Velocity Archives - Page 9 of 12 - USL Spokane (2024)

Originally from Montreuil, France, Souahy has played professional soccer in the United States since 2018, when he signed his first contract with Louisville City FC of USL Championship League. Spokane Velocity FC signed Souahy as a free agent in late-2023, expecting him to compete with the club this season in USL’s League One. Souahy was then transferred to FC Tulsa of USL Championship for an undisclosed fee, pending league and federation approval.

“The high-caliber of players being identified and signed by Coach Veidman and his staff will result in many Spokane Velocity FC players being sought after by teams in higher divisions—we just had not anticipated it happening prior to Alexis arriving in Spokane for preseason. Our club is focused on being player-centric, and we will always strive to make decisions on player transfers withtheirbest interests in mind as they continue their development. As Alexis begins his next journey with Tulsa FC, we extend to him our heartfelt wishes for a successful season,” said co-owner Ryan Harnetiaux.

Ahmed Longmire

Position: Center back

Jersey: 21

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Age: 24

Spokane, get ready! Las Vegas native, Ahmed Longmire, has signed with Spokane Velocity FC. Pending league and federation approval Ahmed is set to join the Velocity just in time for the upcoming preseason games. Longmire was the 10^th pick in the 2022 MLS Superdraft, going to Nashville FC. He made his professional debut in 2022 while on loan to Orange County FC of USL Championship, where he appeared in five matches, starting three.

He spent the 2023 with Huntsville City FC, Nashville’s MLS Next Pro affiliate. He started eight matches and appeared in 11, generating a passing percentage rate of 88.8%. Ahmed played two years at Utah Valley college, where he played in 39 matches and earned First-team All-WAC honors. Longmire finished his college career at the University of California Los Angeles appearing in 20 matches over two seasons. During the 2020-21 season he logged a team-high 1,121 minutes and won All Pac-12 honors both seasons.

“Ahmed is still fairly young but brings good experiences from the MLS and USL Championship,” said Leigh Veidman, Head Coach Spokane Velocity FC. “He is a center back who brings a physical prowess to our back line, technically good on the ball, and will be a key figure in us implementing our style of play. We are delighted to have him joining us!”

Pierre Reedy has entered the chat. Hailing from Kutztown, PA, Pierre has elevated every team he’s shared the pitch with. In 2022 he racked up 1,324 minutes in only 18 games for MLS Next Pro Real Monarchs. Last year, Pierre crossed the pond and helped Dundee FC secure promotion to the Scottish Premiership and ended his 2023 season lighting up the USL Championship with the Charleston Battery.

Pierre Reedy

Position: Winger

Jersey: 11

Hometown: Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Age: 26

Pierre Reedy comes to Spokane after playing a year for Charleston Battery of USL Championship, where he made 13 appearances. In 2022 he signed a MLS Next Pro contract with Real Monarchs, the development team affiliated with Real Salt Lake. In 18 games, including one with Real Salt Lake. He left Utah after the season ended and went to Scotland, where he played for Dundee FC on a short-term contract. The season ended with Dundee and Reedy winning the Scottish Championship and securing promotion to Scottish Premiership. Reedy attended Penn State University where he had 64 career starts on 69 appearances. He was team captain for three seasons, and left school with nine career goals and 12 assists. His play for the Nittany Lions earned him All-American and All-Big 10 honors.

“Pierre brings everything we are looking for in a person and a player. He is a great guy off the pitch but comes from a locker room that knows what it takes to be successful,” said Leigh Veidman, Head Coach Spokane Velocity FC. “He brings a fierce competitiveness, a dynamic attacking mindset, and is an extremely hard-working individual when it comes to defending and doing the work that often goes under the radar. He is a great addition to our club and community!”

The Spokane Club, one of the longest-running athletic facilities in Spokane, has been named the official Athletic Club Partner of the Spokane Velocity FC and the Spokane Zephyr FC.

