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Louisville City is working through two training sessions a day as the two-time USL Championship title winners prepare for the 2020 season. Check out photos from inside a LouCity training session.
Louisville City, the Eastern Conference title winners from 2019, returned 17 players from last year’s team. The club added a pair of new players, Corben Bone and Jimmy Ockford, to an already powerful lineup.
“I love the mentality of the group, the work ethic of the group and again I go back to the fact that we have so many players returning that a lot of the things we are doing is refreshing ideas we have done in the past,” Louisville City coach John Hackworth said.
Bone and Ockford appear to be fitting right in, participating in every drill, every session and already working smoothly with longtime LouCity veterans around them.
“Preseason is always tough in the beginning, getting those early miles on your legs, but it gets more fun as you get into more detail,” Bone said. “It is just great to get back out here and get started.”
Hackworth targeted Bone and Ockford to add to the LouCity lineup this off-season. Bone is a competitive, skilled midfielder with six seasons in the MLS, most recently for FC Cincinnati. Hackworth worked with Bone during his time in Philadelphia, and Bone was teammates with LouCity assistant coach Danny Cruz and striker Antoine Hoppenot.
“I know Corben a little bit better and he knows me as a coach so I am not surprised that the adjustment has been easier for him,” Hackworth said. “Corben is a really good soccer player and that is evident from everything we are doing in training. A player like him who understands how valuable it is to have the ball and how we want to move it, he fits in super well with us.”
Bone said the team has welcomed him from Day 1.
“They have made it easy for me,” Bone said. “They are a very cohesive group and now I’ll need to find my place to help the team. They have done a great job of incorporating me into training already.”
Ockford is a strong, physical defender with an eye for headers on set pieces who played in Nashville last season on loan from the San Jose Earthquakes. Ockford liked the intensity in the first few workouts.
“We got after it right away – the guys came out to play right away,” Ockford said. “We went through some fast-paced possession and small-sided and we already threw some fitness in there. We are feeling it already, but it feels great to get off to a fast start.”
After the first few training sessions, Hackworth likes what he sees from Ockford.
“You can tell right away that he fits the group very well,” Hackworth said. “He certainly has a competitive mentality in everything he does. He has a lot of good qualities as a defender and an attacking player so we are looking forward to working with him more and more and getting him more acclimated to our team.”
Louisville City Football Club held its first training Friday night at Spalding University’s new stadium in downtown Louisville. Head coach and Sporting Director John Hackworth spoke with www.loucity.com after the training.
“It’s always great to be back on the field and get back to work,” Hackworth said. “For all of us, while the off-season is nice to recuperate and recover, we start to get a little antsy. Being back on the field with the boys and our staff felt really good.”
Hackworth and Louisville City were able to bring back 17 players from the 2019 roster including 13 of the 14 players who saw action in the 2019 USL Championship Final.
“We want to build on all the things we did last year,” Hackworth said. “Because we have a lot of the same guys returning, we are looking to make sure that we are fit and trying to make sure we get our ideas established about how we want to play. Really in this first week, we are trying to have a review and at the same time work on some of the details we have to improve on.”
Having 17 returning players – including the recently signed Ben Lundt – Louisville City’s technical staff has an advantage when it comes to these early training sessions. Hackworth and Co. also added former MLS players Corben Bone and Jimmy Ockford to the roster, Bone from FC Cincinnati and Ockford from Nashville. The club also had several trialists practicing with the team Friday.
“Without giving away secrets of who is on trial, there are three new players out here and everyone else has been in this locker room, been on this team and understands what our standards are,” Hackworth said. “These players understand our culture and that makes our jobs that much easier. I have said it before that these guys are fun to work with because they are very driven.”
Louisville City will take the field twice on Saturday in its first day of double sessions for the 2020 season.
“For sure when you are doing double days there is a lot of work in terms of volume, and guys are going . to have to make sure they are taking care of themselves off the field in terms of regen- and recovering,” Hackworth said. “Training comes at you hard and fast this time of year.”
