Wilmington Hammerheads
| Wilmington Hammerheads | |||
| Basic data | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Surname | Wilmington Hammerheads Football Club |
||
| Seat | Wilmington, NC | ||
| founding | 1996 | ||
| owner | George Altirs | ||
| Website | www.wilmingtonhammerheads.com | ||
| First soccer team | |||
| Head coach | Mark Briggs | ||
| Venue | Legion Stadium | ||
| Places | 6,000 | ||
| league | Premier Development League | ||
| 2016 | Regular Season: 9th place, East Play-offs: not qualified |
||
|
|||
Wilmington Hammerheads is an American football franchise of the Premier Development League in Wilmington , North Carolina .
The Hammerheads were founded in 1996 and played in the United Soccer League , the third highest league in the USA , from the 2011 to 2016 season . For the 2017 season, the franchise switched to the amateur league Premier Development League.
history
In 2003 the team was able to win a title for the first time. They won in the final of the play-offs of the USL Pro Select League 2-1 against the Westchester Flames. The year before, the Hammers were also represented in the final, but lost it to the Long Island Rough Riders.
The team was also able to achieve a great success in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup , when they defeated Dallas Burn 4-1 in 2003 and only narrowly failed to DC United in the subsequent quarter-finals . In 2009 a team from Major League Soccer , Chicago Fire , could again be defeated in the cup. The Hammers won this game in the third round 1-0.
The 2009 season, the last of the Wilmington Hammerheads for the time being, was one of the most successful in its history. At the end of the season, the team took first place in the regular season and advanced to the semi-finals of the play-offs. Then the USL declared the relationship with the owner of the Hammerheads, Chuck Sullivan, ended because he had not met certain conditions. The team then temporarily suspended the game for 2010.
Two investors bought the franchise and the team started playing again from the 2011 season. In September 2013, the ownership structure of the hammerheads changed again. Three years after his takeover, Bill Rudisill gave up his majority stake and George Altir became the new owner of the franchise.
In the USL Pro, the Hammerheads had their greatest success so far in the 2012 season. After a 5th place in the regular season, they reached the play-offs. There the Hammers made it to the final, where they failed, however, at Charleston Battery .
Carson Porter took over as coach in mid-2014. He made it to the quarter-finals of the play-offs with the hammerheads. In the 2015 season, Wilmington landed last in the Eastern Conference. As a result, Porter resigned from his position as a coach.
Stadion
- Legion Stadium ; Wilmington, North Carolina (2003–2009, 2011–)
The Wilmington Hammerheads play their home games at Legion Stadium. The stadium is part of the Legion Sports Complex, which, in addition to the venue, also has spaces for the youth teams that play in the Super Y-League of the franchise. The stadium has a total capacity of 6,000 spectators.
organization
owner
From 1998 to 2013 the Hammerheads were run by an owner group led by Dale Boyd, Bruce Cavenaugh, Bill Rudisill and David Schroeder. Later on, Bill Rudisill became the majority shareholder in Hammerheads before selling his shares in 2013.
George Altir has been the main owner of the Wilmington Hammerheads since September 2013. Originally from Lebanon , Altirs moved to the United States in 1988 and is the CEO of the US fashion brand Capelli New York . In addition to the Hammerheads, he also owns the Cedar Stars Academy, a youth football facility near Carlstadt, New Jersey . He is also the owner of the Capelli Sport Center, a sports hall.
MLS partnership
In January 2014, a one-year development partnership was concluded with Toronto FC . At least four Canadians players should be loaned to the Hammerheads, and there was a test match between the two teams.
In January 2015 a new partner from Major League Soccer was found with New York City FC .