The Club, located in the heart of downtown and whose workout facilities overlook the Spokane River, also will serve as the official workout facility of both professional soccer teams.

“We think it makes really great sense for Spokane’s newest sports venture to team up with one of the city’s most venerable athletic clubs,” said Tate Kelly, Vice President of Partnerships for USL Spokane. “They have the right mix of amenities, equipment, and venues to meet the needs of our high-level professional athletes.

From Harmukh ‘Molly’ Sandhu, CEO of the Spokane Club, “We are thrilled to partner with Spokane Velocity FC and Spokane Zephyr FC, as this collaboration represents a union of Spokane’s rich sporting heritage and its exciting future. Our commitment to excellence in athletic facilities and services aligns perfectly with the needs of high-level professional soccer teams. This partnership not only enhances our support for professional sports in Spokane but also underscores our dedication to promoting health, fitness, and community engagement. We look forward to playing a pivotal role in the journey and success of these teams, and to bringing our members and the wider community closer to the thrilling world of professional soccer.”

The Spokane Club is an Aequus Circle Partner, which is the top level of partnership with USL Spokane. The ONE Spokane Stadium videoboard will feature electronic messages from the club, and permanent club branding will be placed in the stadium year-round. Additionally, the Spokane Club is an official sponsor of the USL Spokane mobile app, which is being released February 2024.

USL Spokane will field two professional soccer teams and one pre-professional team in Spokane. The men’s team, the Spokane Velocity FC, will play as a Division III team in USL League One with a first match on the road March 9 at Greenville Triumph and home opener on March 16 at the new ONE Spokane Stadium. The Spokane Zephyr FC, a women’s professional team, will play in the USL Super League that is expected to be sanctioned as a Division I league, starting in August 2024. A pre-professional women’s team made up of elite college players will play in the USL W League.

French defender Romain Metanire has played in top European leagues, competed in World Cup qualifiers and been an MLS All-Star. The Spokane Velocity FC is thrilled to announce that Metanire is coming to Spokane, pending League, ITC, and Federation approval.

Romain Metanire

Position: Right Back

Jersey: 22

Hometown: Metz, France

Age: 33

Romain Metanire began his affiliation with FC Metz, which plays in France’s Ligue 1, when he was 6 years old. After starting his professional career in the team’s reserve club at age 18, Romain made 161 appearances and two goals from 2010-16 for Metz. He proved to be such a fan favorite with his hometown team that when he scored a goal in injury time on Feb. 5, 2016 against AS Nancy, it inspired a T-shirt: “Je t’aime comme un but de Métanire à la 91e (I love you like a Métanire goal in the 91^st).”

After leaving Metz, he played the 2016-17 season for the Belgian club KV Kortrijk before returning to France and making 59 appearances for Reimes, helping the team win promotion from Ligue 2 to Ligue 1 for the 2018-19 season.

In 2019, Romain signed with MLS’ Minnesota United. In four seasons with Minnesota, Romain appeared in 77 matches and played for 6,798 minutes, scoring one goal and making 13 assists. In the 2019 season, he represented Minnesota in the MLS All-Star Game. He returned to Europe for 2023, playing for the Belgian club R.F.C. Seraing. Romain’s ancestry is Malagasy, the indigenous people of Madagascar, and he has played for the Madagascar national team since 2018. He participated in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the quarterfinals, and then again in 2023. Madagascar also competed in FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 2022 and 2023.

“Romain obviously has an incredible resume with him being in the MLS for four years and more recently playing in World Cup Qualification games last year, so his ability as a player speaks for itself,” said Velocity Coach Leigh Veidman. “Despite an incredible resume, Romain’s passion for the game, desire to continue to push himself to improve, and his fierce competitiveness is what impresses me about him! He will be an incredible asset to our players, club, and city!”

