El Paso Locomotive FC explained

Clubname:El Paso Locomotive FC
Upright:0.85
Stadium:Southwest University Park
Capacity:7,500
Owner:MountainStar Sports Group
Mgrtitle:Head coach
Manager:Wilmer Cabrera
League:USL Championship
Season:2023
Position:7th, Western Conference
Playoffs: Conference Quarterfinals
Website:https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/
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American:yes
Current:2024 El Paso Locomotive FC season

El Paso Locomotive FC is an American professional soccer team based in El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2018, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019.

History

First Season

In February 2018, the United Soccer League announced that El Paso was selected as an expansion team for the 2019 USL Championship season. The club will be run by MountainStar Sports Group.[1] [2] In June 2018, El Paso announced the signing of their first player, Omar Salgado.[3] In July 2018, El Paso announced that their first head coach would be Mark Lowry, who had previously coached NASL's Jacksonville Armada FC.[4] After a 34-game season, El Paso Locomotive FC qualified for the USL Championship play-offs, reaching the Western Conference finals before falling 2–1 to the Real Monarchs.[5]

2020

With COVID-19 shutting down many organizations worldwide, USL followed suit on March 12, 2020, announcing the season would be temporarily suspended.[6] In June 2020, USL Championship announced their return to play would be in an altered format of four team groups, competing for a spot in the playoffs starting in July 2020.[7] After the shortened season, El Paso Locomotive FC qualified for the playoffs advancing to the Western Conference Finals for a second year in a row, before falling to Phoenix Rising FC 4–2 in a shootout.[8]

2021–2024

The 2021 USL Championship season returned to normal scheduling, consisting of a 32 game season, after which El Paso Locomotive FC qualified for their third straight playoffs,[9] but failing to get past the first round, falling to the Oakland Roots 1–0.[10] Though they fell out of the playoffs in the first round, El Paso had a great season, with Coach Lowry and six players being chosen for the USL Copa XI.[11] El Paso earned the title of best Division II team in Texas by winning the Copa Tejas Trophy.[12] In addition, El Paso was recognized as the most successful club in Texas, winning the inaugural Copa Tejas Shield.[13] Coach Lowry announced on November 15, 2021 that he would be leaving El Paso Locomotive FC.[14]

In December 2021, El Paso Locomotive FC announced they had hired John Hutchinson as their head coach going into the 2022 USL Championship season.[15] 2022 was again a 34 game season for the USL Championship, but for the first time in club history, El Paso failed to make the playoffs, finishing eight in the Western Conference.[16] After the 2022 season, Coach Hutchinson stepped down as coach to return with his family back to Australia.[17]

In January 2023, El Paso Locomotive announced they had hired Brian Clarhaut as their head coach going into the 2023 USL Championship season.[18] After a 34 game season, El Paso finished in 7th place in the Western Conference, qualifying for the playoffs before losing to Orange County SC 1–0 in the Western Conference quarterfinals.[19]

In the 2024 season El Paso started with a 1–8–2 record in their first eleven games. On May 17, the team announced they had parted ways with head coach Brian Clarhaut and assistant coach Jon Burklo.[20]

Club crest and colors

The Locomotive brand was unveiled on October 4, 2018, beating out finalists Lagartos, Estrellas, Stars, and Tejanos.[21] The crest is shaped in a manner similar to Mission Style buildings and features three main colors: West Texas Sky blue, Desert Dusk blue, and High Noon Sun. The crest has 11 vertical stripes that represent the eleven players on the field and resemble the front of a locomotive. A city icon, The Star on The Mountain, adorns the top of the crest, which is shaped in the silhouette of the Franklin Mountains.[22] [23]

Sponsorship

PeriodKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
2019–2020BLKSouthwest University
2021–2023Adidas[24]
2024–presentHummel

Stadium

The club play at Southwest University Park, a baseball stadium in Downtown El Paso that is also the home field for the El Paso Chihuahuas of the Pacific Coast League.

Rivalries

El Paso's primary rivals are New Mexico United[25] [26] and FC Juárez.[27]

Players and staff

Front-office staff

Technical staff

Team records

Year-by-year

SeasonUSL ChampionshipPlay-offsU.S. Open CupTop scorer Head coach
PlayerGoals
2019341310114236506th, WesternConference Final2nd round Jerome Kiesewetter12 Mark Lowry
2020169252414324th, Western
1st, Group C		Conference FinalCancelled Aarón Gómez5
202132184105634642nd, Western
1st, Mountain Division		Conference QuarterfinalsCancelled Aarón Gómez
Luis Solignac		10
202234131475652468th, WesternDid not qualifySecond Round Luis Solignac16 John Hutchinson
202334131384151477th, WesternConference QuarterfinalsSecond Round Luis Solignac9 Brian Clarhaut
202423415418351612th, WesternTBDThird Round Amando Moreno6 Brian Clarhaut
Wilmer Cabrera
Total170705945237220258–––Luis Solignac35–
Notes1. Top scorer includes statistics from league matches only.

