# 2018 Richmond Kickers season

The 2018 Richmond Kickers season was the club's 26th season of existence. It was also the club's 11th season playing in the second tier of American soccer, and their seventh straight season in the United Soccer League, since renamed the USL Championship.
The Kickers failed to improve on their 2017 campaign, and saw the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for consecutive seasons for the first time in club history. It was the fourth season in the club's history where they failed to qualify for the postseason. The Kickers finished with six wins, their fewest since 1994, and 24 losses, their most ever. During the season, the Kickers saw their long-time head coach, Leigh Cowlishaw step down from the post, and David Bulow take up coaching duties for the second half of the 2018 season.
On September 11, 2018, the Kickers announced that due to financial issues associated with competing in the main USL, they would self-relegate themselves and become a founding member of USL League One, a new third-tier professional league operated by USL's parent company, United Soccer League (not to be confused with the former name of its top league).

## Background

The club is looking to improve off of a historically poor season. During the 2017 campaign, the Kickers finished with an 8–16–8 record, causing them to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2003. The Kickers amassed a club low 25 goals in the 32-match season. The club finished 14th out of 15 teams in the USL's Eastern Conference, and finished 26th in the 30-team league. The Kickers also suffered a second round exit in the U.S. Open Cup, losing to amateur outfit, Christos FC. It was the Kickers' shortest spell in the Open Cup since 2009.

## Roster

As of March 16, 2018.
| No. | Name | Position | Since | Date of birth (Age) | Signed from | Games | Goals |
| Goalkeepers |||||||||
| 1 | Trevor Spangenberg | GK | 2018 | (1991-04-21) April 21, 1991 (age 33) | Puerto Rico FC | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | Kent Dickey | GK | 2018 | (2000-03-07) March 7, 2000 (age 24) | Richmond Strikers | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | Travis Worra | GK | 2018 | (1993-04-09) April 9, 1993 (age 31) | D.C. United (loan) | 23 | 0 |
| 50 | Zachery Tashjy | GK | 2018 | (1995-03-21) March 21, 1995 (age 29) | Catholic University Cardinals | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders |||||||||
| 2 | William Yomby | CB | 2009 | (1981-06-18) June 18, 1981 (age 43) | Puerto Rico Islanders | 216 | 9 |
| 3 | Austin Yearwood | LB | 2018 | (1994-08-12) August 12, 1994 (age 30) | Charlotte Independence | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Conor Shanosky | CB | 2016 | (1991-12-13) December 13, 1991 (age 33) | Louisville City | 52 | 4 |
| 10 | Scott Thomsen | LB | 2018 | (1993-12-31) December 31, 1993 (age 30) | Orlando City B | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Mallan Roberts | CB | 2017 | (1992-06-06) June 6, 1992 (age 32) | FC Edmonton | 30 | 1 |
| 18 | Alex Lee | RB | 2013 | (1990-01-15) January 15, 1990 (age 34) | FC Dallas | 103 | 2 |
| 31 | Braeden Troyer | LB | 2015 | (1993-03-19) March 19, 1993 (age 31) | South Carolina Gamecocks | 83 | 0 |
| 55 | Mekeil Williams | RB | 2018 | (1990-07-24) July 24, 1990 (age 34) | Colorado Rapids | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders |||||||||
| 4 | Fred Sekyere | LM | 2015 | (1986-03-31) March 31, 1986 (age 38) | Charlotte Eagles | 79 | 3 |
| 7 | Neil Hlavaty | AM | 2018 | (1986-12-27) December 27, 1986 (age 37) | Myrtle Beach Mutiny | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Finnlay Wyatt | LM | 2017 | (1995-01-18) January 18, 1995 (age 29) | Longwood Lancers | 11 | 0 |
| 11 | Matt Bolduc | RM | 2017 | (1994-10-12) October 12, 1994 (age 30) | Harrisburg City Islanders | 14 | 2 |
| 12 | Evan Lee | DM | 2017 | (1993-11-23) November 23, 1993 (age 31) | Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops | 14 | 0 |
| 14 | Yudai Imura | AM | 2015 | (1991-06-25) June 25, 1991 (age 33) | Tokyo Musashino City | 67 | 13 |
| 17 | Oscar Umar | CM | 2017 | (1993-02-20) February 20, 1993 (age 31) | West Chester United | 14 | 0 |
| 24 | Koby Osei-Wusu | CM | 2018 | (1995-12-26) December 26, 1995 (age 29) | George Washington Colonials | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Brandon Eaton | CM | 2017 | (1994-10-31) October 31, 1994 (age 30) | VCU Rams | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | Raul Gonzalez | RM | 2017 | (1994-09-23) September 23, 1994 (age 30) | Memphis Tigers | 24 | 2 |
| 42 | Sam Bacon | CM | 2018 | (1999-07-03) July 3, 1999 (age 25) | Richmond Strikers | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards |||||||||
| 16 | Heviel Cordovés | ST | 2018 | (1989-11-10) November 10, 1989 (age 35) | Charleston Battery | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Brian Shriver | ST | 2018 | (1987-08-05) August 5, 1987 (age 37) | Jacksonville Armada | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Dane Kelly | ST | 2018 | (1991-02-09) February 9, 1991 (age 33) | D.C. United (loan) | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Bruno Miranda | ST | 2018 | (1998-02-10) February 10, 1998 (age 26) | D.C. United (loan) | 0 | 0 |
| 71 | Luiz Fernando | RW | 2016 | (1997-06-23) June 23, 1997 (age 27) | Flamengo | 50 | 3 |
| 92 | Giuseppe Gentile | ST | 2018 | (1992-10-18) October 18, 1992 (age 32) | Puerto Rico FC | 0 | 0 |