Louisville City will open its season on March 7 vs. North Carolina FC. The club will open its home schedule on April 11 at Lynn Family Stadium vs. Birmingham Legion FC. Season tickets are now available by calling 502-LOU-CITY or by clicking here for the Lynn Family Stadium Virtual Tour.
Louisville City Football Club’s new U23 team released its first-ever schedule Friday. The team of elite high school talent and collegiate stars will open its season Tuesday, May 19 vs. the Flint City Bucks.
“We are excited for the challenge of playing Flint City for our opening game,” Louisville City U23 coach Mario Sanchez said. “Flint City won the USL League Two Final last season, and we expect them to be good again this season.”
The USL League Two regular season takes place from May 19 to mid-July. Louisville City U23 will compete in the Great Lakes division this season. Each team plays a 14-match schedule against their respective divisional opponents, seven at home and seven away.
“The Great Lakes Region has typically been one of the best in the league so we are stepping into a challenge,” Sanchez said. “I am looking forward to developing our roster to meet that challenge.”
Louisville City will play its home games at local venues including at least one match at Lynn Family Stadium during the 2020 season.
“In addition to being a great experience for the players, I love it for Louisville City fans who will have the chance to spot the next future star who may be wearing the first-team uniform in the coming years,” Sanchez said. “This is the final step in the pathway before becoming a professional player.”
After the home opener on May 19, Louisville City will go on the road to face Ann Arbor on May 22 and Oakland County on May 24 before returning home to host the Cincinnati Dutch Lions on May 27.
In June, Louisville City U23 will host the South Bend Lions (June 5), the Dayton Dutch Lions (June 16), Ann Arbor (June 19) and Grand Rapids (June 21). LouCity will have road trips to Dayton on June 3, Grand Rapids on June 12 and Flint City on June 27.
July begins with a road trip to South Bend on July 3 followed by the final regular-season home match vs. Oakland County on July 7 and a road trip to Cincinnati on July 10.
The division winner plus the highest-finishing second-place team in the conference will advance to the playoffs which will begin in late July.
THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2020 – Louisville City Football Club formally announced the formation of a League Two team for the 2020 USL season Thursday. The team, which will be called Louisville City U-23, will be led by Director of Youth Development Mario Sanchez.
“We are excited to launch this new venture which fits perfectly into our goal of building a wholistic soccer club,” Sanchez said. “Our U-23 team will help us identify future stars, giving us the opportunity to work directly with players who we have identified as having the potential to be future professionals.”
Louisville City U-23 team will be comprised of collegiate all-stars and elite high school prospects who are looking to gain intense and meaningful competition during the summer. Sanchez, a USSF ‘A’ license coach with 21 years of NCAA Div. I coaching experience as an Asst. and Head Coach, joined Louisville City FC in 2019 as the Director of Youth Development.
“We’re delighted to see such strong interest from an excellent USL Championship club in further creating a pathway to professional soccer in the Louisville area,” said Joel Nash, Vice President of USL League Two. “The addition of a League Two team is sure to give local players the chance to test themselves against the best pre-professional competition in the region, as well as providing Louisville City’s passionate fan base another team to support.”
As the North American soccer pyramid has evolved, USL’s League Two (formerly called the PDL) has become known for producing future stars. At least 7 out of every 10 selections in the MLS SuperDraft have come from the USL League Two system including a record 66 selections in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.
“USL League Two has proven its worth as a launching point for the next generation of American soccer stars, both at the USL and MLS level This will help these young players continue their development during the collegiate off-season as well as provide exposure with potential opportunities to train with our first team,” Sanchez said. “This will give our younger stars from the LouCity Academy a chance to play against older, more experienced competition.”
The USL League Two regular season takes place from early May to mid-July. Louisville City U-23 will compete in the Great Lakes division this season. Each team plays a 14-match schedule against their respective divisional opponents, seven at home and seven away. Louisville City will play its home games at local venues including at least one match at Lynn Family Stadium during the 2020 season.
“In addition to being a great experience for the players, I love it for Louisville City fans who will have the chance to spot the next future star who may be wearing the first-team uniform in the coming years,” Sanchez said. “This is the final step in the pathway before becoming a professional player.”
