2023 National Independent Soccer Association season
Season | 2023 |
---|---|
Dates | Mar. 31 – Oct. 25 (regular season) Oct. 28 – Nov. 11 (playoffs) |
Champions | City Union |
Regular season title | Chattanooga FC |
Matches played | 108 |
Goals scored | 268 (2.48 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Markus Naglestad (15) |
← 2022 2024 →
All statistics correct as of November 11, 2023. |
The 2023 NISA season is the fifth season of the National Independent Soccer Association's third-division soccer competition. Michigan Stars are the defending champions, after winning the 2022 season.
Teams
[edit]Of the eight teams that finished the 2022 season, five return for 2023, two (Flower City Union and Syracuse Pulse) merge to form a new team branded City Union, and one, California United Strikers, is on hiatus, with the aim to return in 2024.[1]
The six teams are joined by three expansion clubs: Club de Lyon, Gold Star FC and Savannah Clovers FC.[1]
Stadiums and locations
[edit]Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Albion San Diego | San Diego, CA | Canyon Crest Academy Stadium | 5,000 |
Chattanooga FC | Chattanooga, TN | Finley Stadium | 20,668 |
City Union | Rochester, NY Auburn, NY |
Marina Auto Stadium Falcon Park |
13,768 2,800 |
Club de Lyon | Daytona Beach, FL | Daytona Stadium | 9,601 |
Gold Star FC | Livonia, MI | Gold Star Stadium | 5,000 |
Los Angeles Force | Irvine, CA | Championship Stadium | 5,000 |
Maryland Bobcats | Boyds, MD | Maryland SoccerPlex | 4,000 |
Michigan Stars | Washington, MI | Romeo High School | 4,000 |
Savannah Clovers | Savannah, GA | Memorial Stadium | 5,000 |
Personnel and sponsorship
[edit]- Note: The league has signed a deal with Hummel to be the official kit manufacturer, but it still allows clubs to find their own provider.[2]
Team | Head coach | Captain(s) | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Albion San Diego | Diego Gómez | Tyler Gabarra | Capelli | DarkHorse |
Chattanooga FC | Rod Underwood | Richard Dixon | Hummel | Volkswagen |
City Union | Jordan Sullivan | Mumbi Kwesele | Hummel | — |
Club de Lyon | Victor Balaguer | Victor Rojas | Adidas | — |
Gold Star FC | Alex Lubyansky | Brandon Barnes | Adidas | — |
Los Angeles Force | Matt Morse | Brandon Gomez | Xara | — |
Maryland Bobcats | Alex Kao | Josselin Possian | Hummel | Holiday Inn College Park |
Michigan Stars | Tatenda Mkuruva | Hummel | HTC | |
Savannah Clovers | David Proctor | Shandon Wright | Umbro | Castro Wood Floors |
Coaching changes
[edit]Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming coach | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albion San Diego | Jeff Korytoski | Signed by Chattanooga Red Wolves SC | December 14, 2022[3] | Preseason | Diego Gómez | February 23, 2023 |
City Union | Colton Bly (interim) | End of interim period | February 10, 2023 | Jordan Sullivan | February 10, 2023[4] | |
Maryland Bobcats | Sylvain Rastello | Resigned | February 21, 2023 | Alex Kao | March 1, 2023[5] | |
Los Angeles Force | Jesus Ochoa (interim) | End of interim period | April 23, 2023 | 5th | Matt Morse | April 23, 2023[6] |
Regular season
[edit]The season started on March 31, with the nine teams playing an unbalanced schedule weighted on regional play.[7]
Standings
[edit]Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Chattanooga FC (X) | 24 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 41 | 12 | +29 | 52 | Qualification for the semifinals |
2 | Michigan Stars | 24 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 37 | 21 | +16 | 46 | |
3 | Los Angeles Force | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 33 | 21 | +12 | 44 | Qualification for the playoffs |
4 | Albion San Diego | 24 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 31 | 21 | +10 | 41 | |
5 | Maryland Bobcats | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 31 | 22 | +9 | 36 | |
6 | City Union (C) | 24 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 30 | 34 | −4 | 27 | |
7 | Club de Lyon | 24 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 23 | 45 | −22 | 23 | |
8 | Savannah Clovers | 24 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 47 | −28 | 19 | |
9 | Gold Star FC | 24 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 23 | 45 | −22 | 12 |
Rules for classification: 1) points per game; 2) goal differential; 3) goals for; 4) head-to-head; 5) goals against
(C) Champions; (X) Regular season winner
Results
[edit]Playoffs
[edit]The playoffs will keep the same format from last year, and feature the top six teams from the regular season. The top two teams receive a bye into the semifinals. Teams finishing third through sixth play in the quarterfinals, with the winners being re-seeded before playing in the next round.
