Mark “Marky” Hernandez will bring his offensive power to Spokane Velocity FC this season, pending league and federation approval.
Hernández played the past three seasons with Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, scoring 9 goals in the 2023 season – good for the second spot on the team leader board – and 6 in 2024.
The midfielder from Anaheim, California, came up through the Chivas USA program and played his college soccer at Golden West College, clocking 17 appearances and 9 goals from 2015-17, and at Cal State Fullerton, scoring 4 goals in 40 appearances from 2017-19. His senior year, he was named to the Big West All-Conference Second Team.
Hernández, 28, signed with Reno 1868 FC of USL Championship in 2019, then moved to USL League One ahead of the 2020 season to play for the Chattanooga Red Wolves. In two seasons he scored eight goals and was the No. 2 Red Wolves scorer in back-to-back seasons.
He comes to Spokane not only with a proven ability to put the ball in the net, but with playoff experience with both Red Wolves and the Hailstorm.
He knows first-hand what Velocity can do in the playoffs, being on the losing side of last year’s thrilling Spokane victory in the first round. The opportunity to return to the playoffs is one of the appeals of joining Velocity.
“I love the feeling of a hard-earned match win, but I’m most excited for the fans, playing for a playoff team, and to lift the playoff trophy with this season’s team,” Hernández said.
Velocity coach Leigh Veidman called Hernandez a “very important addition” to the team’s offense.
“Regardless of his role on the team, Marky has a team-first mentality, which is important to the success of any team at any level. He does this while still producing, which can be a huge difference maker for any team,” Veidman said. “We are excited to have Marky’s experience and versatility added to our roster.”
Spokane Velocity FC kicks off its second season of USL League One action with a home match at ONE Spokane Stadium on March 16 against One Knoxville SC. Season ticket packages and individual games are on sale now at uslspokane.com.