The full USL League Two schedule will be released on Friday, Jan. 24. The division winner plus the highest-finishing second-place team in the conference will advance to the playoffs which will begin in late July. The USL League Two Final will be contested in early August.
TUESDAY, JAN. 21, 2019 – Louisville City Football Club will welcome goalkeeper Ben Lundt on a season-long loan for the 2020 season, the club announced Tuesday. Lundt, who was part of Louisville City’s Eastern Conference title team in 2019, will be back on the roster for the club’s first season in Lynn Family Stadium.
“We are excited that Ben is returning to our Club for another season,” Louisville City Head Coach and Sporting Director John Hackworth said. “He is an extremely talented young goalkeeper who was an important member of our teams’ success last season. He understands the standards and demands that we expect from all our players.”
One of the top goalkeepers in college soccer while playing for the powerhouse Akron Zips, Lundt was drafted in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by FC Cincinnati and then loaned to Louisville City last season. The 6-foot-6 ½ goalkeeper made an immediate impact with the club, taking over the starting role in Game 2 as LouCity faced Atlanta United 2. Producing a clean sheet in his first start, Lundt impressed teammates with three saves.
Lundt’s height, wingspan, and quickness made for an imposing presence in goal during his 12 starts for Louisville City in 2019.
“We’re excited to bring back a player of Ben’s quality to our squad,” Louisville City goalkeepers coach Scott Budnick said. “It will be great to work with Ben and all of our goalkeepers as we prepare for another championship run.”
With Lundt’s help, Louisville City finished in the Top 10 in the USL Championship in goals allowed in 2019. Lundt recorded 21 saves and four clean sheets before injuring his foot in June. Chris Hubbard took over the starting role and registered 78 saves and five clean sheets.
The 2020 season will be Lundt’s second season with Louisville City on loan from FC Cincinnati. The Berlin, Germany, native played for Hertha BSC’s U-17 and U-23 clubs before coming to America to play at Lenoir-Rhyne University. After transferring to Akron, Lundt made 64 starts over three seasons while leading the Zips to three-straight MAC Championships and appearances in the NCAA College Cup in 2017 and 2018.
LouCity’s current roster headed into 2020, listed alphabetically by position, is below:
Goalkeepers (2): Chris Hubbard, Ben Lundt
Defenders (6): Oscar Jimenez, Pat McMahon, Jimmy Ockford, Alexis Souahy, Sean Totsch, Akil Watts
Midfielders (6): Corben Bone, Paolo DelPiccolo, Napo Matsoso, Niall McCabe, Magnus Rasmussen, Speedy Williams
Forwards (5): George Davis IV, Antoine Hoppenot, Brian Ownby, Luke Spencer, Abdou Thiam
MONDAY, JAN. 20, 2019 – Louisville City Football Club announced a multi-year contract for new Technical Director Danny Cruz Monday. The Louisville City assistant coach has helped lead the club to the 2018 and 2019 Eastern Conference titles and the 2018 USL Championship title.
“We are so excited that Danny has signed a contract extension with the club,” Louisville City coach and Sporting Director John Hackworth said. “He is one of the brightest young coaches and leaders in our sport. He deserves the faith that (LouCity President) Brad (Estes) and our ownership group has shown in him. We are fortunate that he and his family have chosen to extend their time here in Louisville.”
In addition to the multi-year contract, Cruz’s title was updated from Assistant Coach to Technical Director. Under Hackworth’s guidance, Cruz will drive the player development of Louisville City’s senior team.
“We are ecstatic that Danny and his family have chosen to extend their time with our LouCity family,” Estes said. “Danny is not only a talented young coach, but he’s a tremendous person as well. We are looking forward to his contributions to our club for years to come.”
“I want to thank Brad, Hack, John Neace and the entire Louisville City ownership group for allowing me the privilege to play a role in this club,” Cruz said. “I am humbled every day that I get to work with a manager like Hack, a staff like ours, and for a group of players that demand nothing but excellence every time they step on the field. I can honestly say that to be able to call myself a coach of this group of players is something that makes me so proud”
Cruz, who was tabbed as Hackworth’s first assistant coach in September of 2018, was an immediate help during LouCity’s 2018 run to the USL Championship title. During the 2019 season, Cruz helped Hackworth establish the club’s beautiful style of play, confounding opponents during that latter part of the season with its ability to play out of the back line with double-digit passing sequences.
