| 2024 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Gary Green | ||
| Head coach | Dominic Casciato | ||
| Stadium | Werner Park | ||
| USL League One | 1st (3rd Players' Shield) | ||
| USL1 Playoffs | Champions (2nd Playoff Championship) | ||
| U.S. Open Cup | Round of 32 | ||
| USL Cup | Semi final | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Pedro Dolabella (14 goals) All: Pedro Dolabella (15 goals) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 5,849 (11/17 v. SPO) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 2,135 (5/1 v. NCO) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 3,397 | ||
| Biggest win | 4 goals (10/2 v. SPO) | ||
| Biggest defeat | 2 goals (three times) | ||
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The 2024 Union Omaha season was the fifth season in the soccer team's history, and their fifth season in the third division of American soccer, USL League One. Union Omaha played the majority of their home games at Werner Park, located in Papillion, Nebraska, United States. They also played two matches in the U.S. Open Cup at Caniglia Field on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
On January 25, the team announced their intention to build a new soccer specific stadium in the downtown riverfront area of Omaha. The team intends to move into the new stadium by the Spring of 2026.[1]
On July 20, Brazilian Midfielder Victor "PC" Giro suddenly announced his immediate retirement from professional soccer after an 11-year career. PC would subsequently join the academy coaching staff of USL Championship club San Antonio FC as the director/head coach of their U12 program.[2]
On October 31, Hatian Defender Mechack Jérôme, his wife, and a close relative were involved in an accidental explosion caused by propane vapors from a cooktop igniting at his home in Bellevue, Nebraska.[3] Jérôme had been a regular in the Union Omaha lineup, featuring in 28 of the club's matches in all competitions, and the situation led to an outpouring of support from the team and fans alike. In comments following the USL League One Final, principal owner Gary Green declared that, "Nobody will ever wear number two for Union Omaha, except for Mechack," making his the second number retired for Union Omaha, and the first that had been worn by an active player.[4]
The team secured the Players' Shield, awarded to the team with the best regular season record, for the third time in four seasons after a 3–2 victory on the road against South Georgia Tormenta FC.[5] They won their second playoff championship by defeating Spokane Velocity 3–0 in the final, becoming the first team to win the championship twice.[6] They also advanced to the semi-final of the inaugural USL Cup, losing to eventual champions Northern Colorado Hailstorm.[7]
- ^ Gonzalez, Cindy (January 25, 2024). "New 7,000-seat Union Omaha downtown soccer stadium to anchor $300 million entertainment district". nebraskaexaminer.com. Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ "Victor "PC" Giro Announces His Retirement". Union Omaha. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
- ^ Piercy, Jackson (November 2, 2024). "Soccer player, family injured in Bellevue home explosion, club says". www.wowt.com. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
- ^ KETV NewsWatch 7 (November 17, 2024). Union Omaha wins USL League One title. Retrieved December 27, 2024 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Union Omaha wins third USL League One Players' Shield". uslleagueone.com. United Soccer League. October 19, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
- ^ Sottile, Matt (November 17, 2024). "Union Omaha wins USL League One title". ketv.com. KETV. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
- ^ Freemyer, J (September 11, 2024). "Hailstorm Blank Omaha, Advance to USL Jägermeister Cup Final". hailstormfc.com. Northern Colorado Hailstorm. Retrieved November 18, 2024.