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Velocity FC VP of Soccer Operations Carrie Taylor to Host Talent ID Course in Partnership with United Soccer Coaches on July 25th

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Spokane, WA — Spokane Velocity FC is pleased to announce that its Vice President of Soccer Operations, Carrie Taylor, will be teaching a special topics course about talent identification for coaches on July 25 at ONE Spokane Stadium. All who participate will attend Velocity FC’s home match against Westchester SC that night as part of the course.

Coaches who attend the course will receive education on various topics about talent ID in soccer, including:

● How to identify future potential vs. current performance
● Strategies to remove unconscious bias from player evaluation processes
● Conversations about what current coaching systems are missing
● Attend a professional match and analyze talent in real time

The course will be split into two days, with in-person instruction and live match observation on July 25 and an online review meeting on August 1. Both sessions begin at 12PM PT and end at 2 PM and will be taught by Taylor and Dave Simeone, Director of Education Programs for United Soccer Coaches.

Taylor has extensive experience in both coaching and education. She holds a U.S. Soccer A License, U.S. Soccer National Youth License, a Director of Coaching Certificate from NSCAA, and a U.S. Soccer Federation Talent Scout License.

REGISTER NOW

You must be at least 18 years old to attend the course, which is $100 for United Soccer Coach members and $125 for non-members.

Coaches will be responsible for their own meals and lodging throughout the duration of the course. Please do not make any travel arrangements until you receive written notice from the United Soccer Coaches National Office that the course has reached minimum numbers. You will be notified a week prior.

Andre Lewis Earns Team of the Round Selection After Standout Performance Against AC Boise

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Spokane, WA — After another exceptional showing in the midfield, Velocity FC’s Andre
Lewis earned a Team of the Round nod for round 3 of the Prinx Tires USL Cup. The selection marks
his second consecutive after making the team last week.

The veteran midfielder came up big for Spokane last weekend against AC Boise,
scoring a second-half goal to put his side up 2-0 over their regional rivals and effectively
secure the win for Velocity FC. Lewis also played well defensively, notching four tackles
and three interceptions.

On the season, Andre is second on the team in passes with 384 and is one of two
players with an 80% or better passing accuracy with 300+ passes, with Gagi
Margvelashvili being the other. He has also made his presence known defensively, with
Lewis in the top two on the team in interceptions (8) and tackles (18).

This is the third straight week in which a Velocity FC player has been named to a Team of the
Week/Round. Overall, 13 different players have made a Team of the Week and two
have made a Team of the Round for Spokane in 2026.

Watch Andre Lewis and the Lads take on AV Alta FC on the road on June 13th! The
match is set to kick off at 8:00 PM PT and can be streamed on ESPN+. Velocity FC’s
next home match is on June 20th against the League One defending champions, One
Knoxville SC. You will not want to miss this high stakes match, so get tickets now and cheer on the Lads as they continue their third season in USL League One!


FULL USL League One Team of the Round: Round 3

GK – Rockson Amedeka (Sarasota Paradise)

D – Thomas Vancaeyezeele (Brooklyn FC), Jesús De Vicente (Oakland Roots SC), Declan
Watters (Sarasota)

M – Allen Gavilanes (Union Omaha), Sebastian Cruz (Tampa Bay Rowdies), Andre Lewis
(Spokane Velocity FC), Clay Holstad (Rhode Island FC)

F – Thorleifur Úlfarsson (Loudon United FC), Stefan Stojanovic (Brooklyn FC), Kempes Tekiela
(Omaha)

Coach – Dennis Sanchez (New Mexico United)

Bench – Tenzing Manske (MAD), Paco Craig (IND), Frank Nodarse (RI), Bolu Akinyode (LDN),
Josh O’Brien (IND), Markus Anderson (BKN), Augustine Williams (HFD)

Andre Lewis, Shavon John-Brown Earn Team of the Week Selections After Standout Performances in Week 13

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Spokane, WA — For a second consecutive week, two Velocity FC players were named
to League One’s Team of the Week, with midfielder Andre Lewis and forward Shavon
John-Brown earning a selection for their performances against Portland Hearts of Pine
last Saturday.

