Louisville City FC scored four goals Saturday in a runaway win over the Richmond Kickers, but the Lynn Family Stadium crowd’s largest pop had nothing to do with a ball hitting the back of the net.
The roars began as Brian Ownby jogged from his warmup to the bench area. They continued as he received some final instructions from the coaching staff. And they peaked when the LouCity legend — in his ninth season with the club — entered as an 88th-minute substitute.
Ownby made it his first appearance since the 2023 USL Championship Eastern Conference Final, completing a comeback from a devastating knee injury.
“This is the first time, I think in, shoot, maybe five years that I was anxious or nervous,” he said.
Volume up 🔊
— Louisville City FC (@loucityfc) April 27, 2025
Brian Ownby is back! pic.twitter.com/D565gk8re9
Ownby was set to take over as club captain entering 2024. But on the eve of the campaign — in LouCity’s final preseason game — he suffered a leg injury when going in for a tackle that counted the veteran winger out for the year.
Ownby remained present in the locker room throughout his rehab, pitching in as a veteran presence during City’s run to the USL Championship Players’ Shield.
“I can’t really put it into words — a long 14 months, lots of ups and downs,” Ownby said of the time away.
“It’s great,” coach Danny Cruz added of his return. “It’s been a whirlwind for him, I’m sure. He worked his (butt) off in the preseason — picked up a little bit of an injury in preseason that had nothing to do with what he had last season. So he’s been working hard to get back, and it was amazing — I got chills — listening to the crowd tonight.”
Understanding the moment Saturday, defender Kyle Adams equipped Ownby with the captain’s armband as he entered the field.
“There was like nothing going on in the game,” said midfielder Taylor Davila, “and then all he did was step up to the line to get subbed on and the crowd made a huge noise. I didn’t even know what was happening, but then I saw him come on and was like, ‘Yeah, that makes sense.’
“It was pretty incredible to have him come back to the field and hear the love from the fans.”
Ownby didn’t have much time to make an impact on Saturday’s game and even joked that he was hesitant to unleash one of his full-speed runs down the flank. But the crowd oohed and ahhed with his every move, including a touch in the Richmond box.
Asked of the rumor Ownby — at age 35 — returned to preseason this year faster than before his injury, he quipped that “it’s crazy what happens when you live in the gym for the year.”
“The hardest thing right now is just the body,” Ownby added. “Recovery is huge. I’m not 26 anymore. I just really enjoy it. It goes by fast.”