Head coaches

Coach Nationality Start End Games Win Loss Draw Win %
Mark Lowry[28]
John Hutchinson[29]
Brian Clarhaut[30] May 17, 2024[31]
Wilmer Cabrera[32] present

Average attendance

Year Reg. season Playoffs
2019[33] 6,5847,460
20201,4581,659
2021[34] 6,2147,201
2022[35] 6,517DNQ
2023[36] 6,590N/A
Notes

Honors

Minor

Player honors

Notes and References

  1. News: El Paso Joins the United Soccer League for 2019 Season . March 1, 2018 . April 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190424190643/https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/891979?referrer_id=2349190 . live .
  2. News: El Paso gets new expansion USL soccer team, will play at Southwest University Park in 2019 . March 1, 2018 . March 8, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180308205138/http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/local/el-paso/2018/02/28/new-united-soccer-league-team-coming-el-paso/379771002/ . live .
  3. Web site: El Paso USL Announces Omar Salgado as First Player Signing . June 13, 2018 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  4. Web site: El Paso USL Names Head Coach and Technical Director . July 25, 2018 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  5. Web site: El Paso Locomotive FC Close Out Historic Inaugural Season in The USL Western Conference Final . November 9, 2019 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  6. Web site: USL Championship Temporarily Suspends Play . March 12, 2020 . USLChampionship.com . USL Championship . February 18, 2024.
  7. Web site: USL Championship Announces Western Conference Groups . June 25, 2020 . USLChampionship.com . USL Championship . February 18, 2024.
  8. Web site: Locomotive FC Bows Out of USL Championship Playoffs . October 25, 2020 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  9. Web site: Always Improving: Locomotive from 2019 to 2021 . November 1, 2021 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  10. Web site: El Paso Locomotive Fall 1-0 to Oakland Roots SC . November 5, 2021 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  11. Web site: Head Coach Mark Lowry and Six Locomotive Players Highlighed on 2021 Copa XI . November 11, 2021 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  12. Web site: Copa Tejas for El Paso . October 5, 2021 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  13. Web site: El Paso Locomotive Lifts First Copa Tejas Shield . December 20, 2021 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  14. Web site: Mark Lowry Departs as El Paso Locomotive FC Head Coach and Technical Director . November 15, 2021 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  15. Web site: El Paso Locomotive FC Announces John Hutchinson as New Head Coach and Technical Director . December 9, 2021 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  16. Web site: Locomotive Close Out 2022 Season with Valiant Effort in Florida . October 13, 2022 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  17. Web site: El Paso Locomotive FC Head Coach and Technical Director John Hutchinson to Depart Organization . November 15, 2022 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  18. Web site: Brian Clarhaut Introduced as Head Coach and Technical Director for El Paso Locomotive . January 12, 2023 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  19. Web site: Recap - El Paso Locomotive FC's Season Ends in Conference Quarterfinal . October 21, 2023 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive FC . February 18, 2024.
  20. Web site: El Paso Locomotive FC Announces Departure of Head Coach and Technical Director Brian Clarhaut . Huichapa . Alberto . May 17, 2024 . EPLocomotiveFC.com . El Paso Locomotive . May 18, 2024.
  21. News: October 4, 2018 . El Paso USL: Soccer team nickname will be the Locomotive; logo, crest unveiled . El Paso Times . October 4, 2018.
  22. Web site: Our Crest . El Paso Locomotive FC . October 4, 2018 . May 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190527211515/https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/crest . dead .
  23. October 4, 2018 . El Paso Locomotive FC Rolled Out as City's New Professional Soccer Team . El Paso Locomotive FC . Business Wire . October 4, 2018 . October 5, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181005025745/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181004005850/en/El-Paso-Locomotive-FC-Rolled-City%E2%80%99s-New . live .
  24. Web site: El Paso Locomotive FC Launches Partnership with Global Sports Brand Adidas. February 24, 2021. October 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211020221754/https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/news_article/show/1148247. live.
  25. Web site: subscription . One final United-El Paso matchup has big stakes . . . December 18, 2020 . October 14, 2020 . October 22, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201022041640/https://www.abqjournal.com/1507172/for-one-last-time-its-united-facing-el-paso.html . live .
  26. Web site: Morgan . Andy . Locomotive FC set to renew rivalry with New Mexico United . . . December 18, 2020 . July 14, 2020 . December 20, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201220115338/https://www.ktsm.com/sports/locomotive-fc-soccer/locomotive-fc-set-to-renew-rivalry-with-new-mexico-united/ . live .
  27. Web site: Friendly Rival On The Border . eplocomotivefc.com . December 18, 2020 . February 14, 2019 . June 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210625043920/https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/news_article/show/995279-friendly-rival-on-the-border . dead .
  28. Web site: Locomotive FC Announces Departure of Mark Lowry . November 15, 2021 . November 15, 2021 . November 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211115184912/https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1194216 . live .
  29. Web site: El Paso Locomotive FC Head Coach and Technical Director John Hutchinson to Depart Organization . Alberto . Huichapa . El Paso Locomotive FC . November 15, 2022 . November 15, 2022 . December 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215175227/https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/news/2022/12/15/el-paso-locomotive-announce-brian-clarhaut-as-new-head-coach-and-technical-director/ . live .
  30. Web site: El Paso Locomotive Announce Brian Clarhaut as New Head Coach and Technical Director . Alberto . Huichapa . El Paso Locomotive FC . December 15, 2022 . December 15, 2022 . December 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221217204110/https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/news/2022/11/15/el-paso-locomotive-fc-head-coach-and-technical-director-john-hutchinson-to-depart-organization/ . live .
  31. Web site: El Paso Locomotive FC Announces Departure of Head Coach and Technical Director Brian Clarhaut . Alberto . Huichapa . El Paso Locomotive . May 17, 2024. May 18, 2024.
  32. Web site: El Paso Locomotive FC Appoint Wilmer Cabrera as New Head Coach . Alberto . Huichapa . El Paso Locomotive . May 20, 2024. May 20, 2024.
  33. Web site: 2019 USL Championship Attendance . Soccer Stadium Digest . October 20, 2019 . November 10, 2019 . September 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190927012729/https://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2019-usl-championship-attendance/ . live .
  34. Web site: 2021 USL Championship Attendance . Soccer Stadium Digest . February 18, 2024.
  35. Web site: 2022 USL Championship Attendance . Soccer Stadium Digest . February 18, 2024.
  36. Web site: 2023 USL Championship Attendance . Soccer Stadium Digest . February 18, 2024.

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