Spokane Velocity FC is proud to announce that Luis Gil has been signed to the club roster, pending league and federation approval. Gil brings 14 years of professional experience from MLS, Mexico, Europe, and the U.S. Men’s National Team to Spokane.

Luis Gil

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Jersey: 10

Hometown: Orange County, California

Age: 30

Luis Gil signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer in 2010 at age 16 and made his professional debut with Real Salt Lake later that year in the 2010 U.S. Open Cup. Between 2010 and 2015 he scored 12 goals in 157 regular season, MLS Cup Playoff and Concacaf Champions League appearances. While at RSL, Gil helped the team advance to the 2011 Champions League Final, the 2012 U.S. Open Cup Final, and the MLS Cup 2012.

Seeing an opportunity to improve his game, Gil moved on to Querétaro of Liga MX. After helping the squad win the Copa MX Tournament in 2016, Gil spent most of 2017 and 2018 on loan to MLS teams Orlando, Colorado, and Houston – winning the U.S. Open Cup title — and Rio Grande Valley of USL Championship. From there he headed to the Czech Republic, where he played on FK Viktoria Zizkov and Taborsko from 2019-21. He returned to the U.S. in 2022 and made six appearances with Valley United of the UPSL before signing with Union Omaha of USL League One. He scored a goal in his first season with Omaha over 17 appearances. In 2023, he played all 33 games with 26 starts and 2,201 minutes, scoring two goals. Gil also has significant experience with the U.S. National Team on the U17, U18, U20, and U23 squads. He played two matches with the U.S. National Men’s Team in 2014.

“Luis has been a standout player in USL League One for the past couple years and carries a very good resume from across the world. His production from last year was on a high level but in addition to that, his energy and experience will be key in how we will defend too,” said Velocity Coach Leigh Veidman. “He knows what it takes to drive a team to success and is another key figure to push us forward.”

Spokane, WA – In “Ted Lasso,” fans of AFC Richmond would gather at the Crown and Anchor Pub to cheer on their team, celebrate wins, and share communal sorrow after a loss.

For fans of USL Spokane’s two professional soccer teams, the Spokane Velocity FC and the Spokane Zephyr FC, an official watering hole will be the Flatstick Pub in the heart of downtown Spokane.

Flatstick Pub, which combines Washington craft beer and games, is a top tier, Impact Blue Elite Partner of USL Spokane.

That partnership will manifest in several ways, all of which will benefit Spokane soccer fans, said Tate Kelly, Vice President of Partnerships for USL Spokane.

“For the Velocity season, which begins in March, this will mean that when the Velocity wins, fans win,” Kelly said. “There will be a special promotion or item that is given away the following day at Flatstick Pub after every home win.”

“We are beyond excited to be an official pub partner for the USL Spokane teams and appreciate everything the organization is doing to energize the Spokane community. Not only are we excited for the high-quality soccer they are bringing to downtown Spokane, but the vision and the goals the organization has for off the pitch are inspiring and something we want to get behind.” - Andy Largent CEO of Flatstick Pub

After every Velocity FC home game, the Flatstick Pub will be the place to be. As the official post-game hangout, the pub will have a featured discount or offer so fans can come together to celebrate a win or lament a loss.

Flatstick Pub also will be a place to gather to watch both the Velocity and the Zephyr on TV. As an official pub partner of USL Spokane, Flatstick Pub will show home and away games for both clubs on the pub’s large-screen TVs.

USL Spokane will field two professional soccer teams and one pre-professional team in Spokane. The men’s team, the Spokane Velocity FC, will play as a Division III team in USL League One with a home opener on March 16, 2024 at the new ONE Spokane Stadium. The Spokane Zephyr FC, a women’s professional team, will play in the USL Super League that is expected to be sanctioned as a Division I league, starting in August 2024. A pre-professional women’s team made up of elite college players will play in the USL W League.

Spokane, WA – The Spokane Velocity FC season is ticking closer, and the club today announces its preseason schedule.