Lewis orchestrated Spokane’s offense against Portland, completing nearly 70% of his
passes and winning 10 out of 16 duels. Lewis was also sound defensively, making six
tackles and two interceptions for his side. Lewis has been a mainstay in Velocity FC’s
midfield this season, playing 656 minutes, which is the second-highest total on the
team. The Team of the Week selection is Lewis’s first of 2026 and eighth of his L1
career.

John-Brown scored Spokane’s lone goal against Hearts of Pine, scoring a header off a
perfect crosser inside the box by Joe Gallardo to give his side a 1-0 lead into halftime.
John-Brown has been a force on offense, leading the team in goals with three while
getting six of his eight shot attempts on target this season. John-Brown is no stranger to
Team of the Week, earning three selections this season and 15 all-time in his L1 career.

Week 13 marks the second straight week that Velocity FC has had a pair of players
earn a Team of the Week selection, with Sean Lewis and Collin Fernandez making the
team last week. Spokane has had 13 different players named to a Team of the Week in
2026, with a lot of season ahead.

Velocity FC’s next match will be on Saturday, June 6 at 6:00 PM against its regional rival
Athletic Club Boise, which sold out its inaugural home opener against Spokane in April.
Help Velocity FC defend its home turf and welcome AC Boise to The Edge by filling out
ONE Spokane Stadium on June 6th! You will not want to miss this rivalry match,
so buy your tickets at Velocity FC Tickets – USL Spokane and cheer on the Lads as they
continue their third season in USL League One!


FULL USL League One Team of the Week: Week 13

GK – Alex Sutton (Sarasota Paradise).

D – Derek Gebhard (Forward Madison FC), Ryen Jiba (Union Omaha), D – Anderson Rosa
(Sarasota Paradise), Claudel N’goubou (Madison).

M – Luis Álvarez (Charlotte Independence), Andre Lewis (Spokane Velocity FC), Jay Tee
Kamara (Portland Hearts of Pine), Ropapa Mensah (Chattanooga).

F – Prince Saydee (Charlotte Independence), Matt Bentley (Chattanooga).

Coach – Mike Elovaara (Sarasota)

Bench – Denzil Smith (AV Alta FC), Jonathan Ricketts (Athletic Club Boise), Jon Bakero
(Charlotte), Shavon John-Brown (Spokane), Austin Amer (Richmond Kickers), Kempes
Tekiela (Omaha), Ollie Wright (Portland).

Unity in Competition: Velocity and Zephyr Forge a New Era for Soccer in Spokane

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By Henry Krueger, Gonzaga University ’25

In many respects, Velocity FC and Zephyr FC are charting different paths in USL Spokane’s first year of existence. 

Velocity (7-9-6) have clinched the League One playoffs, preparing for a first-ever playoff appearance at Northern Colorado this Saturday. Meanwhile, Zephyr (2-3-3) just logged their second-ever victory last Sunday as they started to find a rhythm and continue building their identity during the early part of the inaugural Super League campaign. 

But that’s where the differences end according to Velocity midfielder Luis Gil, who believes the clubs’ shared fan base is the true heart of USL Spokane.

“I think it’s been such a great process so far on both sides,” Gil said of Velocity and Zephyr’s debut seasons in Spokane. “Right from the beginning, we’ve just been trying to be a part of the community as much as possible, and you can see the culture and the fan base’s engagement. It’s just going to keep growing.”

Spokane Zephyr (SPK) Women’s Soccer vs Fort Lauderdale United (FTL)

Velocity kicked off their season in March, marking the return of professional soccer to Spokane after more than a decade. When Zephyr launched their inaugural season in August, Velocity players quickly rallied behind their sister club, supporting the city’s first-ever professional women’s soccer team.

