Charleston Battery facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Charleston Battery

Full name	Charleston Battery
Nickname(s)	Black and Yellow, Battery, Holy City FC
Founded	1993 (32 years ago) (1993)
Stadium	Patriots Point Soccer Complex Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Stadium capacity	5,000
Owner	Rob Salvatore
Head coach	Ben Pirmann
League	USL Championship
2023	3rd, Eastern Conference Playoffs: USL Championship Final
Home colors Away colors

The Charleston Battery is a professional soccer team from Charleston, South Carolina. They play in the USL Championship, which is a top soccer league in the United States. The team started in 1993, making it the oldest professional soccer club in the U.S. that has been playing continuously.

The Battery is known for being one of the most successful lower-division soccer teams in the country. They have won four league titles! They won the USISL Pro League in 1996, the USL A-League in 2003, and the USL Second Division in 2010. In 2012, they won the USL Championship. In 2023, they were the Eastern Conference champions and played in the league final.

Many talented players have played for the Charleston Battery before moving on to bigger leagues. Some of these players include Fidel Barajas, Ozzie Alonso, and Lamar Neagle.

The Charleston Battery currently plays their home games at Patriots Point Soccer Complex in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Before 2019, they played at MUSC Health Stadium in Charleston. The team's main colors are black and yellow, and their away uniforms are usually red.

History of Charleston Battery Soccer

How the Team Started (1993-1998)

The Charleston Battery team was created in 1993. A group of local soccer fans, led by Tony Bakker, started the club. Tony Bakker moved his software company, Blackbaud, to Charleston in 1989.

The team hired Tim Hankinson, an experienced college coach, to build the team. The Battery began playing in the USISL, which later became known as the USL in 1995. In 1996, the Battery won their first league championship. They beat the Charlotte Eagles 3–2 in the final game. In 1997, Charleston became one of the first teams in the new A-League, which was later called the USL First Division.

Building a Strong Club (1999-2007)

In 1999, the Charleston Battery moved into their own stadium, which is now called MUSC Health Stadium. This was a big deal because they were the first professional soccer club outside of Major League Soccer to build their own stadium in the U.S. This helped them become known as a strong lower-division club.

The team brought in experienced coaches like Alan Dicks and signed many skilled players. Some famous players included Paul Conway, Eric Wynalda, and Terry Phelan. In 2001, Chris Ramsey became the coach. He led the team to win the A-League championship in 2003. They won 3–0 against Minnesota Thunder in Charleston. After Ramsey left in 2004, Mike Anhaeuser, a longtime player and assistant coach, became the new head coach.

Reaching the U.S. Open Cup Final (2008)

In 2008, the Charleston Battery made it to the final of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time. They played against Major League Soccer team D.C. United. The Battery scored a goal by Ian Fuller to tie the game 1–1 at halftime. In the second half, D.C. United scored again. Near the end of the game, Marco Reda scored for Charleston, but the goal was not allowed because the referee said he was offside. D.C. United won the match 2–1.

Charleston celebrates winning the league title in 2012.

More Championships and New Affiliations (2010-2016)

In 2010, the Charleston Battery decided to stay in the USL system. They joined the USL Second Division, which later became the main USL professional league. In their first season in this division in 2010, Charleston was at the top of the league all year. They also did not lose any games at home. Charleston won their third league championship by beating the Richmond Kickers 2–1 in the final. Lamar Neagle was named the league's MVP.

In 2012, the Charleston Battery won their fourth league title. They beat their local rivals, Wilmington Hammerheads, 1–0 in the final. Micheal Azira scored the winning goal in the 74th minute.

In recent years, the Charleston Battery has worked with several Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs. They had agreements to be an affiliate team for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2014 and the Houston Dynamo in 2015. In 2016, they partnered with Atlanta United FC before Atlanta joined MLS in 2017.

Changes in Ownership and Coaching (2016-Present)

In 2016, the team's longtime owner, Tony Bakker, sold the club to a new group called B Sports Entertainment. The club president, Andrew Bell, and coach Mike Anhaeuser continued to manage the team. In 2018, Andrew Bell left the club.

In October 2019, B Sports Entertainment sold the club to Rob Salvatore. The team also announced they would move to Patriots Point Soccer Complex in Mount Pleasant.

After the 2021 season, the Battery announced that Mike Anhaeuser would no longer be the coach. He had been with the team as a player since 1994 and as a coach since 1999. He led the team to two USL Championships. In December 2021, Conor Casey was hired as the new head coach. However, he left the team in October 2022.