Players and staff
Current squad
As of January 27, 2015
|
|
Current coaching staff
As of January 27, 2015
-
Carson Porter - Trainer / Technical Director -
Mary Biehner - fitness trainer
Previous trainers
-
David Irving (1998-2014) -
Carson Porter (2014-2015)
successes
- USL PRO Championship Finalist: 2012
- USL Second Division Regular Season Champions: 2009
- USL Pro Select League Champions 2003
- USL D-3 Pro League Southern Division Champions: 2001, 2002
statistics
Seasonal balance
| year | league | Reg. Season | Play-offs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | USISL Pro League | 3rd place, South Atlantic | Semifinals | not qualified |
| 1997 | USISL D-3 Pro League | 5th place, South Atlantic | not qualified | not qualified |
| 1998 | USISL D-3 Pro League | 6th place, Atlantic | Division semi-finals | not qualified |
| 1999 | USL D-3 Pro League | 2nd place, Atlantic | Conference finals | 2nd round |
| 2000 | USL D-3 Pro League | 2nd place, Southern | Conference quarterfinals | 2nd round |
| 2001 | USL D-3 Pro League | 1st place, Southern | Conference finals | not qualified |
| 2002 | USL D-3 Pro League | 1st place, Southern | final | Did not qualify |
| 2003 | USL Pro Select League | 2nd place, Southern | winner | Quarter finals |
| 2004 | USL Pro Soccer League | 2nd place, Southern | Quarter finals | 3rd round |
| 2005 | USL Second Division | 4th Place | Semifinals | 3rd round |
| 2006 | USL Second Division | 8th place | not qualified | 4th round |
| 2007 | USL Second Division | 7th place | not qualified | not qualified |
| 2008 | USL Second Division | 7th place | not qualified | not qualified |
| 2009 | USL Second Division | 1st place | Semifinals | Quarter finals |
| 2010 | no participation | |||
| 2011 | USL Pro | 2nd place, American Division | Division semi-finals | 3rd round |
| 2012 | USL Pro | 5th place | final | 3rd round |
| 2013 | USL Pro | 9th place | not qualified | 3rd round |
| 2014 | USL Pro | 7th place | Quarter finals | 2nd round |
| 2015 | USL | 12th place, East | not qualified | 2nd round |
| 2016 | USL | 9th place, East | not qualified | 4th round |
Individual evidence
- ^ Hammerheads Return for 2011 . Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ↑ Bob Bonner, Kristy Ondo, Debra Worley: Hammerheads removed from USL: Owner has comment . In: WECT . October 15, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
- ^ Bob Bonner: USL moving on without hammerheads . In: WECT . December 2, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
- ↑ New Hammerheads owner fulfilling a lifelong dream ( English ) StarNewsOnline.com. October 5, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ NYCFC Announce Affiliation with Wilmington Hammerheads . nycfc.com. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
- ↑ 2014 Team Roster ( English ) Wilmington Hammerheads. Archived from the original on January 30, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ Front Office Staff ( English ) Wilmington Hammerheads. Archived from the original on January 31, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
Eastern Conference: Atlanta United 2 | Birmingham Legion FC | Charleston Battery | Charlotte Independence | Hartford Athletic | Indy Eleven | Loudoun United | Louisville City | Memphis 901 FC | Miami FC | New York Red Bulls II | North Carolina FC | Philadelphia Union II | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | Saint Louis FC | Sporting Kansas City II | Tampa Bay rowdies
Western Conference: Austin Bold | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | El Paso Locomotive | LA Galaxy II | Las Vegas Lights | New Mexico United | Oklahoma City Energy | Orange County SC | Phoenix Rising | Portland Timbers 2 | Real Monarchs | Reno 1868 FC | Rio Grande Valley Toros | Sacramento Republic | San Antonio FC | San Diego Loyal | Tacoma Defiance | Tulsa FC
Future Franchises: Oakland East Bay (2021) | Queensboro SC (2021) | Rhode Island (2022)
Former Franchises: Antigua Barracuda (2011–2013) | Austin Aztex (2011-2017) | Charlotte Eagles (2011-2014) | FC Cincinnati (2015-2018) | Dayton Dutch Lions (2011-2014) | FC Montréal (2015-2016) | FC New York (2011) | Orlando City (2011-2014) | Ottawa Fury (2017-2019) | Penn FC (2011-2018) | Phoenix FC (2013) | Puerto Rico United (2011) | River Plate Puerto Rico (2011) | Richmond Kickers (2011-2018) | Rochester Rhinos (2011-2017) | Toronto FC II (2011-2018) | Sevilla FC Puerto Rico (2011) | Vancouver Whitecaps 2 (2015-2017) | Tampa Bay FC (2013) | Wilmington Hammerheads (2011-2016)