# 2016 Sacramento Republic FC season

The 2016 Sacramento Republic FC season was the club's third season of existence. The club plays in the United Soccer League (USL), the third tier of the American soccer pyramid. After off season expansion of the USL from 24 to 31 teams, Sacramento Republic FC moved to the new Western Conference. The season began in March 2016 and concluded in September 2016.

## Background

2015 saw much growth in attendance with the expansion of Bonney Field, but this was not a sign of things to come for the club. In 2015, the Republic failed to produce on the field as they did the year before, dropping out of the playoffs in the first round. Their performance in the 2014 U.S. Open Cup was mirrored in 2015, once again losing to San Jose earthquakes in the 4th round. The 2015 season was riddled with emotional setbacks, MLS decided on Minnesota as its newest expansion over Sacramento. The Republic lost the head coach, Coach Preki, who they felt would be the one to propel the team to the MLS. At the end of the season, the player with the most MLS experience, whom some considered the star player, Rodrigo López announced he would return to Mexico and play for Celaya FC in the Ascenso MX.
The 2016 preseason, the club looked to turn things around. The club picked up Nike as their kit manufacturers, redesigned the team jersey and, on December 2, Sacramento city council approved the Republic's MLS stadium plan with a unanimous vote. Their hopes were once again revitalized three days later, when the MLS board announced its decision to once again expand the league from 24 to 28 teams.
Sacramento Republic F.C. continued their off season productivity by extending several players contracts, including fan-favorite, Octavio Guzmán and hometown hero, Cameron Iwasa. The club's Academy contributed to the off season's ambition with its U-16 and U-18 team both going undefeated in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.

## Club

As of September 17, 2016.
| No. | Position | Player | Nation |
| 1 | GK | Dominik Jakubek | United States |
| 2 | DF | Derek Foran | Ireland |
| 3 | DF | Mike da Fonte | United States |
| 4 | MF | Alfonso Motagalvan | United States |
| 5 | DF | Danny Barrera | Colombia |
| 6 | MF | Agustin Cazarez | United States |
| 7 | FW | Joaquin Rivas | El Salvador |
| 8 | DF | Chris Christian | United States |
| 9 | FW | Harry Williams | England |
| 10 | FW | Carlton Cole | England |
| 11 | FW | Max Alvarez | United States |
| 12 | GK | Evan Newton | United States |
| 13 | DF | Christian Chaney | United States |
| 14 | FW | Cameron Iwasa | United States |
| 15 | DF | Carlos Rodriguez | Mexico |
| 16 | MF | Matt LaGrassa | United States |
| 17 | MF | Octavio Guzmán | Mexico |
| 18 | MF | Daniel Trickett-Smith | England |
| 19 | FW | Mackenzie Pridham | Canada |
| 20 | DF | James Kiffe | United States |
| 22 | MF | Chase Minter | United States |
| 23 | DF | Emrah Klimenta | Montenegro |
| 24 | MF | J.J. Koval | United States |
| 26 | DF | Elliott Hord | United States |
| 28 | MF | Jeremy Hall | Puerto Rico |
| 29 | FW | Wilson Kneeshaw | England |

### Technical Staff

As of June 25, 2015.
| Position | Name |
| Technical director | Graham Smith |
| Head coach | Paul Buckle |
| Assistant head coach | Adam Charles Smith |
| Assistant coach | Chris Malenab |
| Assistant coach | Antonio Sutton |
| Goalkeeping coach | Simon Sheppard |
| Strength & Conditioning Coach | Luke Rayfield |

## Competitions
### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source:
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Stadium | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | A | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | W | D | L | L | L | W | W | D | D | W | W | W | D | W | L | D | L | L | D | W | D | W | W | W | | | | | |

#### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sacramento Republic | 30 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 43 | 27 | +16 | 52 | Conference Playoffs |
| 2 | Rio Grande Valley Toros | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 47 | 24 | +23 | 51 | Conference Playoffs |
| 3 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 37 | 27 | +10 | 49 | Conference Playoffs |
| 4 | Swope Park Rangers | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 45 | 36 | +9 | 48 | Conference Playoffs |
| 5 | LA Galaxy II | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 52 | 42 | +10 | 47 | Conference Playoffs |

### Friendlies
## Transfers
### In

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Date |
| 12 | GK | Evan Newton | Oklahoma City Energy FC | December 9, 2015 |
| 3 | DF | Mike da Fonte | New York Red Bulls II | December 21, 2015 |
| 8 | DF | Chris Christian | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | January 25, 2016 |
| 16 | MF | Matt LaGrassa | Cal Poly | February 2, 2016 |
| 15 | DF | Carlos Rodriguez | Cesifut | February 2, 2016 |
| 19 | FW | Mackenzie Pridham | Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 | February 23, 2016 |
| 9 | FW | Harry Williams | Cheltenham Town FC | February 24, 2016 |
| 22 | MF | Chase Minter | Ventura County Fusion | March 16, 2016 |
| 24 | MF | J.J. Koval | San Jose Earthquakes | March 23, 2016 |
| 18 | MF | Daniel Trickett-Smith | Liverpool FC U-21s | May 19, 2016 |
| 11 | FW | Wilson Kneeshaw | Blyth Spartans | August 11, 2016 |
| 13 | FW | Christian Chaney | Fresno Fuego | August 12, 2016 |
| 26 | DF | Elliott Hord | Fresno Fuego | August 19, 2016 |

### Out

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date |
| 17 | FW | Justin Braun | Indy Eleven | | January 19, 2016 |
| 12 | DF | Nemanja Vuković | Indy Eleven | | January 19, 2016 |
| 24 | GK | Patrick McLain | Chicago Fire | | January 19, 2016 |
| 18 | MF | Ivan Mirković | Orange County Blues FC | Loan | April 1, 2016 |
| 42 | FW | Adnan Gabeljic | San Francisco City FC | | April 18, 2016 |
| 10 | FW | Thomas Stewart | Ottawa Fury FC | | July 12, 2016 |
| 10 | FW | Carlton Cole | Persib Bandung | | October 19, 2016 |
| 18 | MF | Ivan Mirković | St. Louis FC | | November 10, 2016 |
| 22 | MF | Chase Minter | Real Monarchs | | November 17, 2016 |
| 17 | MF | Octavio Guzman | St. Louis FC | | November 22, 2016 |
| 16 | DF | Matt LaGrassa | Reno 1868 FC | | December 20, 2016 |
| 19 | FW | Mackenzie Pridham | Reno 1868 FC | | December 21, 2016 |
| 24 | MF | JJ Koval | Retirement | | December 21, 2016 |
| 11 | MF | Max Alvarez | St. Louis FC | Option Waived | December 31, 2016 |
| 7 | FW | Joaquin Rivas | Tulsa Roughnecks | | December 31, 2016 |
| 2 | DF | Derek Foran | Bray Wanderers FC | | December 31, 2016 |
| 14 | FW | Cameron Iwasa | Sporting Kansas City | | December 31, 2016 |

### Loan in

| No. | Pos. | Player | Loaned from | Date |
| 21 | MW | Tommy Thompson | San Jose Earthquakes | March 24, 2016 |
| 13 | FW | Adam Jahn | San Jose Earthquakes | March 24, 2016 |
| 26 | FW | Mark Sherrod | San Jose Earthquakes | April 1, 2016 |
| 27 | FW | Kip Colvey | San Jose Earthquakes | April 29, 2016 |
| 28 | MW | Jeremy Hall | Tampa Bay Rowdies | July 24, 2016 |