## Transfers
### In

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date |
| 16 | FW | Heviel Cordovés | Charleston Battery | Free | December 4, 2017 |
| 3 | DF | Austin Yearwood | Charlotte Independence | Free | December 15, 2017 |
| 21 | FW | Brian Shriver | Jacksonville Armada | Free | January 11, 2018 |
| 92 | FW | Giuseppe Gentile | Puerto Rico FC | Feee | January 23, 2018 |
| 42 | MF | Sam Bacon | Richmond Strikers | Academy signee | February 7, 2018 |
| 45 | GK | Kent Dickey | Richmond Strikers | Academy signee | February 7, 2018 |
| 55 | DF | Mekeil Williams | Colorado Rapids | Free | February 16, 2018 |
| 1 | GK | Trevor Spangenberg | Puerto Rico FC | Free | February 28, 2018 |
| 7 | MF | Neil Hlavaty | Myrtle Beach Mutiny | Free | March 12, 2018 |
| 10 | DF | Scott Thomsen | Orlando City B | Free | March 12, 2018 |
| 24 | MF | Koby Osei-Wusu | George Washington Colonials | Free | March 12, 2018 |
| 28 | MF | Greg Boehme | VCU Rams | Free | April 13, 2018 |
| | GK | Eric Klenofsky | D.C. United | Free | June 1, 2018 |

### Out

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date |
| 42 | MF | Simon Fitch | George Washington Colonials | Free | August 1, 2017 |
| 1 | GK | Marcel DeBellis | | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 7 | MF | Oliver | South Melbourne | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 10 | FW | Sunny Jane | Phnom Penh Crown | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 16 | MF | Patrick McCann | | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 20 | FW | Mikey Minutillo | | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 22 | GK | Alex Wimmer | | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 24 | MF | Jackson Eskay | | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 28 | MF | Samuel Asante | | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 35 | MF | Brandon Eaton | | Free | October 31, 2017 |
| 70 | FW | Franck Tayou | FC Wichita | Free | October 31, 2017 |

### Loan in

| No. | Pos. | Player | Loaned from | Start | End |
| 29 | FW | Dane Kelly | D.C. United | March 15, 2018 | October 31, 2018 |
| 32 | FW | Bruno Miranda | Universidad de Chile | March 15, 2018 | October 31, 2018 |
| 48 | GK | Travis Worra | D.C. United | March 15, 2018 | October 31, 2018 |

## Competitive
### USL
#### Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 12 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 44 | 44 | 0 | 41 |
| 13 | Penn FC | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 38 | 47 | −9 | 37 |
| 14 | Atlanta United 2 | 34 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 37 | 72 | −35 | 31 |
| 15 | Richmond Kickers | 34 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 30 | 80 | −50 | 22 |
| 16 | Toronto FC II | 34 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 42 | 77 | −35 | 18 |

#### Results
### U.S. Open Cup
## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

As of July 30, 2018
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | USL | USL | USL Cup | USL Cup | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | USA | Trevor Spangenberg | 6 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | CMR | William Yomby | 7 | 0 | 2+5 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | USA | Austin Yearwood | 14 | 0 | 11+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | GHA | Fred Sekyere | 9 | 0 | 2+6 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | USA | Conor Shanosky | 20 | 0 | 17+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | CZE | Neil Hlavaty | 10 | 0 | 6+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Finnlay Wyatt | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 10 | DF | USA | Scott Thomsen | 12 | 1 | 10+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | USA | Matt Bolduc | 8 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | USA | Evan Lee | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | JPN | Yudai Imura | 21 | 2 | 13+6 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | CAN | Mallan Roberts | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | CUB | Heviel Cordovés | 17 | 5 | 10+5 | 4 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 1 |
| 17 | MF | GHA | Oscar Umar | 15 | 1 | 12+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | GUM | Alex Lee | 17 | 0 | 14+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | USA | Brian Shriver | 21 | 6 | 18+1 | 6 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | GHA | Koby Osei-Wusu | 17 | 1 | 10+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 |
| 26 | MF | USA | Brandon Eaton | 4 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | USA | Raul Gonzalez | 20 | 1 | 14+3 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | USA | Greg Boehme | 3 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | JAM | Dane Kelly | 4 | 1 | 3+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | USA | Braeden Troyer | 20 | 0 | 18+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | BOL | Bruno Miranda | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 42 | DF | USA | Sam Bacon | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 45 | GK | USA | Kent Dickey | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 48 | GK | USA | Travis Worra | 15 | 0 | 15+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 50 | GK | USA | Zachery Tashjy | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 55 | DF | TRI | Mekeil Williams | 19 | 0 | 14+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| 71 | FW | BRA | Luiz Fernando Nascimento | 17 | 5 | 8+7 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 2 |
| 92 | FW | ITA | Giuseppe Gentile | 6 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |

### Top scorers

    As of June 10, 2018
| No. | Pos. | Player | USL | USL Cup | U.S. Open Cup | TOTAL |
| 71 | MF | Luiz Fernando Nascimento | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 21 | FW | Brian Shriver | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 16 | FW | Heviel Cordovés | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 | MF | Yudai Imura | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 17 | MF | Oscar Umar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 24 | MF | Koby Osei-Wusu | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 27 | MF | Raul Gonzalez | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 29 | FW | Dane Kelly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Own Goals | Own Goals | Own Goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 10 | 0 | 4 | 14 |

## Awards
### USL Team of the Week

| Week | Player | Pos. | Ref. |
| 3 | Brian Shriver | MF | |