ONE Spokane Stadium has since become a hub where players from both teams gather on game days, regardless of which team is playing.

“I think it’s cool that we get the opportunity to go to their games as well and show support,” Gil said. “I know it’s something that’s going to have to grow a little bit more organically, but those kinds of experiences are just going to make that much more of a feeling that we’re a family.”

Zephyr had their first chance to return the support when they were invited to attend Velocity’s 1-0 win over Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on July 6. Defender Haley Thomas and her teammates led the crowd in the pregame Rumble Tradition, an experience she says is a special memory.

“I think that was the first moment for me, and I think a lot of my teammates as well when we went out before the game,” Thomas said. “Seeing the fans and just the standing ovation and how excited everyone looked, brought more excitement to me.”

Now two months into Zephyr’s season, Velocity midfielder Michael Rojas has noticed the growing relationship between the clubs.

“Since both teams are kind of new, it’s nice just to see how it’s developed so far with our fans and their fans,” Rojas said. “We’ll all go to media and fan appearances sometimes together and all that stuff, so we’ve kind of also built connections with the women — being there for their games and vice versa.” 

The bond between the two teams is no accident. USL Spokane owners Ryan and Katie Harnetiaux made it a priority to field both a men’s and women’s team from the start. Katie Harnetiaux is the only woman president of a professional soccer organization with both men’s and women’s teams.

“There’s a camaraderie between both teams, and having the same ownership is conducive to that,” said Zephyr forward Jodi Ülkekul. 

This isn’t Ülkekul’s first time in Spokane. The 26-year-old is one of two former Gonzaga women’s soccer players on the team, joining midfielder Sophie Braun in representing their alma mater at the club. 

With Ülkekul also being from Sammamish, Washington, she said coming back to Spokane was also an opportunity to continue playing in her home state following a stint with Seattle Reign FC. 

“It’s just a dream come true to be able to play in your home state, but especially having gone to Gonzaga, it’s just so nostalgic to be back,” Ülkekul said. “It’s been a few years since I was a freshman [at Gonzaga], but I remember Spokane looked a bit different when I was a freshman, so now coming back and having this whole stadium here, it’s a wonderful opportunity for not just us, but all of Spokane.”

Ülkekul and Braun’s paths crossed at Gonzaga in 2018, when Ülkekul was a senior captain and Braun was a new freshman. Reflecting on her collegiate career, Braun said it was the local community that drew her back, while also praising USL Spokane’s efforts to connect with fans.

“I loved my time [in] Spokane, I think it’s a really special community here, and I think the club has done a really good job of honing in on that and really giving us all opportunities to showcase what we love to do in front of a community that wants to come out and support us,” Braun said. 

After representing Argentina in several international friendlies this summer, Braun reminisced about her first trip to Spokane as a member of Zephyr.

“When I was first coming to Spokane, right after I agreed to everything, I was actually sitting next to the head coach of another USL men’s team, and when I told him I was going to Spokane, he was like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re so lucky. Like, we would kill to have that fan base. Spokane is awesome. You’re gonna love it.’”

Upon her arrival just before the USL Super League season, Braun said she truly understood what that coach meant when she witnessed the environment at Velocity’s matches.

“Getting to go to some of the other guys’ games, we saw the support they got,” Braun said. “And I think our relationship between the clubs will continue to grow, which is exciting. But it’s been great, and the guys’ games are so fun to go to, and we’re happy to have another team that we can go support.”

As Velocity and Zephyr advance through their inaugural seasons, their partnership and camaraderie reflect the strength of community and shared passion for soccer in Spokane.

In a city that has long yearned for top-tier professional sports, the story of Velocity and Zephyr is a promising chapter in Spokane’s athletic journey.

