The Kickers fell short (again) in the playoffs but it was not for a lack of talent. Fellow USL1 peers voted and three Kickers as the best of the best. Most impressive has to be Emiliano Terzaghi who was selected for the third time in a row as League MVP.
USL League One announced on Friday that Richmond Kickers’ forward Emiliano Terzaghi is the league’s Most Valuable Player for an unprecedented third consecutive season. Terzaghi becomes the first player in American professional soccer (outdoor) history to be named a league’s MVP three times in succession.
The 2022 campaign saw Terzaghi earn his third straight Golden Boot award as the league’s leading goal scorer with 17 tallies, extending his lead as USL League One’s all-time leading goalscorer with 45 goals. Currently, Terzaghi has 46 goals for the Kickers after scoring the stoppage-time game-winner against NC Fusion in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup this season.
“Being named MVP for the third time along with three golden boots as well is a great source of pride for me,” Terzaghi said. “It is something that is very difficult to achieve and requires me to improve myself every season with a lot of work and effort. I thank each of my teammates, coaches, and family because without them none of this would be possible. I feel very proud.”
“Emiliano showed his class again this year winning the Golden Boot and the MVP of USL League One,” Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach, Darren Sawatzky said. “To accomplish this three years in a row is incredible and it’s a testament to his hard work and dedication to the game.
“To be consistent in scoring goals at any level is difficult. USL League One is a very competitive league where players already know Emiliano can score goals and to score 17 goals is an amazing accomplishment for a very good player. There are many quality players that epitomize the role of MVP for their teams in our league, and we are happy for Emiliano that he was recognized again as he is very valuable to our club here in Richmond.”
Terzaghi also returned to the All-League First Team for the third straight season. The Argentine talisman was a constant in the league’s in-season awards, amassing the August Player of the Month award alongside another monthly nomination in April as well as earning a Player of the Week nod during week 19 and team of the week honors during weeks 1, 2, 14, and 22.
“For the Richmond fans, your words of thanks are incredible,” Terzaghi said. “Thank you for the support, the affection, and the bond that we have formed over these years. It is an honor and a privilege to represent you on the field.”
USL League One announced on Thursday that Richmond Kickers’ Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky is the league’s Coach of the Year after the club earned its first regular-season title in nearly a decade.
Sawatzky earns his first Coach of the Year award nearly three years from the day of his appointment as Kickers’ gaffer which took place on November 6, 2019.
The Kicker’s 2022 season – its 30th season in succession continuing its streak as the longest, continuously operating professional club in the country – marked the third season with Sawatzky at the helm alongside Head Assistant Coach Mika Elovaara and Goalkeeping Coach Akira Fitzgerald as the team reached its next important milestone in rebuilding the Kickers back to being a recognizable stalwart in US Soccer.
After two straight winning seasons and the Kickers’ first playoff appearance since 2016 during Sawatazky’s second season, the Roos claimed the regular-season title with a game to spare in the midst of a nine-match unbeaten streak which was the longest unbeaten streak for the Kickers in the USL League One era. The team scored the most goals in league history (54) and tied for second in most points earned in a single season (51).
The team finished 14-7-9 with a plus-19 goal differential while conceding the second-fewest goals in the league. It marks the club’s best win total since 2013 and the highest goal differential since 2014.
“I work with some great people in Richmond and, on behalf of the technical staff here, we are grateful to work in the game we love,” Coach Sawatzky said. “To be recognized by our peers after a very competitive 30-game regular season is amazing. To see players reach personal goals and to see the team find consistent form was great.”
Under Sawatzky, the Kickers produced two Most Valuable Player nominees in Emiliano Terzaghi and Jonathan Bolanos, the Young Player of the Year Recipient in Ethan Bryant, a Goalkeeper of the Year nominee in Akira Fitzgerald, and a Defender of the Year nominee in Jalen Crisler. Additionally, Bolanos, Terzaghi, and Crisler were named to the USL League One All-League First Team, and Fitzgerald was named to the All-League Second Team.
Leading the charge for the Kickers’ historic offense was Terzaghi who claimed his third-straight Golden Boot title with 17 goals and Bolanos who was the league’s Assist Champion with a new single-season record of 11. Terzaghi and Bolanos also both represented the Kickers as Player of the Month, Terzaghi in August and Bolanos in September. Terzaghi was also nominated for Player of the Month alongside Fitzgerald in April while Bolanos was nominated in June.
Additionally, the Kickers received 39 placements on the league’s team of the week during the regular season.
