2022 USL League One season

The 2022 USL League One season was the fourth season of USL League One. The regular season began on April 2 and ended on October 15. The playoffs began on October 22 and ended on November 6.

Eleven teams participated in the 2022 season, one fewer than the previous season. Four reserve teams operated by clubs in Major League Soccer that participated in the previous season (Fort Lauderdale CF, New England Revolution II, North Texas SC and Toronto FC II) began play in MLS's new developmental league, MLS Next Pro. They were replaced by expansion franchises Central Valley Fuego FC and Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, and by Charlotte Independence, who decided to move from USL Championship to USL League One. At the conclusion of the season, FC Tucson announced they were leaving League One and returning to USL League Two as a result of restructuring of their ownership group.

Richmond Kickers won the regular season title, but were defeated by Chattanooga Red Wolves in the playoff semifinal. Tormenta FC then defeated Chattanooga in the 2022 final, winning their first championship.

Teams

ClubCityStadiumCapacityHead coachJersey manufacturerJersey sponsor Central Valley Fuego FC Fresno, California Fresno State Soccer Stadium 1,000 Martín VásquezCapelli Sport El Mexicano Charlotte Independence Charlotte, North Carolina American Legion Memorial Stadium 10,500 Mike Jeffries Adidas Novant Health Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Chattanooga, Tennessee CHI Memorial Stadium 5,000 Jimmy ObledaAdidasTranscard Forward Madison FC Madison, Wisconsin Breese Stevens Field 5,000 Matt GlaeserHummelDairyland Insurance Greenville Triumph SC Greenville, South Carolina Legacy Early College Field 4,000 John HarkesHummelScansource North Carolina FC Cary, North Carolina WakeMed Soccer Park 10,000 John BradfordAdidasWakeMed Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC Windsor, Colorado TicketSmarter Stadium at Future Legends Complex 3,500 Éamon Zayed Puma New Belgium Brewing Company Richmond Kickers Richmond, Virginia City Stadium 22,611 Darren SawatzkyAdidasUkrop's South Georgia Tormenta FC Statesboro, Georgia Optim Sports Medicine Field 5,300 Ian CameronAdidasOptim Healthcare FC Tucson Tucson, Arizona Kino Sports Complex 3,500 Jon PearlmanPumaQuik Mart Union Omaha Papillion, Nebraska Werner Park 9,023 Jay MimsNikeXCancer

Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming managerDate of appointmentForward Madison FC Carl CraigSackedNovember 4, 2021 Matt GlaeserDecember 3, 2021Central Valley Fuego FC Jaime RamirezResignedFebruary 2022 Milton Blanco (interim)February 2022Central Valley Fuego FC Milton Blanco (interim)End of interim periodApril 14, 2022 Martín VásquezApril 14, 2022

