Charlotte Eagles
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Full name | Charlotte Eagles Soccer Club | ||
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Nickname(s) | The Eagles | ||
Founded | 1991 | ||
Stadium | Sportsplex at Matthews Matthews, North Carolina | ||
Capacity | 2,300 | ||
President | David Urban | ||
Head Coach | Michael Kovach | ||
League | USL League Two | ||
2024 | 4th, South Atlantic Division Playoffs: DNQ | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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The Charlotte Eagles is an American professional soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The team plays its home games at the Sportsplex at Matthews. The team's colors are orange, white and blue.
History
[edit]![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2011) |
Founded in 1991 as the Charlotte Eagles Soccer Club, the team turned professional when it entered the USISL in 1993.[1] The Eagles enjoyed a brief spell in the A-League before financial troubles caused them to return to the lower level.
The Eagles are a division of Missionary Athletes International (MAI), an organization which undertakes sports ministry to share the message of Christianity through the environment of soccer. They are a sister organisation of the USL League Two side Southern California Seahorses, and also field a women's team – the Charlotte Lady Eagles – in the Women's Premier Soccer League.
Back to the PDL
[edit]In 2016 The Charlotte Eagles were profiled by Britain's The Guardian newspaper. The piece highlighted the team's policy of discrimination against openly gay and bisexual players.[2]
Stadiums
[edit]Stadium | Location | Term | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Patten Stadium (Charlotte Latin School) | Charlotte | 1998–1999 | One game in 2012 |
Irwin Belk Track and Field Center/Transamerica Field | Charlotte | 2000–2002 | One game in 2014 |
Waddell Stadium (E. E. Waddell High School) | Charlotte | 2003–2007 | |
Panthers Stadium (Providence High School) | Charlotte | 2003 | Five games |
Restart Field (Charlotte Christian School) | Charlotte | 2008–2012 2016–2017 |
|
Eagle Field | Rock Hill | 2011–2012 | Two games |
Manchester Meadows | Rock Hill | 2012 | One game |
Dickson Field (Queens University of Charlotte) | Charlotte | 2013–15 | |
Sportsplex at Matthews | Matthews | 2017–present | |
Nation Ford Stadium | Fort Mill | 2019 | One game |
Guy Field (Charlotte Christian School) | Charlotte | 2021-present | Secondary home |
Media
[edit]The Eagles receive written coverage from Charlotte's major daily newspaper The Charlotte Observer. Highlights are often shown on local news broadcasts. All games are shown live on the Charlotte Eagles official YouTube page. Harrison Raby is the play-by-play voice for home broadcasts.
Players and staff
[edit]Staff
[edit]David Urban – president
Cliff Wright – executive director
Michael Kovach – head coach
Drew Yates – assistant coach
Notable former players
[edit]Head coaches
[edit]Brian Davidson (1993–1996)
Mark Steffens (1997–2014)
Dave Dixon (2014–2017)
Luke Helmuth (2017–2018)
Garrett Bireline (2018-2020)
Michael Kovach (2020–present)
Achievements
[edit]- USISL Pro League
- South Atlantic Division Champions: 1996
- USL D-3 Pro League
- Champions: 2000
- Atlantic Division Champions: 1999
- USL Pro Soccer League
- Southern Division Champions: 2004
- USL Second Division
- Champions: 2005
- Regular Season Champions: 2008
- USL PRO
- Championship Finalist: 2013
- Premier Development League
- Champions: 2017
- Eastern Conference Champions: 2017
- South Atlantic Division Champions: (2) 2015, 2016
- Hank Steinbrecher Cup
- Runner-up: 2018
- Southern Derby
- Champions: (4) 2001, 2012, 2013, 2014
Record
[edit]Year-by-year
[edit]Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | N/A | USISL | 8th, Atlantic | Did not qualify | Did not enter |
1994 | 3 | USISL | 3rd, Atlantic | Divisional Finals | Did not enter |
1995 | 3 | USISL Pro League | 2nd, Atlantic | Divisional Semifinals | Did not qualify |
1996 | 3 | USISL Pro League | 1st, South Atlantic | Final | Did not qualify |
1997 | 3 | USISL D-3 Pro League | 3rd, South Atlantic | Final | Did not qualify |
1998 | 3 | USISL D-3 Pro League | 3rd, Atlantic | Quarterfinals | 2nd Round |
1999 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 1st, Atlantic | Semifinals | Did not qualify |
2000 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 3rd, Southern | Champions | Did not qualify |
2001 | 2 | USL A-League | 3rd, Central | 1st Round | Did not qualify |
2002 | 2 | USL A-League | 4th, Southeast | 1st Round | Did not qualify |
2003 | 2 | USL A-League | 4th, Southeast | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
2004 | 3 | USL Pro Soccer League | 1st, Southern | Final | 2nd Round |
2005 | 3 | USL Second Division | 2nd | Champions | 3rd Round |
2006 | 3 | USL Second Division | 2nd | Final | 2nd Round |
2007 | 3 | USL Second Division | 4th | Semifinals | 2nd Round |
2008 | 3 | USL Second Division | 1st | Final | 2nd Round |
2009 | 3 | USL Second Division | 4th | Final | 1st Round |
2010 | 3 | USL Second Division | 4th | Did not qualify | 1st Round |
2011 | 3 | USL Pro | 7th | Did not qualify | 2nd Round |
2012 | 3 | USL Pro | 7th | Did not qualify | Quarterfinals |
2013 | 3 | USL Pro | 5th | Final | 3rd Round |
2014 | 3 | USL Pro | 12th | Did not qualify | 3rd Round |
2015 | 4 | PDL | 1st, South Atlantic | Conference Semifinals | Did not qualify |
2016 | 4 | PDL | 1st, South Atlantic | Conference Semifinals | 2nd Round |
2017 | 4 | PDL | 2nd, South Atlantic | Champions | 2nd Round |
2018 | 4 | PDL | 4th, South Atlantic | Did not qualify | 1st Round |
2019 | 4 | USL League Two | 4th, Deep South | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
2020 | 4 | USL League Two | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
2021 | 4 | USL League Two | 6th, Deep South | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
2022 | 4 | USL League Two | 3rd, South Atlantic | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
2023 | 4 | USL League Two | 2nd, South Atlantic | Conference Quarterfinals | Did not qualify |
2024 | 4 | USL League Two | 4th, South Atlantic | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
Source: [3]
References
[edit]- ^ "Tradition & Excellence: A Look Back". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
- ^ Kay, Bryan (2016-05-06). "The evangelical soccer team: no fouls, no diving, no gay players". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
- ^ "Team History". charlotteeagles.com. Retrieved March 15, 2023.