# 2019–20 Michigan Stars FC season

The 2019–20 Michigan Stars FC season was the club's first season playing in the National Independent Soccer Association, a newly established third division soccer league in the United States, and first professional season.

## Overview

Michigan Stars FC was admitted into the National Independent Soccer Association on September 23, 2019 and latter fully accepted by the U.S. Soccer Federation on December 11, 2019, and will start competing in the 2020 Spring season. The team will play its home matches at a temporary outdoor venue at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Michigan, the same complex the team used during the 2019 NPSL season and Members Cup tournament where it played indoors.
On April 27, 2020, following a stoppage of play and subsequent extension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NISA announced the cancellation of the 2020 Spring season.

## Club
### Roster

As of March 11, 2020.
| No. | Pos. | Name | Date of birth (age) | Since |
| 1 | GK | Arshia Aghababazadeh | (1995-11-05) November 5, 1995 (age 28) | 2020 |
| 2 | DF | Tekodah Lobsiger | (1995-02-14) February 14, 1995 (age 29) | 2020 |
| 3 | DF | Gonnie Ben-Tal | (1995-07-24) July 24, 1995 (age 29) | 2019 |
| 4 | DF | Robert Juncaj | (2001-10-15) October 15, 2001 (age 22) | 2019 |
| 5 | DF | Joseph Aidoo | (1995-08-24) August 24, 1995 (age 29) | 2019 |
| 6 | MF | Remy Tazifor | (1995-03-05) March 5, 1995 (age 29) | 2019 |
| 7 | MF | Steven Juncaj | (1998-03-08) March 8, 1998 (age 26) | 2019 |
| 8 | MF | Zanin Mahic | (1992-06-19) June 19, 1992 (age 32) | 2020 |
| 9 | MF | Nenad Markovic | (1993-06-11) June 11, 1993 (age 31) | 2020 |
| 10 | FW | Kyle Nuel (captain) | (1993-07-02) July 2, 1993 (age 31) | 2019 |
| 11 | FW | Travis Ward | (1996-05-09) May 9, 1996 (age 28) | 2020 |
| 12 | GK | Sergio Orozco | (1994-04-09) April 9, 1994 (age 30) | 2020 |
| 14 | FW | Alexander Satrústegui | (1994-01-01) January 1, 1994 (age 30) | 2020 |
| 15 | DF | Andrés Chalbaud | (1994-12-26) December 26, 1994 (age 29) | 2020 |
| 16 | GK | Tatenda Mkuruva | (1996-01-04) January 4, 1996 (age 28) | 2019 |
| 17 | DF | Alexandre Frank | (1995-08-01) August 1, 1995 (age 29) | 2020 |
| 19 | DF | Cameron Schneider | (1997-04-21) April 21, 1997 (age 27) | 2020 |
| 20 | MF | Nils Valdmanis | (1997-08-08) August 8, 1997 (age 27) | 2020 |
| 21 | MF | Zachary Reynolds | (1994-02-15) February 15, 1994 (age 30) | 2020 |
| 22 | DF | Adil Gowani | (1994-06-02) June 2, 1994 (age 30) | 2020 |
| 23 | DF | Patrick Sullivan | (1994-08-25) August 25, 1994 (age 30) | 2019 |
| 25 | DF | James Abraham | (1993-09-17) September 17, 1993 (age 31) | 2019 |
| 26 | DF | Terence Smith | (1991-09-23) September 23, 1991 (age 33) | 2020 |
| 29 | FW | James Pipe | (1996-03-18) March 18, 1996 (age 28) | 2020 |
| 31 | MF | Jannik Eckenrode | (1993-12-13) December 13, 1993 (age 30) | 2020 |