League table

Results table

Color key: Home Away Win Loss DrawClubMatches123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930Charlotte Independence(CLT) CV NCO RIC OMA TRM TUC NCO MAD GVL RIC NCA CHA MAD OMA RIC NCO TUC CV MAD TRM OMA CHA TRM TUC GVL CV NCA CHA GVL NCA3–3 2–1 1–2 2–1 0–0 2–1 1–2 2–1 0–2 0–4 0–2 1–7 6–2 0–0 1–1 1–3 3–2 4–0 0–0 3–0 1–2 2–2 0–2 0–1 2–1 3–0 2–1 1–3 0–1 5–1Chattanooga Red Wolves(CHA) MAD NCA RIC TUC GVL NCO CV GVL RIC OMA CV CLT TUC NCO TRM NCA NCO OMA CV GVL MAD TRM CLT OMA MAD RIC TUC CLT NCA TRM1–1 3–1 1–0 2–3 0–1 4–1 2–2 0–1 0–3 0–1 2–0 7–1 1–2 1–2 1–2 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–0 5–1 1–1 2–1 2–2 1–2 5–2 2–2 1–2 3–1 1–0 0–2Forward Madison FC(MAD) CHA OMA TUC CV RIC GVL CLT CV TUC GVL TRM RIC CLT NCO TRM OMA NCO CLT NCA CHA NCO NCA OMA GVL CHA NCA CV TRM RIC TUC1–1 2–2 1–1 0–1 1–0 0–2 1–2 1–1 2–1 3–2 2–2 2–1 2–6 2–1 2–0 0–0 1–1 0–0 1–2 1–1 3–1 0–0 0–1 2–2 2–5 1–2 0–3 0–1 0–1 1–1CV Fuego FC(CV) GVL CLT OMA MAD GVL CHA TRM MAD CHA TUC NCO NCA TRM GVL NCO RIC CLT CHA OMA NCA RIC TRM TUC CLT MAD RIC NCA NCO TUC OMA2–0 3–3 0–3 1–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 0–0 1–4 3–2 0–1 0–1 1–0 3–1 0–4 0–1 0–1 1–0 2–2 0–2 3–2 0–3 3–0 1–1 1–2 0–1 2–0 2–0Greenville Triumph SC(GVL) CV NCA TRM CHA CV MAD NCA CHA CLT MAD OMA NCO NCA TUC CV TRM RIC OMA TRM CHA RIC TUC NCO MAD CLT OMA NCO TUC CLT RIC0–2 1–1 0–2 1–0 1–1 2–0 0–1 1–0 2–0 2–3 2–0 2–1 3–1 1–1 1–0 5–5 3–1 0–0 1–3 1–5 1–0 1–0 0–2 2–2 1–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–0 1–1NoCo Hailstorm FC(NCO) RIC CLT NCA CHA CLT OMA NCA TRM RIC CV GVL CHA MAD TUC CV CLT CHA MAD RIC TRM OMA TUC MAD GVL NCA TRM OMA GVL CV TUC1–1 1–2 2–1 1–4 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 2–3 4–1 1–2 2–1 1–2 1–1 0–1 3–1 0–0 1–1 0–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 1–3 2–0 4–1 1–3 2–1 1–1 1–0 2–1North Carolina FC(NCA) TRM CHA GVL NCO TUC TRM GVL RIC NCO CLT CV GVL RIC OMA CHA TRM RIC MAD CV OMA MAD TUC NCO MAD TUC CLT CV OMA CHA CLT1–0 1–3 1–1 1–2 2–1 2–3 1–0 2–1 1–1 2–0 2–3 1–3 1–4 1–1 1–2 1–2 2–3 2–1 0–1 1–4 0–0 1–1 1–4 2–1 0–1 1–2 2–1 1–1 0–1 1–5Richmond Kickers(RIC) TUC NCO CHA CLT MAD OMA NCA CHA TRM CLT NCO MAD TUC NCA CLT GVL CV NCA NCO TUC GVL CV OMA TRM OMA CHA CV TRM MAD GVL4–0 1–1 0–1 2–1 0–1 1–1 1–2 3–0 2–2 4–0 3–2 1–2 1–0 4–1 1–1 1–3 1–3 3–2 1–0 3–1 0–1 2–2 3–0 3–1 3–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–1Tormenta FC(TRM) NCA OMA GVL TUC CLT NCA CV TUC RIC NCO MAD OMA CV CHA GVL MAD NCA GVL NCO CLT CHA CV CLT RIC NCO TUC MAD RIC OMA CHA0–1 0–0 2–0 2–0 0–0 3–2 0–4 0–1 2–2 1–1 2–2 2–3 1–0 2–1 5–5 0–2 2–1 3–1 0–2 0–3 1–2 2–0 2–0 1–3 3–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 2–0FC Tucson(TUC) RIC MAD CHA TRM NCA CLT TRM MAD OMA CV CHA RIC GVL NCO OMA CLT RIC NCO GVL NCA CV NCA OMA TRM NCA CHA GVL CV NCO MAD0–4 1–1 3–2 0–2 1–2 1–2 1–0 1–2 1–2 0–0 2–1 0–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–3 1–3 2–1 0–1 1–1 2–3 1–0 3–0 1–1 1–0 2–1 2–2 0–2 1–2 1–1Union Omaha(OMA) MAD TRM CV CLT RIC NCO CHA TUC GVL TRM CLT NCA TUC GVL MAD CHA CV NCO CLT NCA RIC MAD CHA TUC RIC GVL NCO NCA TRM CV2–2 0–0 3–0 1–2 1–1 0–0 1–0 2–1 0–2 3–2 0–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 0–0 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–1 4–1 0–3 1–0 2–1 0–3 2–3 1–1 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–2

Playoffs The 2022 USL League One Playoffs (branded as the 2022 USL League One Playoffs presented by Hisense USA for sponsorship reasons) will be the post-season championship of the USL League One season.

Bracket

Schedule Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

USL League One Final

Championship Game MVP: Kazaiah Sterling (Tormenta FC)

Average home attendances Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.

Team Forward Madison FC 15 4,759 2,605 Richmond Kickers 15 6,000 2,011 Union Omaha 15 5,167 2,236 Greenville Triumph SC 15 4,823 1,832 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 15 3,096 1,807 Charlotte Independence 15 4,107 930 North Carolina FC 15 5,092 1,056 Central Valley Fuego FC 15 2,752 826 FC Tucson 15 1,688 855 Tormenta FC 15 2,000 573 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC 15 1,167 195 Total 165 359,107 6,000 195 Sources: USL, Soccer Stadium Digest, Mike Pendleton

Regular season statistical leaders

Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Emiliano TerzaghiRichmond Kickers172 Garrett McLaughlinNorth Carolina FC143 Juan GalindrezChattanooga Red Wolves13 Kazaiah SterlingTormenta FC5 Jacob LabovitzGreenville Triumph SC126 Khori BennettCharlotte Independence11 Tresor MbuyuCharlotte Independence Irvin ParraNorthern Colorado Hailstorm9 Christian ChaneyCentral Valley Fuego1010 Noe MezaUnion Omaha9