Players will report to Spokane on Feb. 1 for physicals and orientation. Training is planned at ONE Spokane Stadium (weather dependent) and will run Feb. 2-11, including a scrimmage (closed door) with the Spokane Shadow U23 team. The club will then head to training camp in Arizona for the week of Feb. 12-18.

During that week, the players will participate in the FC Tucson Desert Friendlies presented by Visit Tucson, including a closed-door scrimmage against Sacramento Republic FC of USL Championship at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson. Several other USL, MLS, and NWSL clubs will participate in closed door and gated matches in the Desert Friendlies. FC Tucson has a 13-year history of hosting such preseason events. Learn more here.

The Velocity will conclude their time in Arizona with a closed-door match vs. USL Championship reigning champions Phoenix Rising FC at their home stadium in Phoenix.

The team will return to Spokane on Feb. 19 and continue training. A Media Day opportunity will take place Tuesday, Feb. 20 with more information for media outlets forthcoming. In addition, the club will scrimmage (closed door) the Gonzaga men’s soccer team.

The public will get their first look at the Velocity at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 2, in a preseason match in the Tri-Cities vs. Tacoma Defiance – the Seattle Sounders MLS Next Pro club. The match will be at Lampson Stadium, 505 S. Garfield St. in Kennewick. Tickets – $10 for adults, $5 children ages 2-12 – are expected to go on sale soon.

The USL League One Season for Velocity begins on March 9 with an away game against the Greenville Triumph in South Carolina. Stay tuned for information on how to stream this match as well as locations of area game watches. The home opener will come a week later, on March 16, against the Richmond Kickers at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Season tickets and a new eight-game Rumble Pack, which includes the home opener, are available online at spokanevelocityfc.com. Single game tickets are expected to go on sale in February. Fans can watch for ticket information and more news at spokanevelocityfc.com, the club newsletter (subscribe here) or the club social media channels.

SPOKANE VELOCITY PRESEASON SCHEDULE

Feb. 1 – Official first day.

Feb. 2-11 – Training at ONE Spokane Stadium (weather dependent).

Feb. 12-18 – Training camp in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona including closed-door scrimmages with Sacramento Republic at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson and Phoenix Rising at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

Feb. 19 – Back in Spokane for training.

Feb. 20 – Club media day, more details to come.

February – Closed door scrimmages with Spokane Shadow U23 club and Gonzaga University men’s soccer team.

March 2 – Preseason match vs. Tacoma Defiance at Lampson Stadium in Kennewick at 4 p.m. Tickets go on sale soon.

USL Spokane will field two professional soccer teams and one pre-professional team in Spokane. The men’s team, the Spokane Velocity FC, will play as a Division III team in USL League One with a home opener on March 16, 2024 at the new ONE Spokane Stadium. The Spokane Zephyr FC, a women’s professional team, will play in the USL Super League that is expected to be sanctioned as a Division I league, starting in August 2024. A pre-professional women’s team made up of elite college players will play in the USL W League.

Spokane, Wash. – Spokane Velocity FC is thrilled to announce the signing of two new players to its inaugural roster who have significant experience in the ranks of professional soccer.

Defender Marcelo Lage and midfielder Collin Fernandez will join the Velocity, pending league and federation approval.

Marcelo Lage

Position: Center Back

Jersey: 5

Hometown: Middleton, Massachusetts

Age: 23

Marcelo signed his first professional contract in 2023 with the Las Vegas Lights of USL Championship. Before that, he played a season at Hofstra University as a graduate transfer. While there, the Massachusetts-born defender appeared in 21 matches with 19 starts and recorded three goals. He was a key member of the defense as Hofstra won the Colonial Athletic Association title and earned an NCAA Tournament berth. He began his college career at George Washington University, then transferred to Coastal Carolina University. While at Coastal Carolina, he played in 43 matches over three seasons and scored eight goals. He was named to the All-Conference USA Third Team and in 2020 was picked for the Sun Belt Conference Championship All-Tournament Team. For the Lights, he was among the team leaders in goals, with four in 25 appearances and 18 starts. He was named the club’s player of the month for September.

