Ever since his breakout season five years ago, Wilson Harris has been ahead of the goalscoring curve.

In this week’s edition of the USL Championship News & Notes, we look at the Louisville City FC striker’s latest landmark – and the remarkable fact that accompanies it – as he approaches the Top 15 goalscorers in the league’s regular season history and pursues his first Golden Boot.

We also pay tribute to New Mexico United’s Greek God of Saves, Alex Tambakis, as he sets a new all-time mark, and fellow goalkeeper Danny Vitiello of Sacramento Republic FC, who joined Tambakis in an exclusive club this past weekend.

On top of that, we’ve also got our regular look at upcoming individual landmarks for players around the USL Championship and the Week 18 Discipline Report.

Let’s begin.

NEWS & NOTES

LOUCITY’S WILSON HARRIS CONTINUES TO SCALE HEIGHTS

Louisville City FC’s Wilson Harris scored his 60th regular season goal in the USL Championship in his side’s 4-1 victory against Birmingham Legion FC, establishing a new mark for the youngest player to reach 60 goals in the league’s regular season history. Harris reached the landmark aged 24 years, 7 months and 1 day old.

Previously this season, Harris became the youngest player to reach 50 regular season goals in the Championship, surpassing 2020 Golden Boot winner Junior Flemmings’ mark. Harris is still younger than Flemmings was – aged 24 years, 8 months, 3 days old – when the Jamaican reached the 50-goal mark. Among players with at least 50 goals, Harris’ strike rate of a goal every 151.5 minutes currently ranks fifth.

Best Scoring Strike Rate in the USL Championship’s Regular Season (Min. 50 goals)
1. Cameron Lancaster – 80 goals, 113.9 mins/goal
2. Cal Jennings – 59 goals, 130.4 mins/goal*
3. Romario Williams – 58 goals, 147.4 mins/goal*
4. Dane Kelly – 106 goals, 150.3 mins/goal
5. Wilson Harris – 60 goals, 151.5 mins/goal*
6. Chandler Hoffman – 66 goals, 156.2 mins/goal
7. Hadji Barry – 79 goals, 157.7 mins/goal
8. Jose Angulo – 53 goals, 167.21 mins/goal
9. Junior Flemmings – 57 goals, 171 mins/goal
10. Neco Brett – 81 goals, 173.8 mins/goal*

* - active player

NEW MEXICO UNITED’S GREEK GOD OF SAVES

New Mexico United’s Alex Tambakis recorded a three-save performance in his side’s 3-2 victory against San Antonio FC on Saturday night, and in turn became the USL Championship’s all-time leader in regular season saves. Tambakis now sits on 575 saves in the league for his career, passing Evan Newton on 573.

The Greek shot-stopper earlier this season became the first goalkeeper in the Championship’s history to reach 200 regular season appearances, having made his debut in the league for the Charleston Battery in 2016 on loan from Atlanta United FC.

Most Saves in the USL Championship’s Regular Season
1. Alex Tambakis – 575*
2. Evan Newton – 573
3. Matt VanOekel – 433*
4. Brandon Miller – 414
5. Carl Woszczynski – 393

* - active player

REPUBLIC FC’S DANNY VITIELLO HITS 40-SHUTOUT MARK

Sacramento Republic FC’s Danny Vitiello recorded his 40th regular-season shutout in the USL Championship on Saturday night in his side’s 1-0 victory against Hartford Athletic. Vitiello is the second-youngest of seven players in Championship history to reach 40 regular season shutouts, reaching the mark at 28 years, 115 days old. Only former Charleston Battery goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper reached the mark at a younger age (26 years, 133 days old).

Youngest Goalkeeper to Record 40 shutouts in the USL Championship’s regular season
1. Odisnel Cooper – 26 years, 133 days
2. Danny Vitiello – 28 years, 115 days
3. Connor Sparrow – 29 years, 143 days
4. Alex Tambakis – 29 years, 311 days
5. Evan Newton – 31 years, 18 days

Vitiello also currently stands with the lowest goals-against average in the Championship’s regular season history among goalkeepers with at least 100 appearances in their career. The 2023 USL Championship Goalkeeper of the Year sits at a career GAA mark of 0.82, with only current Tampa Bay Rowdies goalkeeper Jordan Farr joining him with a sub-1.00 GAA among eligible goalkeepers.

Lowest Goals-Against Average in the USL Championship’s Regular Season (Min. 100 appearances)
1. Danny Vitiello – 0.82 / 102 appearances
2. Jordan Farr – 0.97 / 106 appearances
3. Tomás Gómez – 1.01 / 101 appearances
4. Odisnel Cooper – 1.07 / 110 appearances
5. Connor Sparrow – 1.08 / 122 appearances

BATTERY BLOW THE DOORS OFF WITH FIVE-GOAL HALF 

The Charleston Battery broke out of a recent scoreless drought with a five-goal second half against Southern Derby rival North Carolina FC on Friday night in a 5-2 victory at Patriots Point. The night marked the first time in the USL Championship era the Battery had recorded five goals in a second half, and only the 16th time in the league’s regular season overall.

