2025 Charleston Battery season
| 2025 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Rob Salvatore | ||
| Head coach | Ben Pirmann | ||
| Stadium | Patriots Point Soccer Complex | ||
| USL Championship | Eastern Conference: 2nd Overall: 2nd | ||
| USL Playoffs | Conference Quarter-Finals | ||
| U.S. Open Cup | Third Round | ||
| USL Cup | Group Stage | ||
| Top goalscorer | Cal Jennings (17) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 5,080 (June 21, against Phoenix Rising FC) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 2,480 (March 15, against Rhode Island FC) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 3,908 | ||
|
| |||
The 2025 Charleston Battery season was the club's 35th year of existence and the club's 22nd season in the second tier of the United States soccer league system. It is their fourteenth season in the USL Championship (USLC) as part of the Eastern Conference.[1]
Background
The Battery finished an impressive 2024 season with a 18-6-10 record. Finishing the regular season second place in the Eastern Conference, the Battery advanced to the USL Championship conference final where they were beaten by expansion club Rhode Island FC.[2]
During the offseason, the USL Championship Golden Boot winner Nick Markanich,[3] who set the USL Championship record for most goals scored in a season as a member of the Battery,[4] left the club for Segunda División club CD Castellón in Spain.[5]
Season Squad
| Squad No. | Name | Nationality | Position(s) | Date of birth (age) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | ||||
| 1 | Christian Garner | GK | March 9, 2000 | |
| 24 | Daniel Kuzemka | GK | September 23, 1998 | |
| 56 | Luis Zamudio | GK | June 24, 1998 | |
| 99 | Enzo Mori | GK | April 21, 2006 | |
| Defenders | ||||
| 2 | Mark Segbers | DF | April 18, 1996 | |
| 5 | Leland Archer | DF | August 1, 1996 | |
| 7 | Langston Blackstock | DF | March 23, 2000 | |
| 16 | Graham Smith | DF | November 25, 1995 | |
| 22 | Joey Akpunonu | DF | December 21, 2001 | |
| 34 | Michael Edwards | DF | November 27, 2000 | |
| 62 | Nathan Dossantos | DF | December 26, 1999 | |
| Midfielders | ||||
| 4 | Chris Allan | MF | September 27, 1998 | |
| 6 | Aaron Molloy | MF | January 11, 1997 | |
| 8 | Emilio Ycaza | MF | July 10, 1997 | |
| 10 | Arturo Rodríguez | MF | December 15, 1998 | |
| 11 | Viggo Ortiz | MF | May 26, 2008 | |
| 19 | Johnny Klein | MF | November 7, 1999 | |
| 80 | Juan David Torres | MF | March 31, 2001 (age 22) | |
| 91 | Nanan Houssou | MF | December 28, 2000 | |
| Forwards | ||||
| 9 | MD Myers | FW | May 4, 2001 | |
| 11 | Rubio Rubin | FW | March 1, 1996 | |
| 26 | Cal Jennings | FW | May 17, 1997 | |
| 36 | Jackson Conway | FW | March 12, 2001 | |
| 42 | Douglas Martínez | FW | June 5, 1997 | |
Last updated: 3 June 2025.
Source: [1]
Competitions
All times in Eastern Time Zone.