“Although Marcelo was new to the USL Championship last year, he showed his value and quality in the 1,900-plus minutes he played at Las Vegas,” said Velocity Coach Leigh Veidman. “His stature defensively, physical presence, and ability on the ball are all key qualities that attracted us to Marcelo and we are excited to have him.”

Collin Fernandez

Position: Midfielder

Jersey: 6

Hometown: Downers Grove, Illinois

Age: 26

Collin signed his first professional contract with his hometown club the Chicago Fire of MLS in 2014 at age 17. In 2015, while on loan to Louisville City FC of USL Championship, he made his professional debut in a match against FC Montreal. For the 2017 season, the Fire loaned him to the Tulsa Roughnecks of USL Championship, where he played in 25 games and helped the club reach the Western Conference playoffs for the first time in team history. In 2018, he signed with Phoenix Rising of USL Championship, where he made 26 appearances and won the Western Conference Championship. He then made stops with Saint Louis FC and Tacoma Defiance before appearing in 30 matches with Austin Bold in 2021, and 22 games with Sporting Kansas City II in 2022. This past season he returned to FC Tulsa, where he had 17 starts in 32 appearances and a passing accuracy rate of 83.2. He also has significant international experience, playing with the U.S. Men’s National Team U18 and U20 squads, as well as Peru’s U20 squad.

“Collin brings a wealth of experience ranging from MLS to USL Championship that will be pivotal for us both on and off the field,” said Coach Veidman. “On the football side, he is a very good footballer but brings a robustness in central midfield that is imperative to being successful in the USL.”

At this point, the Spokane Velocity FC has filled nearly half of the team’s 20-man roster. More roster announcements will follow in the coming weeks. Fans can watch for news on the Velocity social media channels, the team website and the club’s newsletter (subscribe here.) The team will kick off League One action with an away game on March 9, and will play its first game at ONE Spokane Stadium on March 16.

Hiring exceptional coaches and players is not the only critical component to creating a winning professional soccer program from scratch. It also takes a bunch of talented folks who are experts at building community, creating excitement, and tending to the little details and big picture. USL Spokane Co-Owner and President Katie Harnetiaux and Co-Owner Ryan Harnetiaux have assembled a top-notch front office team that strives every day to bring fans to the stadium and build a culture of success.

The women’s and men’s teams each has a vice president in charge of overseeing operations and working directly with Club President Katie Harnetiaux. Janette (j.) Atkins is VP for the Spokane Zephyr FC. Phil Harrison is her counterpart for the Spokane Velocity FC.

j.’s background includes more than 20 years of experience in product creation. Much of that time she spent at Adidas, where she worked on projects for elite athletes Damian Lillard, James Harden, Chelsea Gray and Hailey Van Lith. Apart from her work for the Zephyr, j. has been an adjunct professor at Gonzaga University. She taught the course Sport and Activity in a Diverse Society, which looks at diversity and equity initiatives through the lens of athletics. j. likens her perspective on soccer to Ted Lasso, and one of her favorite soccer moments was being in the stands last year when OL Reign star Megan Rapinoe played in her final game in Seattle.

Phil Harrison comes to the Velocity after his tenures as executive director of YMCA Camp Reed in Spokane and Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Inland Northwest. Both organizations hit milestones on his watch. The Y marked its 100^th anniversary with an epic celebration at Camp Reed. Ronald McDonald House Charities reached its 35^th year of helping families in times of medical crisis. Phil remains active in the community, giving time to Leadership Spokane and the Rotary Club. While one of his fondest soccer memories is listening to the 2010 World Cup on the radio when working at Camp Reed that summer, he’s sure to create even better memories when the Velocity begin playing in two months.