Hat-tricks Player Club Against Result Date Juan GalindrezChattanooga Red Wolves Charlotte Independence 7–1 (H) June 22 Jacob LabovitzGreenville Triumph SC Richmond Kickers 1–3 (A) July 16 Khori BennettCharlotte Independence Central Valley Fuego 4–0 (H) July 29 Trevor AmannNorthern Colorado Hailstorm North Carolina FC 4–1 (H) September 3 Kazaiah SterlingTormenta FC Northern Colorado Hailstorm 3–1 (H) September 10

Notes (H) – Home team(A) – Away team

Top assists RankPlayerClubAssists1 Jonathan BolanosRichmond Kickers112 Arthur RogersNorthern Colorado Hailstorm93 José Carrera-GarcíaChattanooga Red Wolves84 Moe EspinozaChattanooga Red Wolves7 Miguel IbarraCharlotte Independence Louis PerezFC Tucson7 Adrian BillhardtTormenta FC5 Ethan BryantRichmond Kickers Matheus CassiniForward Madison FC Tresor MbuyuCharlotte Independence Irvin ParraNorthern Colorado Hailstorm Cyrus RadForward Madison FC Stuart RitchieRichmond Kickers Nil VinyalsRichmond Kickers

Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Paul ChristensenGreenville Triumph SC102 Rashid NuhuUnion Omaha93 Ofek AntmanCentral Valley Fuego74 Akira FitzgeraldRichmond Kickers6 Adrian ZendejasCharlotte Independence6 TJ BushTormenta FC5 Carlos MerancioFC Tucson Johan PeñarandaNorthern Colorado Hailstorm9 Raiko ArozarenaForward Madison FC4 Carlos AvilezChattanooga Red Wolves Pablo JaraTormenta FC

Individual awards AwardWinnerTeamReasonGolden Boot Emiliano TerzaghiRichmond Kickers17 goals in 29 gamesGolden Glove Rashid NuhuUnion Omaha9 shutouts, 0.98 goals against averageAssist Champion Jonathan BolanosRichmond Kickers11 assistsGoalkeeper of the Year Rashid NuhuUnion Omaha9 shutouts, 0.98 goals against averageDefender of the Year Arthur RogersNorthern Colorado Hailstorm80 chances (league record); 9 assistsYoung Player of the Year Ethan BryantRichmond Kickers5 goals; 3 assistsComeback Player of the Year Adrian BillhardtTormenta FC5 goals; 5 assistsCoach of the Year Darren SawatzkyRichmond KickersWon Regular Season titleMost Valuable Player Emiliano TerzaghiRichmond Kickers17 goals, 3 braces; 3 game-winning goalsGoal of the Year Omar CissCharlotte Independencevs North Carolina FCSave of the Year Johan PeñarandaNorthern Colorado Hailstormvs Charlotte Independence

All-league teams First team Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards Rashid Nuhu (OMA) Jalen Crisler (RIC) Evan Lee (GVL) Daniel Navarro (CHA) Arthur Rogers (NCO) Jonathan Bolanos (RIC) José Carrera-García (CHA) Omar Ciss (CLT) John Scearce (OMA) Garrett McLaughlin (NCA) Emiliano Terzaghi (RIC)

Second team Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards Akira Fitzgerald (RIC) Jake Dengler (TRM) Brandon Fricke (GVL) Mikey Maldonado (MAD) Timmy Mehl (CHA) Gabriel Cabral (TRM) Moe Espinoza (CHA) Gabriel Obertan (CLT) Louis Perez (TUC) Irvin Parra (NCO) Kazaiah Sterling (TRM)

Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthGoal of the MonthSave of the MonthCoach of the MonthReferences Player Club Position Player Club Position Player Club Coach ClubApril Tresor MbuyuCharlotte IndependenceForward Moe EspinozaChattanooga Red WolvesMidfielder Paul ChristensenGreenville Triumph SC Ian CameronTormenta FCMay Villyan BijevCentral Valley FuegoForward Villyan BijevCentral Valley Fuego FCForward Carlos AvilezChattanooga Red Wolves John BradfordNorth Carolina FCJune Juan GalindrezChattanooga Red WolvesForward Moe EspinozaChattanooga Red WolvesMidfielder Ofek AntmanCentral Valley Fuego John HarkesGreenville Triumph SCJuly Kazaiah SterlingTormenta FCForward Chavany WillisUnion OmahaMidfielder Johan PeñarandaNorthern Colorado Hailstorm Ian CameronTormenta FCAugust Emiliano TerzaghiRichmond KickersForward Kevin PiedrahitaGoalkeeper Kevin PiedrahitaUnion Omaha Jay MimsUnion OmahaSeptember Jonathan BolanosMidfielder Omar CissCharlotte IndependenceMidfielder Jon PearlmanFC Tucson

Weekly awards