“I have known Hack for 14 years now and I can honestly say that I have continued to learn from him throughout the entire time,” Cruz said. “While he has certainly helped me become a better coach, he has more importantly helped me become a better man.”
A native of Petersburg, Virginia, Cruz played professional soccer since his selection in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, registering 137 Major League Soccer appearances including time with the Dynamo, DC United and the Philadelphia Union. Danny was a starter on the 2011 Houston Dynamo squad which squared off against the David Beckham, Landon Donovan-led L.A. Galaxy team in the 2011 MLS Cup. Cruz trained under Hackworth in Philadelphia, registering 70 career appearances while scoring seven goals. Cruz also had experience playing with the Des Moines Menace, Minnesota United, the San Francisco Deltas and the Real Monarchs SLC.
Cruz will help Louisville City open its new soccer-specific stadium, Lynn Family Stadium, for the 2020 USL Championship season. The club will host its first game in its new home on April 11, hosting Birmingham Legion.
“Our new home is going to be one of the best stadiums in the country and I can’t wait to see our players enjoying every moment of playing in it,” Cruz said. “I am looking forward to getting this season started and working towards our goal of winning another USL Championship.”
Cruz and his wife, Brittany, recently welcomed a son, Santiago, to their family. The Cruz family lives in Louisville.
Louisville City is one of the preseason favorites in the Eastern Conference, returning 16 players from its 2019 Eastern Conference Title-winning team including 10 of 11 starters from the 2019 USL Championship title match. The club added MLS veterans Corben Bone and Jimmy Ockford to an already stout lineup and will begin training for the 2020 season later this week.
Fans can secure tickets for the 2020 season by calling (502) LOU-CITY or securing your seats via the club’s web site, www.loucity.com. A limited number of single-game tickets will go on sale in February.
Wednesday, January 15, 2019 – Louisville City FC announced its participation as one of four teams in the second annual Wasatch Winter Cup Wednesday. The Cup, hosted at Zions Bank Real Academy in Herriman, Utah, will consist of the final two teams in the USL Championship Playoffs: Louisville City and Real Monarchs, as well as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and Union Omaha.
“The training center for Real Salt Lake and the Monarchs is fantastic, but the most important aspect of our Utah trip will be playing USL opponents in meaningful matches,” Louisville City coach John Hackworth said. “It’s still preseason, but anytime you can play in a competition with a trophy & title on the line, it adds another level of importance to the competition”
The Monarchs will welcome clubs to Herriman for matches beginning Sunday, February 16, with the tournament running through Saturday, February 22. All matchdays will be double-headers and are scheduled to be played inside Zions Bank Stadium, pending inclement weather. If inclement weather occurs, matches will be played inside the Zions Bank Training Center which boasts over 200,000 sq. feet of playing surface across two fields. Matches will be played on February 16, 19 and 22.
Louisville City will face the Switchbacks on Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. MT) and Union Omaha on Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. ET (1 p.m. MT). The match with the Monarchs, a rematch of the 2019 USL Championship Title game, will be played at 11 a.m. ET (9 a.m. MT) on Feb. 22.
“We are excited to be hosting the Wasatch Winter Cup again here in Herriman with three very well prepared and well-coached teams,” said Real Monarchs Assistant General Manager Tim Weaver. “Louisville City, Colorado Springs and Omaha will all provide excellent competition for the Monarchs and one another, as we prepare to defend the USL league championship. We are privileged to have such world-class facilities and are honored that these clubs have agreed to come here to prepare for their respective seasons. We look forward to welcoming each team and hosting them in what is sure to be an entertaining and world-class preseason tournament.”
Hackworth said his assistant coach, Danny Cruz, helped secure LouCity a spot in this year’s Wasatch Cup.
“Danny brought this opportunity to our attention during the 2018 season,” Hackworth said. “At that time, we were unable to incorporate it into our 2019 preseason. However, after reflecting on our 2019 preseason preparation, Danny and I both felt that playing USL opponents during preseason would help us in the future.”
