Former USL Championship Golden Glove and Goalkeeper of the Year winner Danny Vitiello made his 100th regular season appearance in the league this past week.

In this week’s edition of the USL Championship’s News & Notes, we’ll look at the key number that makes a case for his position among the best goalkeepers in the league that have reached that milestone previously, as well as the continuation of Indy Eleven’s winning streak to eight games and where Rhode Island FC currently ranks after another drawn contest last week.

We’ve also got our regular look at upcoming milestones for players around the USL Championship, and the Week 16 Discipline Report.

Let’s begin.

NEWS & NOTES

VITIELLO STANDS AMONG LEAGUE’S ELITE AFTER 100 GAMES

Sacramento Republic FC goalkeeper Danny Vitiello made his 100th appearance in the USL Championship on Saturday night against Oakland Roots SC, becoming only the 19th goalkeeper to reach the mark in the league’s history. In doing so, he continued to make a case by the numbers for his place among the best goalkeepers to have competed in the Championship.

Among goalkeepers with at least 100 appearances, Vitiello currently sports the best career goals-against average at 0.84 while also ranking seventh all-time in the league in shutouts with 38 in his 100 appearances. Among goalkeepers with at least 100 regular season appearances in the Championship, only current Tampa Bay Rowdies goalkeeper Jordan Farr currently also sports a goals-against average below 1.00.

Lowest Goals-Against Average among Goalkeepers with 100 regular season appearances
1. Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 0.84*
2. Jordan Farr (TBR) – 0.97*
3. Tomás Gómez – 1.01
4. Odisnel Cooper – 1.07
5. Connor Sparrow – 1.08

INDY ELEVEN’S WINNING STREAK REACHES EIGHT

Indy Eleven became the seventh team to record an eight-game winning streak in the USL Championship’s regular season with its 1-0 victory against San Antonio FC on Saturday night at Michael A. Carroll Stadium. The streak now places the side alongside five teams which ended the season claiming the USL Championship’s Players’ Shield, and last season’s Orange County SC side which finished second in the Western Conference after a major midseason turnaround. 

Longest Winning Streaks in USL Championship History
1. Phoenix Rising FC (2019) – 20
2. FC Cincinnati (2018) – 10
T-3. Tampa Bay Rowdies (2021) – 9
T-3. Real Monarchs SLC (2017) – 9
T-5. Indy Eleven (2024) – 8*
T-5. Orange County SC (2023) – 8
T-5. Orlando City SC (2014) – 8

RHODE ISLAND FC FIT TO BE TIED

Rhode Island FC played to a 2-2 draw last Wednesday night against Memphis 901 FC at AutoZone Park, recording the expansion club’s ninth tied game in its 14th regular season contest of the campaign. Currently, RIFC is on course to record the most drawn games in a regular season, with the record currently held by five different clubs who each posted 14 draws including last year’s San Antonio FC squad.

Most Drawn Games in a USL Championship Regular Season
T-1. San Antonio FC (2023) – 14
T-1. Charleston Battery (2018) – 14
T-1. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (2018) – 14
T-1. Rio Grande Valley FC (2018) – 14
T-1. Ottawa Fury FC (2017) – 14

Quick Hits

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Yosuke Hanya and Maalique Foster became the second set of teammates to record at least two goals apiece in a game this season on Saturday night against Orange County SC, following the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Manuel Arteaga and Forrest Lasso against FC Tulsa on May 18.

- Following its draw with Las Vegas Lights FC on Tuesday night, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC is now on a nine-game undefeated streak, the longest in the club’s history in the USL Championship’s regular season.

- Orange County SC’s Bryce Jamison became the youngest player in club history to record a two-goal game on Saturday night against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC aged 18 years, 252 days old. The United States youth international is the 19th-youngest player to record a brace in the Championship’s regular season all-time.

- With its loss to Indy Eleven on Saturday night, San Antonio FC has lost three consecutive regular season contests for the first time since the club suffered consecutive losses between March 16-30, 2019 against the Portland Timbers 2 (March 16), Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (March 23), and Austin Bold FC (March 30).

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Paco Craig (NC) – 198
Christiano Francois (LDN) – 197
Neveal Hackshaw (OAK) – 197
Oscar Jimenez (MEM) – 197
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 196

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Robbie Mertz (PIT) – 148
Cam Lindley (IND) – 147
Prosper Kasim (BHM) – 146

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Manuel Arteaga (TBR) – 99
Ben Mines (IND) – 98
Baboucarr Njie (OAK) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Phanuel Kavita (BHM) – 19,621

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Augustine Williams (IND) – 14,647
Charlie Adams (LV) – 14,572

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Jared Timmer (SAC) – 9,820
Aedan Stanley (IND) – 9,815
Fabien Garcia (LV) – 9,814
Eric Calvillo (ELP) – 9,741
Shane Wiedt (SAC) – 9,729

Goals
Approaching 60 regular season goals
Wilson Harris (LOU) – 59
Cal Jennings (TBR) – 59
Romario Williams (IND) – 58
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 58

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Rodrigo Da Costa (NC) – 49

Approaching 40 regular season goals
Manuel Arteaga (TBR) – 39
Amando Moreno (ELP) – 39
Elvis Amoh (DET) – 39
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 39
Leo Fernandes (TBR) – 38
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 38
Michee Ngalina (HFD) – 37
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 37 

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 47
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 46
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 46

Approaching 40 regular season assists
Christiano Francois (LDN) – 38

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 29
Cam Lindley (IND) – 27

Saves
Approaching 300 regular season saves
Kendall McIntosh (SA) – 295

Approaching 250 regular season saves
Tyler Deric (MEM) – 245

Shutouts
Approaching 50 regular season shutouts
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 47

Approaching 40 regular season shutouts
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 38

Discipline Report – Week 16

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 16 of the 2024 USL Championship season:

Monterey Bay F.C.’s Carlos Guzman will not serve a suspension following the successful appeal of his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against North Carolina FC on June 16 to the Independent Review Panel. Guzman will be available for selection in Monterey Bay’s contest against Oakland Roots SC this Saturday.

Rhode Island FC’s Conor McGlynn has been suspended for one game following his red card for abusive language against Memphis 901 FC on June 12. McGlynn will be unavailable for Rhode Island’s contest against Louisville City FC on Saturday night.

Rhode Island FC’s Koke Vegas has been suspended for one game following his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against Memphis 901 FC on June 12. Vegas will be unavailable for Rhode Island’s contest against Louisville City FC on Saturday night.

The following players enter the upcoming matches one caution away from their eighth yellow card of the season and a one-game suspension for caution accumulation.

Here is the breakdown per club:

• Phoenix Rising FC (1): Jose Hernandez