Union Omaha

Union Omaha Soccer Club is an American professional soccer team based in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 2019, the team plans to make its debut in USL League One in 2020.[1][2]

Union Omaha
Full nameUnion Omaha Soccer Club
Nickname(s)The Owls
FoundedMay 1, 2019 (2019-05-01)
StadiumWerner Park, Papillion, Nebraska
Capacity9,023
OwnerAlliance Omaha Soccer
COOMatthew Homonoff
Head coachJay Mims
LeagueUSL League One
WebsiteClub website

History

Jay Mims, the former head coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha, was announced as the inaugural coach for the team.[1][3] Further, Matthew Homonoff was also announced as the Chief operating officer of the organization.[1][4] Homonoff was previously the General Manager for USL League Two team the Des Moines Menace.[5] During his tenure with the Menace, the team had five consecutive playoff appearances.[1]

The team's name and crest was developed through fan engagement and reflect the interests of the greater Omaha region.[6] To accomplish this the team hosted town halls, workshops, interviews and online polls to gather information and make it successful within the region.[1][7] In a bid to stay true to both the state and city's roots, the team announced on October 3, 2019 that their name would be Union Omaha Soccer Club, in a nod to the Union Pacific Railroad, with the great horned owl, a species of owl native to Nebraska, being the prominent focal point of the club's crest.[8]

Stadium
Werner Park Scoreboard
Werner Park Entrance

The team will play in Werner Park, a minor league baseball park near Papillion, Nebraska, a suburb southwest of Omaha.[9][10] The park was opened nine years ago in 2011, it is owned by Sarpy County and will be shared with the Omaha Storm Chasers (formerly Royals) of the Pacific Coast League. The ballpark cost $36 million to construct and is located near 126th Street and Highway 370, less than three miles (5 km) west of Papillion in unincorporated Sarpy County.[11] To accommodate the soccer team, Werner Park will receive additional locker rooms, field enhancements, and offices to accommodate the soccer staff. Construction will begin in 2019.

Sponsorship
Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2020–present Nike CHI Health (home)
Nebraska Medicine (away)

Players
As of June 9, 2020[12]
No. Position Player Nation
2 Defender Luke Hauswirth  United States
3 Defender Damià Viader  Spain
4 Defender Nathan Aune  United States
5 Midfielder Tobias Otieno  Kenya
6 Midfielder Tyler David  United States
7 Midfielder Ethan Vanacore-Decker  United States
8 Midfielder Kobe Perez  United States
10 Midfielder Sebastián Contreras  Argentina
11 Forward Evan Conway  United States
12 Midfielder Austin Panchot  United States
13 Defender Daltyn Knutson  United States
14 Midfielder Christian Molina  El Salvador
15 Forward Elma N'For  Cameroon
16 Defender Jacob Crull  United States
17 Midfielder John Scearce  United States
18 Forward Elvir Ibišević  Bosnia and Herzegovina
21 Goalkeeper Sam Howard  United States
22 Forward Juan Ignacio Mare  Argentina
23 Midfielder Xavier Gomez  United States
24 Goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu  Ghana
25 Defender Ferrety Sousa  DR Congo
28 Defender Illal Osumanu  Ghana

Staff

Current staff
Coaching staff
Jay Mims Head coach
Joel DeLass Assistant coach
Daniel Galvis Goalkeeping coach
Vicente Luis Equipment Manager
Sport management and organization
Matthew Homonoff Chief operating officer
James Cahilellis Director of Sales
Yanira Garcia Manager Communications & Content
Benjamin Turner Manager Marketing & Community Relations

References
  1. Staff, USLLeagueOne com (May 1, 2019). "Omaha Unveiled as USL League One's Newest Club". USL League One. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  2. writer, Chris Peters World-Herald staff. "Pro soccer is coming to Omaha: New team will begin play at Werner Park in 2020". Omaha.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  3. WOWT. "USL League One comes to Omaha". www.wowt.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  4. Northam, Mitchell; USA, Pro Soccer (May 2, 2019). "USL League One expanding to Omaha, Nebraska in 2020". Pro Soccer USA. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  5. writer, Chris Peters World-Herald staff. "Pro soccer is coming to Omaha: New team will begin play at Werner Park in 2020". Omaha.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  6. Northam, Mitchell; USA, Pro Soccer (May 2, 2019). "USL League One expanding to Omaha, Nebraska in 2020". Pro Soccer USA. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  7. Northam, Mitchell; USA, Pro Soccer (May 2, 2019). "USL League One expanding to Omaha, Nebraska in 2020". Pro Soccer USA. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  8. writer, Reece Ristau World-Herald staff. "Introducing Union Omaha: Pro soccer team unveils colors, crest, name ahead of city's USL debut". Omaha.com. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  9. Staff, USLLeagueOne com (May 1, 2019). "Omaha Unveiled as USL League One's Newest Club". USL League One. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  10. Star, Lincoln Journal. "Omaha lands USL soccer franchise, will begin play in 2020". JournalStar.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  11. "ROYALS' NEW BALLPARK: Sarpy's funding plan is complex". Omaha World Herald. June 2, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  12. "Roster". Union Omaha. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
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