Appalachian FC

Appalachian Football Club is a National Premier Soccer League expansion team that began play in March 2021.[1] As a result of the Appalachian State Mountaineers men's soccer team being cut in May of 2020 due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic,[2] head coach Jason O'Keefe and a soccer executive Michael Hitchcock joined up with a group of local business owners to create the team.[3] They are a member of the Southeast Conference along with Georgia Revolution FC, Georgia Storm, LSA Athletico Lanier, Metro Louisville FC, and North Alabama SC.

Appalachian FC
Full nameAppalachian Football Club
FoundedNovember 2020
StadiumASU Soccer Stadium
Boone, North Carolina
Capacity~2,000
Head coachDale Parker
LeagueNational Premier Soccer League
WebsiteClub website

The team plays its home games at the ASU Soccer Stadium.

Colors and Crest

The club colors are black and gold. The club crest was designed by award-winning designer Christopher Payne, who has developed brand identities for several football clubs in the United States and the United Kingdom including Lexington SC, Flower City Union, Monterey Bay FC, and Eastleigh Football Club.[4] The crest draws inspiration from the cryptozoological mythology and folklore of Sasquatch sightings in North Carolina and across the Appalachian Mountains.[5]

History

Appalachian FC joined the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), considered the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid and roughly equal to the USL Premier Development League (PDL). Appalachian FC played their first game on May 1, 2021, ending in a 1-1 draw with Metro Louisville FC.[6] Appalachian FC finished the 2021 season third in their conference and advanced to the Southeast Conference playoffs. They finished the season with a 2-1 loss to Georgia Storm in the semifinals on July 14, 2021.

2021 Season- Southeast Conference
Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Georgia Revolution FC 10 8 1 1 25 10 +15 25 Southeast Conference playoffs
2 Georgia Storm 10 5 3 2 26 9 +17 17
3 Appalachian FC 10 4 2 4 16 12 +4 16
4 LSA Athletico Lanier 10 4 5 1 12 19 −7 13
5 Metro Louisville FC 10 2 7 1 8 30 −22 7
6 North Alabama SC 10 2 7 1 13 20 −7 7
Source: NPSL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head; 3) goal differential in head-to-head results; 4) wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) fewest losses; 7) coin toss. If three or more teams are tied on points, a mini-table involving only the tied teams is used, and teams are ranked in the mini-table on points. If two teams are tied on points in the mini-table, the two-team rules for classification apply. If three or more teams are tied on points in the mini-table, they are ranked based on 1) wins in conference competition; 2) total goal differential in conference competition; 3) fewest losses in conference competition; 4) coin toss.

2021 Southeast Conference playoffs
Semifinals
July 14 		Final
July 17
      
1 Georgia Revolution 2(6)
4 LSA Athletico Lanier 2(5)
1 Georgia Revolution 2
2 Georgia Storm 1
2 Georgia Storm 2
3 Appalachian FC 1

Bold = winner
* = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score

  1. ^
    B The Gulf Coast Conference final was originally scheduled for July 17. The day of the match it was announced that multiple New Orleans Jesters players had tested positive for COVID-19 and the game was called off.[7] Despite originally saying the final would be rescheduled, the NPSL announced on July 22 that Southern States SC would advance to the South Region Semifinal against Naples United FC.[8]

References
  1. "Appalachian FC Joins the NPSL for the 2021 Season". National Premier Soccer League. November 18, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  2. sports@wataugademocrat.com, Steve Behr. "App State joins list of schools cutting sports teams". Watauga Democrat. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  3. "How a semi-pro soccer team with a Sasquatch logo arose from a college program shuttered by COVID-19". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  4. "One Pager". Football Brand Designer.
  5. "Designing Appalachian Football Club's logo and brand". Football Brand Designer. November 19, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  6. "Schedule and Results". Appalachian FC. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  7. "Jesters conference playoff final vs Southern States postponed". WGNO. July 17, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  8. "Statement Regarding NPSL Gulf Coast Conference Final". National Premier Soccer League. July 22, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.


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