### Coaching staff

| Name | Position |
| Alexander Strehmel | Head coach |

## Transfers
### Transfers In

| Date from | Position | Player | Last team | Type |
| February 19, 2020 | MF | Steven Juncaj | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 19, 2020 | GK | Tatenda Mkuruva | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 19, 2020 | DF | James Abraham | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | MF | Remy Tazifor | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | DF | Gonnie Ben-Tal | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | DF | Joseph Aidoo | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | DF | Robert Juncaj | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | FW | Kyle Nuel | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | DF | Patrick Sullivan | Michigan Stars FC (NPSL) | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | FW | Travis Ward | Greenville Triumph SC | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | DF | Cameron Schneider | Philadelphia Fury | Free transfer |
| February 20, 2020 | MF | Zanin Mahic | East Bay FC Stompers | Free transfer |
| February 21, 2020 | GK | Arshia Aghababazadeh | Los Angeles Force | Free transfer |
| February 21, 2020 | GK | Sergio Orozco | Unattached | Free transfer |
| February 21, 2020 | DF | Adil Gowani | Atlanta SC | Free transfer |
| February 21, 2020 | MF | Zachary Reynolds | Säffle FF | Free transfer |
| February 21, 2020 | DF | Andrés Chalbaud | AFC Ann Arbor | Free transfer |
| February 22, 2020 | MF | Nenad Markovic | St. Mary's Rattlers | Free transfer |
| February 22, 2020 | MF | Nils Valdmanis | Kalamazoo FC | Free transfer |
| February 22, 2020 | DF | Alexandre Frank | Western Mass Pioneers | Free transfer |
| February 22, 2020 | FW | Alexander Satrústegui | Atlantic City FC | Free transfer |
| February 22, 2020 | DF | Terence Smith | Unattached | Free transfer |
| February 22, 2020 | DF | Tekodah Lobsiger | Orange County FC | Free transfer |
| February 22, 2020 | FW | James Pipe | Unattached | Free transfer |

## Competitions
### NISA Fall season

Michigan did not take part in the 2019 NISA Fall season. On September 23, the NISA Board of Governors announced the team had been accepted into the league but would not begin full league play until Spring 2020.

### NISA Spring season

Details for the 2020 NISA Spring season were announced January 27, 2020.

#### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Oakland Roots SC | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 | Playoffs |
| 2 | California United Strikers FC (Q) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Detroit City FC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Stumptown Athletic | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | Playoffs |
| 5 | San Diego 1904 FC | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 6 | Chattanooga FC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 7 | Los Angeles Force | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1 | |
| 8 | Michigan Stars FC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 | |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 7 March 2020. Source: Match reports

#### Matches
### U.S. Open Cup

Michigan will enter the 2020 U.S. Open Cup with the rest of the National Independent Soccer Association teams in the Second Round. It was announced on January 29 that their first opponent would be USL Championship side Indy Eleven.

## Squad statistics

    As of Match played March 7, 2020

### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Spring Season | Spring Season | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||
| 1 | GK | IRN | Arshia Aghababazadeh | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 12 | GK | USA | Sergio Orozco | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 16 | GK | ZIM | Tatenda Mkuruva | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| Defenders ||||||||||
| 2 | DF | USA | Tekodah Lobsiger | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - |
| 3 | DF | ISR | Gonnie Ben-Tal | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 4 | DF | USA | Robert Juncaj | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 5 | DF | LBR | Joseph Aidoo | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 15 | DF | VEN | Andrés Chalbaud | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 17 | DF | FRA | Alexandre Frank | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 19 | DF | USA | Cameron Schneider | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 22 | DF | USA | Adil Gowani | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 23 | DF | USA | Patrick Sullivan | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 25 | DF | ENG | James Abraham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 26 | DF | BRB | Terence Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| Midfielders ||||||||||
| 6 | MF | CMR | Remy Tazifor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 7 | MF | USA | Steven Juncaj | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 8 | MF | BIH | Zanin Mahic | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 9 | MF | SRB | Nenad Markovic | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 20 | MF | LVA | Nils Valdmanis | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 21 | MF | USA | Zachary Reynolds | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 31 | MF | USA | Jannik Eckenrode | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - |
| Forwards ||||||||||
| 10 | FW | USA | Kyle Nuel | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 11 | FW | USA | Travis Ward | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 14 | FW | ESP | Alexander Satrústegui | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 29 | FW | USA | James Pipe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |

### Goal scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Number | Name | Spring Season | U.S. Open Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | | 11 | Travis Ward | 1 | - | 1 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Position | Name | Spring Season | Spring Season | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup | Total | Total |
| 8 | MF | Zanin Mahic | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Cameron Schneider | 2 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Zachary Reynolds | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Patrick Sullivan | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 |