New Mexico United

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New Mexico United
New Mexico United logo.svg
Full nameNew Mexico United
Nickname(s)The Black and Yellow
FoundedJune 6, 2018; 3 years ago (2018-06-06)
StadiumRio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park
Capacity13,500
OwnerPeter Trevisani
ManagerZach Prince[1]
LeagueUSL Championship
20215th, Mountain Division
8th, Western Conference
Playoffs: DNQ
WebsiteClub website
Current season

New Mexico United is an American professional soccer team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 2018, the team currently plays in the USL Championship, the second division of American association soccer.

History[]

Former teams[]

The state of New Mexico gained its first professional soccer team in the 1990s, the New Mexico Chiles of the American Professional Soccer League and later the USISL.[2][3] The team was runner-up for the league title in 1995 and attracted an average home attendance of 3,854, but was folded by its owners in 1996.[4] The Chiles was replaced the following season by the Albuquerque Geckos, who entered USISL's Division 3 with new owners and played at a new soccer stadium shared with the collegiate New Mexico Lobos.[5][6] The Geckos won the Division 3 championship and were promoted to the second division A-League in 1998,[7] but struggled to win matches and were unable to pay players and creditors.[8] The team had an average attendance of 1,200 and announced their move to Sacramento, California in October 1998.[9][10]

A semi-professional team, the Albuquerque Sol, was established in 2014 to capitalize on the area's interest in soccer. The team's owners stated that their goal was to earn a USL expansion team within a few years and eventually move to Major League Soccer (MLS).[11] The Sol commissioned a study in 2016 to analyze a potential downtown soccer-specific stadium with 10,000 seats to support a USL expansion in 2018 and a MLS expansion by 2024.[12] The stadium study identified three potential locations in downtown Albuquerque for a stadium, which would cost $24–45 million.[13]

USL launch and inaugural season[]

New Mexico United's Chris Wehan takes a corner kick during a USLC match in 2019

On June 6, 2018, the USL announced an expansion club from Albuquerque that would begin play in March 2019.[14] The club announced its name, New Mexico United, and colors on October 9, 2018, following fan suggestions that generated 226 total names.[15][16]

The team played its opening match on March 9, 2019, with 12,896 fans in attendance at Isotopes Park. Devon Sandoval scored the team's first-ever goal in a 1–1 draw against Fresno FC.[17] New Mexico United enjoyed popular success in its inaugural season, leading the USL Championship in average attendance and selling out Isotopes Park with 15,023 spectators on May 5, 2019.[18][19] In the 2019 U.S. Open Cup, the team defeated two MLS clubs (the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas) before losing in the quarterfinals to Minnesota United FC; for the match in Minnesota, the club organized a charter flight from Albuquerque that carried 180 away fans.[18][20]

2020 season[]

In March 2020, the USL Championship postponed the 2020 season with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, after New Mexico United had played one game.[21] The season restarted in July 2020 with a modified format, placing teams into eight smaller regional groups. The club was placed in Group C with Four Corners opponents Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Real Monarchs, and nearby El Paso Locomotive FC. Due to statewide health orders and quarantine requirements, New Mexico United played all 15 of their regular season matches and both of their playoff matches away from home, earning the local nickname the "Road Warriors."[22] The team ended the regular season with a record of 8 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses; a sixteenth planned match against Rio Grande Valley FC Toros was postponed, and eventually cancelled, due to cases of COVID-19 in the Rio Grande Valley organization.[23]

The club qualified for the USL Championship Playoffs by coming second in their group. In the Western Conference Quarterfinals, they defeated San Antonio FC in extra time, with Chris Wehan scoring the winning goal in the 101st minute. In the Conference Semifinal, the club lost to El Paso Locomotive 3-5 on penalties, after drawing 1-1 at the end of extra time.[24][25]

In March 2020, the club launched the Somos Unidos Foundation, a charitable nonprofit arm of the New Mexico United organization.[26]

2021 season[]

In May 2021, New Mexico United began its competitive season with a 1-0 loss away to Rio Grande Valley FC Toros. On August 21, then 17-year-old Cristian Nava became the first New Mexico United Academy player to sign a professional contract with the club.[27]

Club crest and colors[]

The club's branding draws inspiration from the Zia symbol, seen here on the state flag of New Mexico.

