All-Freshman Second Team, NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region Second Team and to the ACC All-Tournament Team. After being selected No. 7 in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft, Ownby made 29 appearances with the Houston Dynamo. He was placed on loan in 2013 with the Richmond Kickers, and after one year with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in 2014, returned for the Kickers for 2015 and 2016.
