Tulsa Athletic

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Tulsa Athletic is an American soccer team and are based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. The 2023 NPSL National Champion, 2013 was their inaugural season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), which is a national league at the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. They compete in the NPSL's Heartland Conference. The team maintains amateur status under NPSL rules, allowing college players to participate without losing their collegiate eligibility. The club currently plays at Athletic Community Field at Hicks Park since the 2022 season, having previously played at Veterans Park (2018–21), LaFortune Stadium (2017) and Drillers Stadium (2013–16), the former home of the Tulsa Drillers baseball team.[1][2][3]

Tulsa Athletic
Full nameTulsa Athletic
Nickname(s)The A's
Founded2013; 11 years ago (2013)
StadiumAthletic Community Field at Hicks Park
OwnersSonny Dalesandro
Thomas J. Kern
Head coachJason Rogers
LeagueNational Premier Soccer League
The League for Clubs (from 2025)
2023NPSL National Champions
Websitehttp://www.tulsaathletic.com

On May 20, 2024, Tulsa Athletic were suspended from the NPSL, meaning that they wouldn't defend their title.[4] On July 31st they announced that they would leave the NPSL in order to start their own amateur league entitled "The League for Clubs", with Athletic being founding members alongside Atlantic City FC, FC Davis, Kingston Stockade FC and Napa Valley 1839 FC.

Crest and colors

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The green that Athletic wears is symbolic of "green country", the moniker given to the area of Oklahoma where Tulsa sits. The gold in the pinstripes that appear on the home kit (and are the dominant color of the away kit) represents trophies, championships, and victory. The crest is a pink shield featuring a unicorn facing a lion surrounding a soccer ball, symbolizing both strength and magic. The pink color of the crest is designed to illustrate the heart. The badge's location over the heart on the jersey signifies that all who wear the crest (players and fans alike) share the same heart.[citation needed]

Support

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A supporters group associated with Tulsa Athletic are the Athletics Armory, who congregate behind the north goal at home matches.[citation needed]

Fans have given the team several unofficial nicknames, including "the A's" and "The Foxes", named after 'Lester', a lone fox who resides in the team's stadium.[citation needed]

Rivalries

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In 2014 Oklahoma City FC left PDL to join the NPSL, which created an in-state rivalry. The two clubs separated by just 100 miles played in the OK Derby.[citation needed]

The inaugural Red River Cup was contested in May 2014.[citation needed] Four clubs (Fort Worth Vaqueros, Liverpool Warriors, Oklahoma City FC) met in a two-day tournament hosted by Tulsa, who won the title over Oklahoma City FC.[5][better source needed]

Oklahoma City 1889 FC joined the NPSL in 2021 which resulted in another in-state rivalry, with supporters choosing the name “The War for I-44.”[citation needed]

A crosstown derby against FC Tulsa was established in 2022 through the U.S. Open Cup nicknamed the Tulsa Derby.

Tulsa Derby

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Record
Won Drawn Lost GF GA
1 0 1 2 2
Results
Date Competition Winner Score Location
April 5, 2023 U.S. Open Cup Tulsa Athletic

1–0

Hicks Park
April 5, 2022 U.S. Open Cup FC Tulsa

1–2

ONEOK Field

War for I-44

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Record
Won Drawn Lost GF GA
8 0 2 24 11
Results
Date Competition Winner Score Location
June 12, 2024 Friendly Tulsa Athletic

2-1

Tulsa, OK
July 15, 2023 NPSL Playoffs Tulsa Athletic

2–1

Claremore, OK
June 17, 2023 NPSL Tulsa Athletic

2–1

Claremore, OK
May 24, 2023 NPSL OKC 1889

0-1

Oklahoma City, OK
July 16, 2022 NPSL Playoffs Tulsa Athletic

5–1

Tulsa, OK
July 16, 2022 NPSL Tulsa Athletic

5–1

Tulsa, OK
May 25, 2022 NPSL Tulsa Athletic

3–0

Oklahoma City, OK
July 14, 2021 NPSL Playoffs Tulsa Athletic

2–2 (5–4 in PKs)

