Lansing Ignite FC was a professional soccer team based in Lansing, Michigan, United States. The club began play in the newly-formed USL League One in 2019 and ceased operations following their inaugural season.
History The formation of USL League One (originally announced as USL Division III) was first announced in April 2017, and league officials began touring the country looking for candidate cities for new soccer clubs. The city of Lansing was already home to Lansing United, an amateur soccer team in the National Premier Soccer League. In 2018, United moved from NPSL to the Premier Development League, another amateur league often considered the fourth tier of American soccer. The move was seen as a step towards establishing a professional team, as the PDL is managed by United Soccer Leagues, the same organization that manages League One as well as the second-tier United Soccer League.
In September 2018, the Lansing State Journal reported that the owners of the Lansing Lugnuts, a local minor league baseball team, had presented plans to Lansing City Council for a professional soccer team to play at Cooley Law School Stadium, also home to the Lugnuts. On October 8, the city council unanimously approved the plans, which are expected to cost the city $1 million over the course of a five-year contract. This also signaled the end of the Lansing United men's team, as United owner Jeremy Sampson became the new club's general manager; however, Lansing United Women would continue to operate as planned.
On October 25, 2018, USL League One officially announced Lansing Ignite FC as its ninth founding member team, to begin play in 2019. On November 14, 2018, Lansing Ignite FC announced Nate Miller as the inaugural head coach. On March 19, 2019, Lansing Ignite FC announced an affiliation agreement with Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer.
Lansing played their first USL League One match on 30 March 2019, beating Richmond Kickers 3–2 at City Stadium, Richmond. Lansing finished their first season with a 12–6–10 record, good for second place in USL League One. They fell in the playoff semifinal to Greenville Triumph SC, 1–0. On October 14, 2019, midfielder Marshall Hollingsworth posted on Instagram that the Ignite would be folding and that all players had been released from their contracts. Team President Nick Grueser said that the team would not give an update on the team's future until after the conclusion of the League One final.
On October 21, 2019, it was officially announced by USL League One that, despite a successful first season performance-wise, the Ignite would not be returning for the 2020 season.
In 2020, Lansing Common FC, was formed as a supporter-owned team. They began play in 2021 as part of the Midwest Premier League.
Sponsorship SeasonKit manufacturerShirt sponsor 2019 Moneyball LAFCU
Players
First team roster
No. Name Nationality Position(s) Date of birth (age) Signed in Previous club Goalkeepers 1 Mike KirkGK 2019 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 13 Kyle IhnGK 2019 Reno 1868 Defenders 2 Rhys WilliamsDF 2019 Real Monarchs 4 Grant StonemanDF 2019 Loyola Ramblers5Brandon FrickeDF2019 Des Moines Menace17Kevin CoifficDF2019 Young Harris Mountain Lions25Marshall HollingsworthDF2019 Columbus Crew Midfielders 6 Ricardo PerezMF 2019 Colorado Rapids7Rafael MentzingenMF2019 Valparaiso Crusaders8Kyle CarrMF2019 Lansing United10Xavier GomezMF2019 Chicago FC United12Christian SilvaMF2019 Jacksonville Armada16Lewis JonesMF2019 Lansing United21Ivo CerdaMF2019 Michigan Wolverines23Tumi MoshobaneMF2019 Lansing United24Elma N'ForMF2019 Asheville City 27 Nathan LewisMF 2019 Indy Eleven—Omar CastroMF2019 TSC Vahdet Forwards 9 Ricky Lopez-EspinFW 2019 Real Salt Lake 11 Steeve Saint-DucFW 2019 Los Angeles FC14Nick MoonFW2019 Lane United19Pato Botello FazFW2019 St. Mary's Rattlers20Alex BruceFW2019 San Antonio FC (loan)
Coaching staff
PositionName Head coach Nate Miller Assistant coach Tim Daniels Assistant coach Joel DeLass Goalkeeping coach Wael Zenga
2019 season
Preseason friendlies
Midseason friendlies
USL League One
Standings
Results summary
Results by round
Results
USL League One Playoffs
U.S. Open Cup
Final roster
Final team roster As of January 10, 2019.
No.PositionNationPlayer
Year-by-year Lansing Ignite FC SeasonUSL League One Play-offs U.S. Open Cup Top Scorer Head coach Player Goals201928126104937462ndNational Semifinals2R Tumi Moshobane10 Nate Miller
1. Top Scorer includes statistics from league matches only.
Head coaches Includes USL Regular Season, USL Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies. Coach Nationality Start End Games Win Loss Draw Win % Nate Miller Present
Average attendance Year Reg. season Playoffs 2019 2,758 2,340
References
External links