“We have worked hard to create a good culture of winning here in Richmond,” Coach Sawatzky said. “We knew it would take time, but three years of work was reflected in a regular season title and an opportunity in the playoffs. We will continue to work and build for our community. Thank you to everyone that supported us this year.”
USL League One announced on Wednesday that Richmond Kickers’ midfielder Ethan Bryant is the league’s Young Player of the Year after the 21-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign in his first full season with the club.
Bryant earns the distinction as one of the brightest young talents in the league after putting together one of the most underrated midfield performances in 2022. He is also the first member of the Kickers to win Young Player of the Year.
“I am very honored to be recognized by the league for this award,” Bryant said. “It was a goal of mine since the start of the season. As a collective, we had a successful season. When the collective flourishes, so do individuals.”
In the center of the park, Bryant helped pull the strings for the Kickers’ record-setting offense that saw him rank second on the team in chances created with 30, second on the team with five assists, and tied for sixth on the team with three goals.
“I am very happy for Ethan as he worked incredibly hard over the past 18 months and was a huge part of our attacking core this year,” Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky added. “He has had a different pathway to the professional game than most players in the United States and, after having a couple years of hardship, he rekindled his fire and it showed for us this year. He is mature beyond his years and his future is bright now that he is firing on all cylinders.”
Bryant enjoyed a number of signature performances that included a brace of assists on June 1 against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC when he served up two balls on a platter from the left corner that earned the Kickers a 3-0 win. His first two goals for the Kickers came 10 days later against Charlotte Independence when he recorded a first-half brace in a 4-0 rout.
“I feel like I have continued to improve in my performances as the season went on,” Bryant said. “I am thankful to have a club that believes in me during the good and the bad moments.”
Bryant’s third goal of the season proved to be an exclamation point during the Kickers’ nine-match unbeaten streak to finish the season. Against Central Valley Fuego FC on September 27, Bryant ripped off an outside-of-the-box strike that knocked the dust out of the right-hand side of the net.
A tenacious player with a veteran presence despite his age, Bryant was a nuisance in the middle of the park, winning the third-most fouls on the team with 32 while only conceding 10 fouls and picking up a single yellow card.
“Right now it feels like we came a little short of our goal, but with time, we will be able to look back on this season and be proud of what we accomplished as a team and as individuals,” Bryant concluded.
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Richard Hayes is the co-founder of RVAHub. When he isn't rounding up neighborhood news, he's likely watching soccer or chasing down the latest and greatest board game.
A changing of the guard appears to be afoot on Broad Street, and with it may come a new era of VCU basketball under a leader with history in the commonwealth.
Amid widespread reports that Pennsylvania native Mike Rhoades is set to accept an offer in excess of $3 million annually from Penn State, Utah State coach and former Hampden-Sydney captain and Virginia Tech assistant Ryan Odom has emerged as his likely replacement.
College basketball fans around the state may remember Odom well.
The former University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) coach led the Retrievers to their historic, 74-54 upset win over Virginia in the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament. UMBC became the first No. 16 seed to ever take town a No. 1 seed.
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The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), Sportable, Central Virginia’s premier adaptive sports club, Richmond Region Tourism, and Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority are proud to host the 2024 Adult and Junior Division Wheelchair Basketball National Tournaments. To be held over the first two weekends in April, the Championships will be held at the state-of-the-art Henrico Sports & Event Center in Henrico, Virginia.
“We are thrilled to announce that Junior & Adult Wheelchair Basketball Championships will be held in Richmond, VA in 2024,” commented Matt Pierre, NWBA Board of Directors, and National Tournaments Evaluation Team member. “The team in Richmond – Richmond Region Tourism, Sportable, and the Henrico Sports Authority – put together an impressive bid, and are committed to elevating our championship events to the next level. We are excited for this opportunity, and believe our members will love the experience that will be offered.”
“We are grateful for the support of the NWBA, Richmond Region Tourism, and Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority to bring the 2024 Wheelchair Basketball National Championships to Richmond,” commented Hunter Leemon, Sportable Executive Director. “We have the infrastructure in place to execute a world class event, and we are confident that our community will embrace the NWBA – athletes, families, staff, volunteers, and supporters – and create the best championship experience possible.”