Tulsa, OK
June 27, 2021 NPSL Tulsa Athletic

2–0

Edmond, OK
May 16, 2021 NPSL OKC 1889

1–3

Tulsa, OK

Current squad

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As of April 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   USA Bryson Reed
2 DF   USA Chris Taylor
3 MF   USA Jonathan Harris
4 DF   USA Rio Ramirez
5 DF   USA Alejandro Chavez
6 MF   BRA Vinicius Oliveira
7 FW   SRB Stefan Cvetanović
9 FW   USA Aaron Ugbah
10 FW   ENG Jordan Watson
11 MF   USA Roman Torres
No. Pos. Nation Player
11 FW   USA Titus Grant
13 DF   MEX Javo Reyes
17 MF   USA Joe Garcia
18 MF   USA Mitchell Cashion
19 MF   MEX Ruben Torres
20 MF   USA Ciaran Winters
21 DF   USA Joe Ruiz
22 MF   GAB Aboubakr Diallo
23 MF   BRA Riolan Mello
25 GK   USA Brady Moody

Year-by-year

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Year Division League Regular Season W-D-L
(GF-GA)
Playoffs W-D-L
(GF-GA)
U.S. Open Cup W-D-L
(GF-GA)
National Amateur Cup W-D-L
(GF-GA)
2013 4 NPSL 1st, South Central 10–2–0
(44–9)
South Region Semifinal 0–0–1
(0–0[A])
did not qualify did not play
2014 4 NPSL 1st, South Central 9–0–1
(46–13)
South Region Final 3–0–1
(14–6)
2nd Round 0–0–1
(0–2)
did not play
2015 4 NPSL 3rd, South Central 7–3–4
(52–33)
did not qualify 1st Round 0–0–1
(1–3)
did not play
2016 4 NPSL 1st, South Central 11–0–1
(38–9)
South Central Conference Final 1–0–1
(5–3)
did not qualify did not play
2017 4 NPSL 2nd, Heartland 5–1–4
(25–16)
Heartland Conference Final 1–0–1
(2–5)
1st Round 0–0–1
(1–1[A])
did not play
2018 4 NPSL 3rd, Heartland 6–0–4
(26–17)
Heartland Conference Semifinal 0–0–1
(0–1)
did not qualify did not play
2019 4 NPSL 1st, Heartland 7–3–0
(24–8)
South Region Final 3–0–1
(12–7)
did not qualify did not play
2020 4 UPSL 1st, Central-North 13–0–1
(60–11)
Central Region Semifinal 1–0–1
(4–4)
not held did not play
2021 4 NPSL 2nd, Heartland 6–3–1
(32–9)
NPSL National Championship Runner Up 4–0–1
(8–9)
not held did not play
2022 4 NPSL 1st, Heartland 9–2–1
(36–10)
NPSL National Semifinal 4–0–1
(8–3)
2nd Round 1–0–1
(4–2)
did not play
2023 4 NPSL 1st, Heartland 7-2-1
(23-8)
NPSL National Champions 6-0-0
(15-6)
3rd Round 2–0–1
(2–3)
Region III Final 2-1-2
(10-14)
2024 4 [a] [6] 3-2-0
(11-3)
American Champions Cup Winners[7] 1-0-0
(2-1)
1st Round 0–0–1
(1-4)
did not play
  • ^
    Lost on Penalties
  • All time Table

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    Match Type Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD Win %
    Regular Season 129 93 18 18 417 146 +271 072.09
    Playoffs 33 24 0 9 70 44 +26 072.73
    U.S. Open Cup 9 3 0 6 9 15 −6 033.33
    National Amateur Cup 5 2 1 2 10 14 −4 040.00
    Total 176 122 19 35 506 220 +286 069.32
    • Updated as of July 2, 2024

    Head coaches

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    • Includes all competitive matches: regular season, playoffs, and open cup.
    Coach Nationality Start End Games Win Draw Loss GF GA GD Win %
    Joey Ryan   United States 2013 2019 95 63 9 23 290 133 +157 066.32
    Levi Coleman   United States 2020 2023 50 38 5 7 152 48 +104 076.00
    Jason Rogers   United States 2023 Present 24 17 3 4 50 31 +19 070.83