Lexington Steals Victory From Spokane With Stoppage Time Goal

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By Henry Krueger, Gonzaga University ’25

A late goal gave Lexington SC its first win of the season as the club defeated Spokane Zephyr FC in 3-2 fashion on Sunday afternoon at ONE Spokane Stadium.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Madison Perez delivered a corner kick into the box, where Sydney Shepherd’s header found the back of the net. The go-ahead score sealed the victory for Lexington, with Spokane failing to provide an equalizer in the last four minutes before the final whistle. 

The result has minimal impact on the USL Super League table, where Zephyr (1-3-3) remains in sixth place and Lexington (1-4-2) maintains its spot at the bottom of the standings.

Lexington was the aggressor early, controlling roughly 60% of the possession through the first 15 minutes. Spokane struggled to maintain the ball, even in their own half, dealing with pressure from Lexington’s front line. 

As Zephyr worked to handle Lexington’s attack, they lost a key piece of their backline when Taryn Ries left the match with an injury in the ninth minute. 

The first breakthrough for Lexington came in the 17th minute when Shea Moyer took a shot from outside of the box that deflected off Zephyr goalkeeper Izzy Nino’s hands and into the goal. 

Spokane began to find a rhythm as the half continued, and a long possession in the 37th minute eventually led to a one-touch score from Emma Jaskaniec. The ball bounced around the box before landing at Jaskaniec’s feet, and she fired it into the net for her professional goal.  

“Not all goals are pretty goals, like some are gonna be scrappy, and the ball fell right to my feet, and I just struck it as hard as I could into the back of the net, and it ended up going through everybody and scoring,” Jaskaniec said. “It was definitely a cool feeling, scoring my first professional goal.”

With the score level at 1-1 going into halftime, Lexington regained the lead just three minutes into the second half after Marykate McGuire drilled a shot in the bottom left corner.  

Spokane found its second equalizer in the 58th minute, following a well-placed long pass from Haley Thomas that found a streaking Emina Ekić. Ekić then dribbled past her defender and buried a shot just under the crossbar for her second goal of the season. 

“I literally think I made eye contact with Haley all the way across the field,” Ekić said. “… It was a great ball, it hit me mid-stride and then I got to go 1-on-1 and finish.”

The match remained tied until stoppage time when Perez’s corner kick connected with Shepherd’s head to give Lexington the final lead of the match.

Spokane came up short despite outshooting Lexington 21-15, including six more shots in the box. Goalkeeper Sarah Cox played a pivotal role in limiting Zephyr’s attack, tallying six saves. 

Spokane goalkeeper Izzy Nino recorded five saves, bringing her total to 25 this season — the highest mark in the league. 

Zephyr will enjoy a 13-day break before returning to action, hosting Tampa Bay Sun FC (2-1-3) on Sunday, Oct. 27. Each of Spokane’s home matches has a theme, and this one will be “confident.” 

“We’ll go back to the drawing board and give [the players] a little break,” said Zephyr head coach Jo Johnson. “It’s been quite a grind here so we’ll just get after it for a couple weeks to start training and getting better before we play Tampa.”

The match against Tampa Bay on Sunday, Oct. 27 will be the last home game until March, as Zephyr embarks on a stretch of seven consecutive road matches, followed by a winter break before resuming the spring portion of the inaugural season. The club will be celebrating “Send Off Night,” encouraging supporters to pack the stadium with a $12 fan appreciation ticket special, Zephyr shoelace giveaway to the first 500 fans, face painting, photo booth and more.

Secure tickets to Zephyr FC’s last home match!

Velocity Look to End Road Trip on High Note in Fresno 

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By Henry Krueger, Gonzaga University ’25

Spokane Velocity FC aims to break a three-match scoring drought and strengthen its playoff position Wednesday against Central Valley Fuego FC.

After securing two wins and a scoreless draw in their last homestand, Velocity (7-6-5) have lost the first two contests of their three-match road trip. 

“We brush ourselves off and get ready for another difficult away trip in Fresno,” said head coach Leigh Veidman after Velocity’s 4-0 loss to first-place Union Omaha last week. 