USL Championship
Eastern Conference
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville City FC (S) | 30 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 56 | 19 | +37 | 73 | Playoffs |
| 2 | Charleston Battery | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 62 | 32 | +30 | 62 | |
| 3 | North Carolina FC | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 45 | |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (C) | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 32 | 28 | +4 | 44[a] | |
| 5 | Hartford Athletic | 30 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 48 | 36 | +12 | 44[a] |
Source: USL Championship Standings
Rules for classification: 1) head-to-head points; 2) head-to-head goal differential; 3) points-per-game within conference; 4) total wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) total goals scored; 7) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 8) disciplinary points; 9) coin toss or drawing of lots
(C) Champions; (S) Players' Shield winner
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) head-to-head points; 2) head-to-head goal differential; 3) points-per-game within conference; 4) total wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) total goals scored; 7) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 8) disciplinary points; 9) coin toss or drawing of lots
(C) Champions; (S) Players' Shield winner
Notes:
Matches
On December 19, 2024, the USL Championship released the regular season schedule for all 24 teams.[6]
| March 8 1 | Charleston Battery | 1–2 | Louisville City FC | Mount Pleasant, SC |
| Torres 63' Rodriguez 70' |
Report | Lopez 53' Perez 76' |
Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 3,438 Referee: Abdou Ndiaye |
| March 15 2 | Charleston Battery | 2–0 | Louisville City FC | Mount Pleasant, SC |
| Jennings 15', 37' | Report | Lopez 53' Perez 76' |
Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 2,480 Referee: Natalie Simon |
| March 29 3 | North Carolina FC | 2–1 | Charleston Battery | Cary, NC |
| Conway 24' Smith 33' (o.g.) |
Report | Jennings 45'+5' (pen.) | Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park Attendance: 2,480 Referee: Natalie Simon |
| April 5 4 | Charleston Battery | 2–1 | Louisville City FC | Mount Pleasant, SC |
| Jennings 45'+1' (pen.) Myers 73' |
Report | Pacius 75' | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 3,510 Referee: Joshua Encarnación |
| April 12 5 | Charleston Battery | 2–1 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | Mount Pleasant, SC |
| Molloy 67' Jennings 80' |
Report | Sample 40' | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 3,466 Referee: Elijio Arreguin |
| April 19 6 | Indy Eleven | 1–3 | Charleston Battery | Indianapolis, IN |
| Report | Stadium: Carroll Stadium Attendance: 10,080 Referee: Natalie Simon |
| May 3 7 | Charleston Battery | 4–2 | Hartford Athletic | Mount Pleasant, SC |
| Jennings 24' (pen.) Torres 38', 64' Landry 56' |
Report | Scarlett 5' Ngalina 62' (pen.) |
Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,288 Referee: Benjamin Meyer |
| May 10 8 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1–3 | Charleston Battery | St. Petersburg, Florida |
|
Report | Stadium: Al Lang Stadium Attendance: 5,273 Referee: Gerald Flores |
| May 17 9 | Charleston Battery | 4–0 | San Antonio FC | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| Jennings 24' (pen.) Omar 30' (o.g.) Klein 90' |
Report | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,465 Referee: Brad Jensen |
| May 24 10 | Detroit City FC | 1–3 | Charleston Battery | Hamtramck, MI |
|
Report | Stadium: Keyworth Stadium Referee: Elton García |
| June 7 11 | Loudoun United FC | 1–1 | Charleston Battery | Leesburg, Virginia |
| Nyeman 67' | Report | Myers 43' | Stadium: Segra Field Attendance: 1,523 Referee: Nabil Bensalah |
| June 14 12 | Hartford Athletic | 1–2 | Charleston Battery | Hartford, Connecticut |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Trinity Health Stadium Attendance: 4,610 Referee: Matthew Corrigan |
| June 18 13 | Miami FC | 1–0 | Charleston Battery | Miami, Florida |
|
Report | Stadium: Pitbull Stadium Attendance: 927 Referee: Luis Arroyo |
| June 21 14 | Charleston Battery | 4–1 | Phoenix Rising FC | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| Report |
|
Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 5,080 Referee: Luis Arroyo |
| July 2 15 | Birmingham Legion FC | 0–0 | Charleston Battery | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Report | Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 5,805 Referee: Matthew Thompson |