The top 16 ranked wheelchair basketball teams for each Adult Division (I, II, III) will earn an invitation to their respective divisions’ national tournament April 12-14, 2024. The top 32 ranked teams for Varsity level and the top 16 ranked teams from Prep level will earn an invitation to participate in the NWBA Varsity and Prep Wheelchair Basketball National Championships one week prior, April 5-7, 2024. In total, 96 teams and over 1,100 wheelchair basketball players will compete for a coveted national title during the two events.
“It is an honor to be selected by the NWBA leadership team to host the NWBA National Championship Series,” said Jerrine Lee, Vice President of Sales for Richmond Region Tourism. “This a great opportunity for our region to showcase our outstanding facilities and attractions, and showcase our pride and commitment to being a welcoming and inclusive destination where everyone can play. We are honored to partner with Sportable and the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority to provide a world-class experience for the athletes, coaches and fans.”
The host venue, Henrico Sports & Event Center, is set to open in September 2023 and features more than 115,000-square feet of adaptable event space with 12 basketball courts.
“We’re very excited to welcome the NWBA and its athletes to our new indoor sports and events center,” said Dennis Bickmeier, Executive Director of the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority. “This tournament will be a signature event in the early history of the facility. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver this showcase event to our community and witnessing the athleticism and teamwork that will happen over the two weeks of competition.”
Founded in 1981, the Rim Riders wheelchair basketball team has been a mainstay in Richmond for more than 40 years. The team merged with Sportable in 2017 and is a Division II member of the NWBA. The Rim Riders are currently ranked 14th in the country, and will compete in the 2023 NWBA National Championships in Wichita, Kansas March 31-April 2.
About Sportable For nearly 18 years, Sportable has created opportunities and transformed lives through sport for individuals with physical disabilities and visual impairments. The non-profit organization provides sporting opportunities to more than 400 athletes of all ages by offering competitive and recreational adaptive sports programs year-round. By fostering a fun, inclusive, competitive, and accessible environment, Sportable transforms the lives of athletes and frees them to see beyond their disabilities, enhances their peer relationships and helps them to reach their personal finish line. To make an impact today, visit Sportable.com/donate.
About the National Wheelchair Basketball Association The National Wheelchair Basketball Association is the recognized National Organization for Wheelchair Basketball by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation and the High Performance Management Organization by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. The NWBA trains and selects teams for participation in the Paralympic Games, World Championships, and other international competitions. The NWBA was founded in 1949, and today consists of seven divisions including: Adult Division (I, II and III), Women’s Division, Intercollegiate Men’s Division, Intercollegiate Women’s Division and Junior Division. For more information, visit: www.nwba.org.
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The Richmond Kickers (0-1-0) earned a hard-fought point on the road at fellow 2022 USL League One playoff team, Charlotte Independence (0-1-0), to open the 2023 USL League One season, Saturday night.
Akira Fitzgerald made history when he stepped out onto the pitch becoming the first player in league history to reach 100 regular-season appearances. The iron man between the pipes marked the occasion with his first clean sheet of the season.
In front of Fitzgerald was a Richmond backline that picked up where it left off last season when it conceded the second-fewest goals in the league. Despite Charlotte attempting 16 shots, the Kickers limited the Jacks to only four on target and Fitzgerald was there to keep the net clear.
Defense was a team effort for the Roos as midfielder Justin Sukow tied defender Michael Hornsby with four tackles won apiece which led the team.
Meanwhile, the Kickers dictated the flow of the match, earning nearly 56 percent possession.
Nil Vinyals delivered the Kickers’ best scoring opportunity of the match in the 22nd minute. Hornsby gathered the ball on the left wing before passing it off to the Spaniard who cut in toward the box. Vinyals darted through three defenders, running parallel to the goalline, before cutting a shot back towards the near post that required the Charlotte goalkeeper to make a diving save.
The Kickers return to RVA for a week of training before heading back to Greenville, S.C. to face Triumph SC for the second match of the season on March 25 at 7 p.m.
The Roos then prepare for their home opener at City Stadium on April 1 at 6 p.m. when they will host Independence for a rematch. It will be during the match against Independence that the Kickers will debut their 2023 primary jersey, The Red Night Kit.
Tickets for the match are still available but are selling fast. For a cost as low as $10 per match, Kickers fans can save the most with Season Tickets while unlocking exclusive perks and experiences. With one additional regular season match and two new opponents joining USL League One in 2023, City Stadium will be the place to be! Additional information can be found at richmondkickers.com/seasontickets.
Stay up to date with all of the Kickers news at RichmondKickers.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Download the Richmond Kickers mobile app for news, contests, and more!
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