Appalachian FC

Appalachian Football Club is an American soccer team based in Boone, North Carolina that currently plays in the National Premier Soccer League, on the fourth tier of the United States soccer league system. The team plays its home games at the ASU Soccer Stadium.

Appalachian FC
Full nameAppalachian Football Club
FoundedNovember 18, 2020 (2020-11-18)
StadiumASU Soccer Stadium
Boone, North Carolina
Capacity~2,000
Head coachDale Parker
LeagueNational Premier Soccer League
20221st in the Southeast Conference. Southeast Conference playoff champions.
WebsiteClub website

History

On May 26, 2020, Appalachian State discontinued varsity sports including men's soccer due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2] As a result of the men's soccer team being cut, 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]

On November 5, 2020, Appalachian FC joined the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), considered the fourth tier of the United States soccer pyramid and roughly equal to the USL League Two.[4] Appalachian FC played their first game on May 1, 2021, ending in a 1-1 draw with Metro Louisville FC.[5] 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.

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.[6] The crest draws inspiration from the cryptozoological mythology and folklore of Sasquatch sightings in North Carolina and across the Appalachian Mountains.[7]

Year-by-year
Year League Record Regular season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup
2021 NPSL 4–2–4 3rd, Southeast Conference Conference Semifinal Ineligible
2022 6–1–3 1st, Southeast Conference Regional Final Did not qualify
2023 0-0-0 TBD TBD Qualified. Lost in Second Round

    References
    1. "App State Athletics Announces Program Changes". App State Athletics. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
    2. By, 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. "Appalachian FC Joins the NPSL for the 2021 Season". National Premier Soccer League. November 18, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
    5. "Schedule and Results". Appalachian FC. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
    6. "One Pager". Football Brand Designer.
    7. "Designing Appalachian Football Club's logo and brand". Football Brand Designer. November 19, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2022.


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