| July 6 16 | Charleston Battery | 1–0 | North Carolina FC | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| Ycaza 40' | Report | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 3,260 Referee: Alyssa Nichols |
| July 12 17 | New Mexico United | 1–2 | Charleston Battery | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
|
Report | Stadium: Isotopes Park Attendance: 11,072 Referee: Abdou Ndiaye |
| July 19 18 | Charleston Battery | 3–0 | Miami FC | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| Report | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,284 Referee: Matthew Corrigan |
| August 9 19 | Louisville City FC | 4–1 | Charleston Battery | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Report | Myers 52' | Stadium: Lynn Family Stadium Attendance: 13,611 Referee: Elijio Arreguin |
| August 16 20 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 1–2 | Charleston Battery | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Griffin 11' | Report | Stadium: Highmark Stadium Attendance: 6,115 Referee: Brandon Stevis |
| August 24 21 | Charleston Battery | 4–1 | Loudoun United FC | Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 5:00 PM | Report | Dambrot 71' | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,070 Referee: Elton García | |
| Note: Match rescheduled from August 23 due to inclement weather. | ||||
| August 30 22 | Rhode Island FC | 1−0 | Charleston Battery | Pawtucket, Rhode Island |
| 7:00 PM | Report |
|
Stadium: Centreville Bank Stadium Attendance: 7,787 Referee: Edson Carvajal |
| September 6 23 | Charleston Battery | 2–1 | Indy Eleven | Mount Pleasant, SC |
| 7:30 PM | Report | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 5,012 Referee: Nabil Bensalah |
| September 13 24 | Charleston Battery | 3–3 | Oakland Roots SC | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 7:30 PM | Report | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,030 Referee: Mark Verso |
| September 20 25 | El Paso Locomotive FC | 0–2 | Charleston Battery | El Paso, Texas |
| 9:00 PM | Report | Stadium: Southwest University Park Attendance: 7,842 Referee: Servando Berna Rico |
| September 27 26 | Orange County SC | 2–2 | Charleston Battery | Irvine, California |
| 10:00 PM | Zubak 63', 76' (pen.) | Report | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Natalie Simon |
| October 5 27 | Sacramento Republic FC | v | Charleston Battery | Sacramento, California |
| Report | Stadium: Heart Health Park | |||
| Note: Match rescheduled to October 22 due to Sacramento Republic hosting the USL Cup Final | ||||
| October 13 28 | Charleston Battery | 5–0 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 5:00 PM | Report | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 2,993 Referee: Trevor Wiseman | ||
| Note: Match was originally on October 11 due to inclement weather; When abandoned during halftime, Colorado Springs was leading 1–0 | ||||
| October 18 29 | Charleston Battery | 1−1 | Detroit City FC | Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,020 Referee: Muhammad Kaleia |
| October 22 27 | Sacramento Republic FC | 1–0 | Charleston Battery | Sacramento, California |
| 7:00 PM | Bennett 50' | Report | Stadium: Heart Health Park Attendance: 8,779 Referee: Cristian Campo Hernández | |
| Note: Match rescheduled to October 22 due to Sacramento Republic hosting the USL Cup Final | ||||
| October 25 30 | Charleston Battery | 2–1 | Birmingham Legion FC | Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 5:00 PM | Report |
|
Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,737 Referee: Drew Klemp |
USL Championship playoffs
As the second seed in the Eastern Conference, the Charleston Battery clinched a home playoff spot in the 2025 USL Championship playoffs, matched up against the seventh seeded Rhode Island FC.[7] Playing at home, the Battery played for a scoreless draw in regular and added extra time, before ultimately falling to Rhode Island FC for the second year in a row, losing 3−5 in a penalty shootout.[8]
| November 2, 2025 East | Charleston Battery | 0−0 (a.e.t.) (3−5 p) | Rhode Island FC | Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 2:00 PM ET | Report | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,532 Referee: Elton Garcia | ||
| Penalties | ||||
USL Cup
The Battery participated in the second edition of the USL Cup, the first edition to feature teams from both the USL Championship and League One.[9][10]
Standings