The New Mexico United crest is a simple yellow shield with four black lines that represent the Zia symbol, found on the state flag and used with permission from the Zia people.[16] The crest also has a black diamond with the number "18", representing the year the club was founded.[15] The yellow-and-black color scheme was colored to reference the state flag while differentiating itself from other local clubs.[15][16]

Sponsorship[]

Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2019 Adidas Meow Wolf (home)[28]
KraneShares (away)[28]
2020 Puma[29]
2021–present Meow Wolf[30]
New Mexico True[31]
Electric Playhouse (third)[32]

Stadium[]

The entrance to Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in 2005

The club plays at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, known as only Isotopes Park in 2019 and nicknamed The Lab, a baseball stadium that is primarily home to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League. New Mexico United will play at the facility until a soccer-specific stadium is built.[33] The Isotopes will remain the primary tenant and the USL team will schedule its home games during away games for the Isotopes.[34] The stadium seats 13,500 spectators for baseball games.[33]

In February 2020, New Mexico United announced that it would develop a home stadium and community culture center after being awarded $4.1 million in capital outlay funds by the state legislature.[35] A public poll of Albuquerque residents conducted in January 2021 found strong support for the construction of the stadium and culture center complex.[36]

On July 25, 2021, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller announced a stadium financing plan that would involve selling $50 million in public bonds to fund part of the $65–75 million construction cost.[37][38] The team agreed to commit $10 million in upfront costs, and another $22 million in rent over the next 25 years.[39] The plan was forwarded to the City Council, which agreed to put it to a public vote on November 2.[40] The ballot measure was rejected by a 2–1 margin.[41]

Rivalries[]

New Mexico United has rivalries with El Paso Locomotive FC and Phoenix Rising FC. [42]

Players and staff[]

Current roster[]

As of 28 January 2022[43]

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

No. Pos. Player Nation
1 GK Alexandros Tabakis  Greece
3 DF Austin Yearwood  United States
4 DF Sam Hamilton  United States
5 DF Josh Suggs  United States
6 DF Alexis Souahy  Comoros
7 FW Neco Brett  Jamaica
10 FW Amando Moreno  El Salvador
11 MF Sergio Rivas  Mexico
14 FW Ilija Ilić  Serbia
15 DF Rashid Tetteh  Ghana
16 MF Will Seymore  United States
17 FW Jerome Kiesewetter  United States
18 MF  Haiti
19 FW Tabort Etaka Preston  Cameroon
22 DF Kalen Ryden  United States
23 MF Micheal Azira  Uganda
25 MF Daniel Bruce  England
26 DF Raddy Ovouka (on loan from Accra Hearts of Oak)  Congo
33 DF Harry Swartz  United States
35 MF ([A])  United States
41 MF Chris Wehan  United States
45 FW Cristian Nava  United States
  1. ^
    USL Academy Contract
    2.

Technical staff[]

Title Name
Head Coach and Technical Director Zach Prince
Director of Soccer Operations and Assistant Technical Director Brandon Morris
First Assistant Coach and Academy Director Junro Narita
First Team Assistant Coach and Academy Head Coach Paul Leese
First Team Assistant Coach and Director of Goalkeepers Peter Davis
Head Athletic Trainer and Director of Sports Performance Tyler Harris

Last updated: November 15, 2021
Source: New Mexico United

Front office[]

Title Name
CEO and President Peter Trevisani
Chief Administrative Officer Desiree Kim
Chief Revenue Officer Dustin McCorkle[44]
Director of Innovation Lukas Cash
Creative Director Josh Lane
Director of Communications and Fan Experience David Carl
Director of Corporate Partnership Sales Clint Gray
Executive Director of the Somos Unidos Foundation Chanel Wiese

Last updated: May 7, 2021
Source: New Mexico United

Ownership[]

The club's majority owner and team president is New Mexico resident, Peter Trevisani. The club's other owners have ties to New Mexico and include investor Ian McKinnon, TEAM8, Ed Garcia, Ben Spencer, and Jason Harrington.[33]

Team records[]

As of match played October 30, 2021

Year-by-year total[]

Season Results League Pos Top Scorer 1 Club Captain
P W D L GF GA Pts 2 Player G
2019 40 13 15 12 69 71 54 10th, Western Jamaica Kevaughn Frater 17 United States Josh Suggs[45][46][47]
2020 17 9 4 4 25 18 31 2nd, Group C United States Chris Wehan 7
2021 32 12 10 10 44 40 46 5th, Mountain United States Chris Wehan 10
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TBD TBD — TBD
All-time results 3 All-time records
— 89 34 29 26 138 129 131 10th, Western United States Chris Wehan 28 —

^ 1. Top Scorer includes all competitive matches.

^ 2. Points assigns the same point values to knockout matches as the same result would receive in the league.

^ 3. All-time results includes all competitive matches.

