Spokane Velocity FC
Founded2021
StadiumOne Spokane Stadium
Capacity5,000
OwnerAequus Sports, LLC
(Ryan and Katie Harnetiaux)
Head coachLeigh Veidman
LeagueUSL League One
WebsiteClub website

Spokane Velocity FC is a planned American professional soccer team based in Spokane, Washington. First announced in 2021, the team plans to play in USL League One beginning in 2024.

History

In March 2021, United Soccer League announced a proposal to build a 5,000-seat stadium in downtown Spokane to serve as home to a new USL League One club.[1] In May 2021, the Spokane Public School Board voted to approve the $31 million stadium project.[2][3]

In December 2021, the Spokane Public Facilities District met with USL and MLS Next Pro officials over which league would place a team at the city-run stadium.[4]

On October 7, 2022, the club announced their new ownership group, Aequus Sports, LLC (led by Ryan and Katie Harnetiaux) as well as that their men's team would start play in USL League One in 2024.[5][6]

The club announced a partnership with Capelli Sport on June 21, 2023, making them their exclusive uniform, equipment, and training apparel provider.[7] The official team name, Spokane Velocity FC, and crest were announced at a launch event on July 21, 2023.[8]

On November 15, 2023, Charleston Battery assistant coach Leigh Veidman was named Spokane Velocity's first-ever head coach.[9]

The inaugural match is scheduled for March 9, 2024 against the Greenville Triumph SC at Paladin Stadium while the club's first home match will be March 12 against the Richmond Kickers.[10]

Club identity

The team's name and crest were unveiled on July 21, 2023. Both reference the Spokane River, which runs through Downtown Spokane and passes near One Spokane Stadium. The crest features four vertical blue bars that represent the river's waterfalls, while the "Velocity" wordmark above is shaped similar to a simplified version of the Monroe Street Bridge.[8][11]

Affiliated women's teams

In June 2021, Spokane was named as one of the founding cities of the USL W League, a women's league that began play in 2022.[12] The team is set to join W League for the 2024 season, along with the completion of One Spokane Stadium.[13]

Spokane's ownership announced in October 2022 that they wanted to bring professional women's soccer to the city.[13] A women's team representing Spokane in the USL Super League was announced in May 2023. It will be owned by the USL Spokane ownership group and begin play in August 2024, sharing their home stadium with the men's team and W League team.[14]

The team name was announced in November 2023, as Spokane Zephyr FC.[15]

Players and staff

Staff

As of December 20, 2023
Front Office Staff
President Katie Harnetiaux[16]
Vice President of Marketing and Communications Dave Sonntag[17]
Director of Ticket Sales and Service Cory Howerton[18]
Assistant Manager of Season Ticket Sales Dalton O’Brien[18]
Assistant Manager of Group Sales Logan Robben[18]
Technical Staff
Head coach Leigh Veidman
Assistant coach Vacant
Goalkeeping coach Vacant

Current roster

As of January 12, 2024[19]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Mexico MEX Carlos Merancio
2 DF Spain ESP Javier Martín Gil
5 DF United States USA Marcelo Lage
6 MF Peru PER Collin Fernandez
8 MF United States USA Morgan Hackworth
9 FW England ENG Josh Dolling
18 DF United States USA Derek Waldeck
19 MF England ENG Jack Denton
23 MF United States USA Grayson Dupont

Team records

Head coaches

  • Includes USL Regular Season, USL Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.
CoachNationalityStartEndGamesWinLossDrawWin %
Leigh Veidman[20]  England November 15, 2023 present 0 0 0 0 !—

References

  1. ↑ USLSoccer.com Staff (March 2, 2021). "USL, Downtown Spokane Partnership Announce New Proposal for Downtown Stadium". USLSoccer.com.
  2. ↑ "Spokane Public Schools board votes to build new stadium downtown". krem.com. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  3. ↑ USLLeagueOne.com Staff (May 5, 2021). "New Downtown Spokane Stadium Development Approved by Public School Board". USL League One. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ Allen, Jim (December 13, 2021). "MLS or USL? Decision on professional soccer is up to the Spokane Public Facilities District". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  5. ↑ Robertson, Erin (October 7, 2022). "United Soccer League announces addition of men's team to Spokane club-club/". KXLY-TV. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  6. ↑ "New USL Spokane Ownership Introduced to Community". uslleagueone.com. October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  7. ↑ "USL Spokane". capellisport.com. June 21, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Allen, Jim (July 21, 2023). "Spokane's United Soccer League team debuts 'Velocity FC' name, logo". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  9. ↑ https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1291382
  10. ↑ Wright, Jarrett (November 17, 2023). "Spokane Velocity FC announces first home game in club history". krem.com. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  11. ↑ Spokane Velocity (July 21, 2023). "Our Crest". Spokane Velocity. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  12. ↑ "United Soccer League Announces Addition of a W League Team in Spokane". USL Spokane. June 23, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  13. 1 2 "New USL Spokane Ownership Introduced to Community". www.uslwleague.com. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  14. ↑ Allen, Jim (May 16, 2023). "Spokane gets top-tier USL women's soccer team". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  15. ↑ "New Women's Spokane Soccer team name revealed". krem.com. November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Katie Harnetiaux Joins USL Spokane as President". Spokane Velocity Football Club. October 18, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Dave Sonntag to Join USL Spokane as Vice President of Marketing and Communications". August 31, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 "Meet the Staff: Ticketing Team". December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Spokane Velocity FC Signs Five Players". Spokane Velocity Football Club. January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Spokane Velocity FC Hires Leigh Veidman as Club's First Head Coach". USL Spokane. November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.


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