    Honors

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    Club

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    • USASA
    • NPSL
      • National Champions (1): 2023
      • National Runners-Up (1): 2021
    • NPSL Midwest Region
      • Champions (1): 2023
    • NPSL South Region
      • Champions (2): 2021, 2022
        • Runners-Up (2): 2014, 2019
    • NPSL South-Central Conference
      • Champions (2): 2013, 2014
    • NPSL Heartland Conference
      • Champions (4): 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
      • Regular Season Shield (3): 2019, 2022, 2023
    • Red River Cup
      • Champions (1): 2014
    • UPSL Central Conference-North Division
      • Champions (1): 2020
    Year Honor
    2013 South-Central Conference Champions
    2014 South-Central Conference Champions
    2014 South Region Runners-Up
    2014 Red River Cup Champions
    2019 Heartland Conference Shield
    2019 Heartland Conference Champions
    2019 South Region Runners-Up
    2020 Central Conference-North Division Champions
    2021 Heartland Conference Champions
    2021 South Region Champions
    2021 National Championship Runners-Up
    2022 Heartland Conference Shield
    2022 Heartland Conference Champions
    2022 South Region Champions
    2023 Heartland Conference Shield
    2023 Heartland Conference Champions
    2023 Midwest Region Champions
    2023[8] NPSL National Champions
    2024 American Champions Cup Winners

    Individual

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    Year Player Position Honor
    2016 Dave Leung Forward Supporters' XI – First Team
    2016 Terence Smith Defender Supporters' XI – Second Team
    2017 Joe Garcia Midfielder South Region Best XI
    2018 Damieon Thomas Forward Heartland Conference XI
    2018 Declan Fitzpatrick Midfielder Heartland Conference XI
    2019 Aboubakr Diallo Forward Heartland Conference XI
    2019 Joseph Ruiz Midfielder Heartland Conference XI
    2019 Gustavo Vargas Defender Heartland Conference XI
    2019 Joey Ryan Manager Heartland Conference XI
    2019 Joseph Ruiz Midfielder South Region XI
    2019 Gustavo Vargas Defender South Region XI
    2020 Santiago Riveros Midfielder UPSL Central Best XI
    2020 Hunter Harrison Goalkeeper UPSL Central Best XI
    2021 Aboubakr Diallo Forward Heartland Conference XI
    2021 Joseph Garcia Midfielder Heartland Conference XI
    2021 Joseph Ruiz Defender Heartland Conference XI
    2021 Levi Coleman Manager Heartland Conference XI
    2021 Levi Coleman Manager South Region XI
    2021 Levi Coleman Manager National XI
    2021 Levi Coleman Manager NPSL Coach of the Season
    2022 Reed Berry Forward Heartland Conference XI
    2022 Vinicius De Oliveira Midfielder Heartland Conference XI
    2022 Joseph Ruiz Defender Heartland Conference XI
    2021 Levi Coleman Manager Heartland Conference XI
    2022 Joseph Ruiz Defender South Region XI
    2023 Aboubakr Diallo Forward Heartland Conference XI
    2023 Rio Mello Midfielder Heartland Conference XI
    2023 Vitor Turnes Defender Heartland Conference XI
    2023 Bryson Reed Goalkeeper Heartland Conference XI
    2023 Aboubakr Diallo Forward Midwest Region XI
    2023 Vitor Turnes Midfield Midwest Region XI
    2023 Bryson Reed Goalkeeper Midwest Region XI
    2023 Aboubakr Diallo Forward National XI

    Records

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    Notes

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    1. ^ Tulsa Athletic planned to participate in the NPSL in 2024, but they were suspended on May 20.[4]

    References

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    1. ^ Ferguson, John D. (April 5, 2013). "Tulsa's new pro soccer team to play at Drillers Stadium". Tulsa World.
    2. ^ Bewley, Dan (April 4, 2013). "National Premiere League Soccer Coming To Tulsa's Old Drillers Stadium". KOTV-DT.
    3. ^ "Soccer: Tulsa Athletic release schedule". Tulsa World. Tulsa, OK: World Publishing Company. February 12, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
    4. ^ a b Tulsa Athletic (2024-05-20). "NPSL SUSPENDS TULSA ATHLETIC FOR 2024 SEASON". Tulsa Athletic.
    5. ^ "Athletics Win the First Annual Red River Cup". Tulsa Athletics. 5 May 2014.
    6. ^ Tulsa Athletic (2024-06-03). "TULSA ATHLETIC ANNOUNCES 2024 SUMMER SCHEDULE". Tulsa Athletic.
    7. ^ Tulsa Athletic (2024-06-30). "TULSA ATHLETIC CAPTURES 2024 AMERICAN CHAMPIONS CUP WITH 2-1 WIN OVER HOUSTON REGALS". Tulsa Athletic.
    8. ^ "TULSA ATHLETIC CROWNED 2023 NPSL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS". www.NPSL.com. National Premier Soccer League. August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
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