| Pos | Lg | Team | Pld | W | PKW | PKL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | USLC | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 7 |
| 3 | USL1 | South Georgia Tormenta FC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 7 |
| 4 | USLC | Miami FC | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 5 |
| 5 | USLC | Charleston Battery | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 5 |
| 6 | USL1 | FC Naples | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 3 |
Updated to match(es) played on July 26, 2025. Source: USL
Matches
| April 26, 2025 | FC Naples | 1–0 | Charleston Battery | Naples, Florida |
| 7:00 PM EDT |
|
Report | Stadium: Paradise Coast Sports Complex Stadium Attendance: 4,172 Referee: Atahan Yaya |
| May 31, 2025 | Charleston Battery | 0–1 | Greenville Triumph SC | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 6:00 PM EDT | Report |
|
Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 3,701 Referee: Marie Durr |
| June 28, 2025 | South Georgia Tormenta FC | 3–3 (4–5 p) | Charleston Battery | Statesboro, Georgia |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
|
Report | Stadium: Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium Attendance: 876 Referee: Gerald Flores | |
| Penalties | ||||
| July 26, 2025 | Charleston Battery | 2–1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 3,599 Referee: Thomas Snyder |
U.S. Open Cup
The Battery, as a member of the second division USL Championship, entered the U.S. Open Cup in the Third Round based on its performance in the 2024 USL Championship season.[11] Drawn away against Division 3 USL League One club South Georgia Tormenta FC, they cruised to a 4–0 victory.[12] Moving on to the Round of 32, the Battery would ultimately be eliminated in a 2–0 loss away against MLS club D.C. United after added extra time.[13]
| April 15 | Charleston Battery (USLC) | 4–0 | South Georgia Tormenta FC (USL1) | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 7:30 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Ralph Lundy Field Attendance: 1,419 Referee: John Rush |
| May 6, 2025 | D.C. United | 2–0 (a.e.t.) | Charleston Battery | Washington, D.C. |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Murrell 96' Stroud 103' |
Report | Stadium: Audi Field Attendance: 6,781 Referee: Ricardo Montero |
References
- ^ Morrissey, John (March 3, 2025). "Charleston Battery 2025 USL Championship season preview". Backheeled. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ Charleston Battery (November 17, 2024). "Battery fall 1-2 to Rhode Island in Eastern Conference Final". live5news. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ Leach III, L. C. (March 13, 2025). "The Golden Boot: Charleston Battery's Top Scorer Nets League MVP - Mount Pleasant Magazine". Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ Kennedy, Paul (September 8, 2024). "Nick Markanich ties single-season scoring record with 25th goal". Soccer America. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ Hindle, Tom (September 20, 2024). "Charleston Battery's Nick Markanich, USL record goalscorer, bet on himself to earn his dream European move | Goal.com US". www.goal.com. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ USLSoccer Staff (December 19, 2024). "USL Championship reveals the 2025 season schedule". USL Championship. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
- ^ Miller, Andrew (November 2, 2025). "It's not about revenge for Charleston Battery; it's about the USL Championship trophy". Post and Courier. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ Charleston Battery (November 3, 2025). "Battery stunned at home in 1st round playoff loss to Rhode Island". live5news.com. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ Lewis, Michael (December 12, 2024). "ANOTHER COMPETITION: USL adds Jägermeister Cup for Championship, League One teams". Front Row Soccer. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
- ^ Silverman, Alex (December 12, 2024). "USL expanding Jägermeister Cup to all teams". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
- ^ Lewis, Michael (April 17, 2025). "ROUND OF 32 DRAW: For the U.S. Open Cup". Front Row Soccer. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
- ^ Battery, Charleston (April 16, 2025). "Myers' hat trick powers Charleston past Tormenta in Open Cup Third Round". live4news. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ Moore, Perrin (May 7, 2025). "Battery out of US Open Cup after extra time loss to MLS side DC United". WCIV. Retrieved June 4, 2025.