The club’s final opportunity to avoid a winless and scoreless road stretch is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Fresno State Soccer Stadium. The match will air on ESPN+.

While Velocity sits at seventh place on the USL League One table and pushes for a playoff spot in their inaugural season, Fuego (3-12-3) holds the league’s last-place position.

Central Valley is coming off a 1-0 loss at home on Oct. 2, which extended its winless streak to eight matches across all competitions. 

Velocity and Fuego have been competitive against each other, going 1-1-1 in their three encounters this season. The last meeting between the clubs ended in a 3-2 Spokane victory at home. 

Despite previously producing low-scoring affairs, Velocity and Fuego erupted for five goals on 36 shots, thrilling a crowd of 3,108 at ONE Spokane Stadium on Sept. 7.

“You got to give Fuego credit,” Veidman said after the match . “They came out and played well, but they opened the door for us on a couple occasions, and to be fair, we could have put another couple past them.”

Velocity is leading USL League One in several statistical categories, including interceptions (9.4) and successful tackles per match (11.9). Meanwhile, Fuego tops the league in corners (109) and possession won in the final third per match (4.3). 

As Spokane prepares for this crucial late-season match, midfielder Joe Schmidt emphasized the team’s hard-working mentality. 

“I think it’s absolutely a blue-collar kind of culture,” Schmidt said. “Our trainings are very intense. Everyone’s working hard. The goal is, every time we step on the field, we’re well-prepared to go and win.”

Following the match against Fuego, Velocity will host Greenville Triumph SC on Saturday for one of two final regular season home matches of the season. On Saturday, the club is offering a “Unity in Spokane” ticket special — 50 percent off east stadium tickets.

Catch Spokane Velocity FC at home!

Zephyr Prepare for First Road Trip Against DC Power 

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By Rachel Walker, Gonzaga ‘27

After securing their first win of the season against DC Power FC, Spokane Zephyr FC will head to Audi Field in Washington, D.C. for their first road game on Sunday – a rematch against the Power on their home turf. 

Any nerves Zephyr players and coaches might feel about their first road trip in the USL Super League season could be mitigated by one fact: They are familiar with their opponent.

Meeting for the first time last weekend, both teams entered the match looking to secure their first win. 

The Zephyr claimed the franchise’s first-ever victory on Sept. 22 in a 1-0 home win. Haley Thomas and Emma Jaskaniec made their Zephyr debut, and both proved pivotal to Zephyr’s success. In the 17th minute, Jaskaniec was fouled, leading to a free kick taken by Sarah Clark. Clark hooked the kick toward the goal, allowing for Thomas to make a diving header for her first goal of the season. 

Zephyr went into the second half with a lead for the third time this season. DC’s aggressiveness in the second half earned Zephyr a total of 10 corner kicks and four shots on goal. Keeper Izzy Nino recorded one save and earned her first clean sheet of the season. 

Zephyr is currently tied for third in USL Super League standings with a 1-1-2 record. They hope to come out of their first road trip with three more points, which could propel them into second place. 

DC (0-3-2) is still in search of their first win as they host Zephyr. DC has only netted one goal in five matches so far.

Last weekend, despite maintaining  possession for a little over half the game, their only shot on goal occurred in the middle of the half when Alex Kirnos drew Nino out of the goal with a pass to Jorian Baucom. Thomas was able to clear the ball, preventing the goal. DC received four yellow cards during the match, which proved costly. DC remains in seventh place in Super League standings. 

Kickoff will be 11 a.m. PDT Sunday, Sept. 29 and the match will be streamed on Peacock TV. Zephyr will return home to face Dallas Trinity on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. – a match that is themed “Brave” for Breast Cancer Awareness Day. The first 1,000 fans will receive Zephyr Breast Cancer Awareness ribbons, and fans have the opportunity to leave a message on a mural dedicated to cancer survivors that will be donated to a local charity. Finally, it’s also GU Alumni and Friends Day with Spike leading the Rumble. 

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