USL Championship[]

Season USL Championship Play-offs Top Scorer 1
P W D L GF GA Pts Pos Player G
2019 34 11 13 10 59 57 46 10th, Western Conference Play-In Round Jamaica Kevaughn Frater 14
2020 15 8 3 4 23 17 27 2nd, Group C [48][49] Conference Semifinal United States Chris Wehan 6
2021 32 12 10 10 44 40 46 5th, Mountain DNQ United States Chris Wehan 10
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TBD TBD TBD —

^ 1. Top Scorer includes statistics from regular season league matches only.

USL Cup Playoffs[]

Season USL Cup Playoffs1 Top Scorer
P W D L GF GA Entered Exited Player G
2019 1 0 0 1 1 2 Conference Play-In Round United States Devon Sandoval 1
2020 2 1 1 0 2 1 Conference Quarterfinal Conference Semifinal United States Chris Wehan / Jamaica Romeo Parkes 1
2021 DNQ
TBD

^ 1. Following statistical convention, wins in extra time are recorded as wins. Wins in penalty shootouts are recorded as draws, and shootout goals are not counted as goals for or against.

U.S. Open Cup[]

Season U.S. Open Cup1 Top Scorer
P W D L GF GA Entered Exited Player G
2019 5 2 2 1 9 12 Second Round Quarterfinals United States Devon Sandoval / Jamaica Kevaughn Frater 3
2020 Cancelled 2
2021 DNQ / Cancelled 3
2022 0 0 0 0 0 0 Second Round TBD TBD 0

^ 1. Following statistical convention, wins in extra time are recorded as wins. Wins in penalty shootouts are recorded as draws, and shootout goals are not counted as goals for or against.

^ 2. The 2020 U.S. Open Cup was suspended on March 13, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[50] On August 14, the 2020 edition was cancelled.[51]

^ 3. The USSF confirmed on March 29, 2021, that the previous season's Conference finalists would participate.[52] As Western Conference losing semifinalists, New Mexico United did not qualify. On July 20, 2021, the USSF cancelled the 2021 edition of the tournament.[53]

Head coaches[]

  • Includes USL Regular Season, USL Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.
Coach Nationality Start End Matches Win Loss Draw Win %
Troy Lesesne  United States August 13, 2018 November 5, 2021 89 34 29 26 038.20
Zach Prince  United States November 15, 2021 Present 0 0 0 0 !—

Average attendance[]

Year Reg. Season Playoffs
2019 12,693 (1st in USL Championship) Did not play at home
2020 Did not play at home Did not play at home
2021 7,863 (2nd in USL Championship)[54] DNQ
2022 TBD TBD

Player records[]

Most goals[]

  • Players in bold are still active with New Mexico United; includes goals in all competitive matches
    • Includes regular season, playoffs, and domestic cup
  • As of October 30, 2021.[55]
Rank Player Nation Years active Goals
1 Chris Wehan United States 2019-2020, 2021–present 28
2 Devon Sandoval United States 2019–2021 25
3 Kevaughn Frater Jamaica 2019 17
4 Santi Moar Spain 2019 12
5 Amando Moreno El Salvador 2020–present 11
6 Sergio Rivas Mexico 2021–present 5
Daniel Bruce England 2019–present
8 Josh Suggs United States 2019–present 4
9 David Estrada Mexico / United States 2019-2020 3
Andrew Tinari United States 2020-2021
Ilija Ilić Serbia 2021-present

Most appearances[]

  • Players in bold are still active with New Mexico United; includes all competitive appearances, including substitute appearances
    • Includes regular season, playoffs, and domestic cup
  • As of October 30, 2021.[56][57]
Rank Player Nation Years active Apps.
1 Devon Sandoval United States 2019–2021 79
2 Josh Suggs United States 2019–present 74
3 Juan Pablo Guzmán Colombia 2019–2021 73
4 Daniel Bruce England 2019–present 68
Austin Yearwood United States 2019–present
6 Chris Wehan United States 2019-2020, 2021–present 66
7 Rashid Tetteh Ghana 2019–present 64
8 Justin Schmidt United States 2019–2021 60
9 Cody Mizell United States 2019–2020 56
10 Sam Hamilton United States 2019–present 49
David Estrada Mexico / United States 2019–2020

New Mexico United U23[]

Main article: New Mexico United U23

On January 23, 2020, New Mexico United announced that it will field a U23 team in the USL League Two for the 2020 season, intending for the U23 team to bridge the gap between the High Performance Youth Program and the first team.[58] The club was scheduled to compete in the Mountain Division. However, on April 30, 2020, the United Soccer League announced the cancellation of the 2020 League Two season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[59] The U23 team did not participate in the 2021 USL League Two season.[60]

References[]

  1. ^ New Mexico United announce Zach Prince as new Head Coach/Technical Director
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External links[]

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