Only one team has recorded six goals in a second half in the Championship’s regular season, with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC having done so against the Harrisburg City Islanders on May 30, 2015 – a game now commemorated in Hounds’ history as the Miracle on the Mon.

Most Goals in a Second Half in the USL Championship’s Regular Season
6 – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – vs. Harrisburg City Islanders, 5/30/15
5 – Charleston Battery – vs. North Carolina FC, 6/28/24
5 – Tampa Bay Rowdies – vs. Loudoun United FC, 10/8/22
5 – Las Vegas Lights FC – at El Paso Locomotive FC, 3/23/22
5 – LA Galaxy II – vs. Las Vegas Lights FC, 5/5/21
11 previous instances with five goals

Quick Hits

- Loudoun United FC’s current six-game undefeated streak (4-0-2) after its 2-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies this past Saturday night extended the longest in the club’s history.

- San Antonio FC has lost three games in which it has led this season following its 3-2 defeat against New Mexico United on Saturday night. SAFC has now lost five regular season games in a row for the first time in its history.

- Oakland Roots SC’s Paul Blanchette moved into the Top 10 in regular season saves in the Championship’s history in the past week, passing former San Antonio FC goalkeeper Matt Cardone to sit on 324 saves in his career.

- North Carolina FC’s Paco Craig became the 44th player to record 200 regular season appearances in the USL Championship’s history during NCFC’s contest against the Charleston Battery this past Friday night.

- The Charleston Battery’s MD Myers became the fourth player to record a hat trick for the club in the USL Championship’s regular season, joining Dane Kelly, Romario Williams, and current teammate Nick Markanich.

- Birmingham Legion FC’s Prosper Kasim could become the first player in club history to record 150 regular season appearances in the USL Championship against the Charleston Battery on Friday night. Thirteen players have previously recorded 150 regular season appearances for a single club in the Championship era.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Christiano Francois (LDN) – 199
Neveal Hackshaw (OAK) – 199
Oscar Jimenez (MEM) – 198
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 196

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Prosper Kasim (BHM) – 149
Cam Lindley (IND) – 148
Alex Crognale (BHM) – 148

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Ben Mines (IND) – 99
Paul Blanchette (OAK) – 98
Aaron Molloy (CHS) – 98
Maalique Foster (COS) – 98
Zach Herivaux (RI) – 97
Lamar Batista (NC) – 97
Chris Allan (CHS) – 97
Dayonn Harris (NM) – 97
Nick Moon (TBR) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Phanuel Kavita (BHM) – 19,891
Alex Dixon (MB) – 19,610

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Augustine Williams (IND) – 14,737
Matt Mahoney (COS) – 14,707
Charlie Adams (LV) – 14,617

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Jared Timmer (SAC) – 9,965
Eric Calvillo (ELP) – 9,918
Shane Wiedt (SAC) – 9,909
Aedan Stanley (IND) – 9,905
Fabien Garcia (LV) – 9,819
Lindo Mfeka (OAK) – 9,765
Tyler Deric (MEM) – 9,730

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

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Rodrigo Da Costa (NC) – 49
Albert Dikwa (RI) – 47

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

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 48
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 46
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 46

Approaching 40 regular season assists
Christiano Francois (LDN) – 39

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

Saves
Approaching 250 regular season saves
Tyler Deric (MEM) – 247

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Hugo Fauroux (LDN) – 187

Shutouts
Approaching 50 regular season shutouts
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 48

Approaching 40 regular season shutouts
Jordan Farr (TBR) – 37 

Discipline Report – Week 18

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 18 of the 2024 USL Championship season:

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Eric Calvillo has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Rhode Island FC on June 26. Calvillo will be unavailable for selection in El Paso’s contest against Las Vegas Lights FC on July 12.

North Carolina FC’s Ezra Armstrong has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against the Charleston Battery on June 28. Armstrong will be unavailable for North Carolina’s contest against Miami FC on Saturday night.

New Mexico United’s Mukwelle Akale has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against San Antonio FC on June 29. Akale will be unavailable for New Mexico’s contest against Orange County SC on Wednesday night.

Miami FC’s Carlos Palacios has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Detroit City FC on June 29. Palacios will be unavailable for selection in Miami’s contest against North Carolina 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:

• Miami FC (1): Nicolas Cardona

• New Mexico United (1): Zico Bailey

• San Antonio FC (1): Mitchell Taintor