Vice President of Partnerships Tate Kelly was a running star at Gonzaga University, where he set records in cross country and track. A veteran sports marketing executive, Tate returned to Spokane after serving as Director of Partnership Sales for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. He also worked with high-powered collegiate athletics at the University of Oregon and Gonzaga via IMG/Learfield Sports. In this new role, Tate is in charge of bringing regional business leaders to professional soccer in Spokane. He’s been a soccer fan since a kid and vividly remembers watching the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final with the USA and China, with Mia Hamm at the peak of her career and Brandi Chastain making her iconic penalty kick goal.

As Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Dave Sonntag is responsible for introducing USL Spokane to the community. He is working to build the brand, create innovative ways to share the stories of USL Spokane, and develop community relationships. He has more than 27 years of brand, marketing and communications experience working for institutions like Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga. At GU, he led two rebrands, and oversaw marketing for both of the Bulldogs’ Final Four runs. As a soccer parent, he spent countless hours on the sidelines in all kinds of weather. One memorable night was his son’s final Gonzaga Prep game in district playoffs. It went to penalty kicks in an absolute deluge, and while the Bullpups lost, their hard work and tenacity made a deep impression on him – and an even more proud dad.

Also working on marketing duties is Reilly Harnetiaux, tasked with managing social media, community engagement, and event coordination. A 2023 graduate of Gonzaga University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in psychology, Reilly gained real-world experience as a student ambassador, and in planning Gonzaga Experience Live, a weekend-long event for thousands of incoming students and their families. Her role with USL Spokane is like Keeley’s from “Ted Lasso,” and she’s been told her personality – an extrovert who connects with others and shows true enthusiasm for the team – is a good match there, too.

After building her career in nonprofit operations and mission development, Emma Hayes is ready for the challenge as Director of Operations and Player Administration for USL Spokane. She is eager to bring the organization’s vision to life through proven track record of establishing processes, procedures, and organizational structures that provide foundations for success. She also has a past soccer career in which she is most fond of her youth soccer days. She recalls one memorable goal at a round-robin tournament where she scored from half field, one of three times in her playing career when magic happened from that area of the pitch.

Mac Graff is USL Spokane’s Manager of Partnership Fulfillment. His sports management experience dates back to the five years he spent working with the Gonzaga men’s basketball team as a student manager and graduate manager. After earning his bachelor’s in Sports Management followed by his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, both from GU, Mac moved to Pullman for a job as Associate of Business Development at Washington State Sports Properties, handling all sponsorship fulfillment for WSU Athletics and Learfield. While his college years were intrinsically linked to basketball, his connection with soccer stems from his elementary school years. He admits, though, that he and his buddies in fourth grade were banned from playing soccer at recess because all they knew how to do was slide tackle.

Grayson Sanderson, the club’s new Player and Retail Operations Coordinator, has been around soccer since he was three years old growing up in St. Cloud, Minn. He went on to organize youth tryouts, coach at the youth and men’s recreational level, and serve as a referee. He came to Spokane to get a degree in Sports Management and Business – achievement unlocked this past May – and is eager to be involved in the development of pro soccer in his new home. Grayson thinks of himself as the office Dani “Futbol is life!” Rojas, and eagerly joined the club as an intern in March 2022.

When building a new organization, that often means creating a culture from scratch. Molly Schemmel, USL Spokane’s Designated Safeguarding Officer, is tasked with helping foster a welcoming and safe environment for all members of the USL Spokane community.Molly’s varied experiences stem from a career in clinical laboratory science and cancer research, to vibrant volunteer work that gave her perspective on building healthy organizational ecosystems. The latter includes time with the YMCA, Camp Reed, Camp Goodtimes and Gonzaga Prep. In terms of “Ted Lasso,” she likens herself to Ted, who knows more about football than futbol, stealth baking skills, and a reputation for being positive and even keeled.

(Please forgive our references if you have not yet watched Apple TV’s Ted Lasso!)