Louisville City has preseason matches prior to leaving for Utah. The full preseason schedule will be released next week.
Louisville City begins its USL Championship schedule on March 7 at North Carolina FC. The Boys in Purple will open Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday, April 11 vs. Birmingham Legion in a nationally televised match.
FULL SCHEDULE:
February 16 – Real Monarchs v. Union Omaha – 7:00p ET
Switchbacks FC v. Louisville City FC – 9:00p ET
February 19 – Real Monarchs v. Switchbacks FC – Noon ET
Union Omaha v. Louisville City FC – 3:00p ET
February 22 – Real Monarchs v. Louisville City FC – 11:00a ET
Union Omaha v. Switchbacks FC – 1:30p ET
MONDAY, JAN. 13, 2019 – As Soccer Holdings continues its expansion in Louisville with the development of an NWSL franchise, USL League 2 team and Academy programs, the club made a key hire Monday, bringing in James O’Connor as the new Executive Vice President of Development.
“We are excited to welcome James into our front office,” Soccer Holdings President Brad Estes said. “Hack and his staff are doing a phenomenal job leading our USL Championship team. We know James will be equally effective in developing the plan for our Academy and in building our NWSL side.”
As Executive Vice President of Development, O’Connor will focus on building the structure around LouCity’s new Academy including its USL League 2 team while building the NWSL franchise from the ground up into a top-level club. The former coach at Louisville City from 2015-2018 and coach at Orlando City in 2018-2019, O’Connor brings a wealth of experience in soccer at all levels.
“I’d like to thank John Neace, Brad Estes, and the ownership group for giving me this great opportunity,” O’Connor said. “It is a wonderful time to be rejoining this class organization. We have an opportunity to build our Academy to develop the next generation of local talent. We are also welcoming some of the best women’s soccer stars in the world to Louisville in 2021. We have a lot of work to do, and I can’t wait to get started.”
O’Connor was crucial in the development of Louisville City when the club began in 2015, identifying and bringing in talented players while helping develop the professional soccer culture in the city. He will be taking on a similar task in launching the NWSL and Academy programs. Under O’Connor’s guidance, the club won its first USL Championship Title in 2017, knocking off the Swope Park Rangers in a historic match at Louisville Slugger Field.
Moving back to Louisville after his time at Orlando City, O’Connor will not be involved in the men’s team but will establish a new club – the city’s NWSL side which will begin play in 2021. O’Connor will not be coaching the new NWSL team but will develop the organizational structure around the new team and will identify, evaluate and hire the staff members who will launch the club next year.
In addition to working to put in place the foundation of the NWSL franchise, O’Connor will work with Director of Youth Development Mario Sanchez and Louisville City Head Coach and Sporting Director John Hackworth on growing the Academy and development program. O’Connor will be developing the structure supporting the Academy to aid Sanchez’s work on the pitch so that the men’s and women’s Academy system can properly prepare players to compete for Hackworth’s team and the future NWSL team.
“It is an extraordinarily fortunate opportunity that James and his family have chosen to return to our club,” Hackworth said. “His impact previously speaks for itself, but the future growth of our organization needs his unique and unprecedented skill set. On a personal level, I am excited to collaborate with James as we develop our club.”
The Dublin, Ireland, native played for the Irish Under-21s while beginning his career with Stoke City from 1996-2003. He was part of West Bromwich Albion from 2003-2005, playing on loan at Burnley from 2004-05 before becoming part of Burnley’s club from 2005-2008. After three seasons at Sheffield Wednesday, O’Connor moved to Orlando City in the MLS, working as a player-coach for Orlando City during his final season.
Louisville City began as an affiliate of Orlando City, and when Orlando City sold their rights to their USL Pro team to Soccer Holdings in Louisville, O’Connor was tabbed to become Louisville City’s first head coach.
“James’ character is a great fit for us, and he will be a tremendous leader as we exponentially grow our organization,” Estes said.
O’Connor will begin work with Soccer Holdings immediately and his family has already moved back to Louisville.