Bracket
[edit]Quarterfinal October 29 | ||||
3 | Los Angeles Force | 2 | ||
6 | Flower City Union | 4 |
Quarterfinal October 28 | ||||
4 | Albion San Diego (p) | 0 (8) | ||
5 | Maryland Bobcats FC | 0 (7) |
Semifinals November 4/5 | NISA Championship Final November 11 | ||||||||
1 | Chattanooga FC | 0 (0) | |||||||
6 | Flower City Union (p) | 0 (2) | |||||||
6 | Flower City Union | 1 | |||||||
2 | Michigan Stars FC | 0 | |||||||
2 | Michigan Stars FC | 3 | |||||||
4 | Albion San Diego | 2 |
Schedule
[edit]Quarter-finals
[edit]October 28, 2023 | Albion San Diego | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (8–7 p) | Maryland Bobcats FC | San Diego, California |
5:30 PM PDT |
|
Report | Stadium: Canyon Crest Academy Stadium | |
Penalties | ||||
October 29, 2023 | Los Angeles Force | 2–4 | Flower City Union | Whittier, California |
6:00 PM PDT |
|
Report | Stadium: Rio Hondo College Stadium |
Semi-finals
[edit]November 4, 2023 | Michigan Stars FC | 3–2 | Albion San Diego | Washington Township, Michigan |
3:30 PM EST |
|
Report | Stadium: Romeo High School |
November 5, 2023 | Chattanooga FC | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (0–2 p) | Flower City Union | Chattanooga, Tennessee |
5:00 PM EST |
|
Report | Stadium: Finley Stadium | |
Penalties | ||||
NISA Championship Final
[edit]November 11, 2023 | Michigan Stars FC | 0–1 | Flower City Union | Washington Township, Michigan |
|
Report | Stadium: Romeo High School |
Player statistics
[edit]- As of October 25, 2023
Awards
[edit]Individual awards
[edit]Award | Winner | Team | Reason | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Golden Boot | Markus Naglestad | Chattanooga FC | 15 goals in 23 games | [10] |
Golden Glove | Jean Antoine | Chattanooga FC | 15 shutouts in 23 matches; 9 goals against | [10] |
Coach of the Year | Diego Gomez | Albion San Diego | 11-8-5 record in his debut season | [10] |
Golden Ball (Most Valuable Player) | Darwin Espinal | Maryland Bobcats | 11 goals, 5 assists in 22 matches | [10] |
NISA Best XI
[edit]Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jean Antoine (CHA) | Aydan Bowers (CHA) Richard Dixon (CHA) Jimmy Filerman (MAR) Anatolie Prepeliță (CHA) |
Daniel Bedoya (ALB) Tyler Gabarra (ALB) Alex McGrath (CHA) |
Darwin Espinal (MAR) Leon Maric (MIC) Markus Naglestad (CHA) |
[10] |
Player of the Month
[edit]Month | Winner | Team | Reason | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
April | Jean Antoine | Chattanooga FC | 4 clean sheets | [11] |
May | Ignacio Ten López | Club de Lyon | 4 goals scored | [12] |
June | Edwin Rivas | Los Angeles Force | 3 assists in 136 minutes | [13] |
July | Ben Roach | Albion San Diego | 3 clean sheets | [14] |
August | Aldo Quintanilla | Los Angeles Force | Team went 4-0-0, scored hat-trick | [15] |
September | Daniel Bedoya | Albion San Diego | 3 goals scored | [16] |
Coach of the Month
[edit]Month | Winner | Team | Reason | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
April | Alex Kao | Maryland Bobcats FC | 2-0-0 in league play; win in US Open Cup | [11] |
May | Diego Gómez | Albion San Diego | 3-1-0 in league play | [12] |
June | Rod Underwood | Chattanooga FC | Undefeated in June | [13] |
July | Rod Underwood | Chattanooga FC | 3-1-0 in league play | [14] |
August | Matt Morse | Los Angeles Force | 2-2-0 in league play | [15] |
September | Alex Kao | Maryland Bobcats FC | 2-1-0 in league play | [16] |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "NISA announces 2023 clubs and format". www.nisaofficial.com. January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
- ^ "NISA announces kit sponsorship deal". Twitter.com. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- ^ "Ziggy Korytoski named head coach of Chattanooga Red Wolves SC". December 14, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "Flower City Union Announces 2023 Head Coach". February 10, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "President of the Youth Academy and Assistant Coach Alex Kao to become Head Coach of Maryland Bobcats FC Senior Team". March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "Matt Morse Named Los Angeles Force Coach". April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
- ^ "NISA releases opening weekend match schedule". www.nisaofficial.com. February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ "NISA Match Forfeit and Postponement". Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- ^ a b c "NISA player statistics". nisasoccer.com. NISA. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "NISA Honors 2023 Annual Award Recipients". NISAofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "NISA Announces April 2023 Performers of the Month Awards". NISAofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b "NISA Announces May 2023 Performers of the Month Awards". NISAofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ a b "NISA Announces June 2023 Performers of the Month Awards". NISAofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
- ^ a b "NISA Announces July 2023 Performers of the Month Awards". NISAofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. August 11, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ^ a b "NISA Announces August 2023 Performers of the Month Awards". NISAofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. September 12, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ^ a b "NISA Announces September 2023 Performers of the Month Awards". NISAofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.