On November 17, 2022, the Battery hired Ben Pirmann as their new head coach. Pirmann was named the 2022 USL Championship Coach of the Year for his work with Memphis 901 FC.

In 2023, the Battery had an amazing season. They improved a lot, winning 17 games and finishing third in their conference. They won the Eastern Conference title and made it to the 2023 USL Championship Final. They narrowly lost to Phoenix Rising FC in the final. Players like Fidel Barajas, Nick Markanich, and Trey Muse had great seasons. Barajas was named the USL Championship Young Player of the Year.

Team Colors and Logo

Charleston Battery's main colors are yellow, black, and red. In their early years, their home uniform was black and white with red. Since 1997, they have mostly used black with yellow stripes for their home jerseys. Their away uniforms are usually red, white, and black.

The team's original logo, used from 1993 to 2019, was a classic shield with yellow and black stripes. It showed two crossed artillery cannons, which represent Charleston's naval history. It also had a soccer ball. Over time, four stars were added to the logo to show the team's four league championships.

In December 2019, the club revealed a new logo for 2020. A designer named Matthew Wolff helped create a modern look for the team's crest. The new logo features crossed cannons inside a black circle, with a crescent shape. "Charleston" is written at the top, and "1993" (the year the club started) is at the bottom.

Stadiums Where They Play

The Charleston Battery has played in a few different stadiums:

• Stoney Field; Charleston, South Carolina (1993–1998)
• MUSC Health Stadium (formerly Blackbaud Stadium); Daniel Island, Charleston, South Carolina (1999–2019)
• Patriots Point Soccer Complex; Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (from 2020)

For their first six seasons, the Battery played at Stoney Field in downtown Charleston. They shared this field with other sports teams.

In 1999, the club moved to MUSC Health Stadium (also known as Blackbaud Stadium) on Daniel Island. This was the first privately funded stadium built specifically for soccer in the United States. It could hold 5,100 people. The stadium was designed like smaller English soccer stadiums and had a pub called The Three Lions. It also had a training field and team offices. In 2016, a very large video screen was added to the stadium.

In 2019, the team moved to Patriots Point Soccer Complex in Mount Pleasant. This stadium is also home to the College of Charleston's soccer, baseball, and softball teams. Patriots Point is close to the Ravenel Bridge and is easy to reach from all parts of Charleston.

After big updates in early 2020, Patriots Point opened to fans. The stadium had its grand opening in 2021. The team has continued to add new features, like special "suite boxes" made from shipping containers that fans can rent for games.

Team Culture and Rivalries

The Charleston Battery has several groups of loyal fans. The main independent supporters' group is The Regiment. They stand behind the north goal at the stadium. Other groups include Queen Anne's Revenge (part of The American Outlaws) and the Spanish-speaking Charleston Barra Brava.

The Charleston Battery competes for the Coffee Pot Cup against their rival team, D.C. United from Major League Soccer. This trophy was started by the fans of both teams. The two clubs often play each other in friendly games and cup competitions. The 2008 US Open Cup final was their most important match. The Battery also has a long-standing rivalry with the Richmond Kickers.

The Battery's supporters also compete with fans of the Charlotte Independence for the Southern Derby Cup. Charleston Battery has won this cup a record nine times. They also compete with the Tampa Bay Rowdies for the No Quarter Derby.

In the middle of the 2021 season, the club added a cannon to the stadium. It is fired after every Battery goal and at the start and end of matches.

Players and Staff

Current Roster

No. Position Player 0 GK Enzo Mori 1 GK Adam Grinwis 2 DF Mark Segbers 3 DF Josh Drack 4 MF Chris Allan 5 DF Leland Archer 6 MF Aaron Molloy 7 MF Prince Saydee 8 MF Emilio Ycaza 9 FW MD Myers 10 MF Arturo Rodríguez 11 MF Viggo Ortiz 13 FW Nick Markanich

No. Position Player 14 MF Jay Chapman (on loan from Hartford Athletic) 15 DF Samuel Biek 16 DF Graham Smith 17 FW Zeke Soto 19 MF Robbie Crawford 23 DF Juan Palma 24 GK Daniel Kuzemka 31 FW Mattie Dennis 32 MF Charlie Dennis 36 FW Jackson Conway 62 DF Nathan Dossantos 80 MF Juan David Torres

Players with Multiple Nationalities

Team Staff

• Lee Cohen – Club President
• Ben Pirmann – Head Coach
• Tim Daniels – Assistant Coach
• Devin Rensing – Assistant Coach
• Brian Jones – Assistant Coach
• Bobby Weisenberger – Head Athletic Trainer

Former Notable Players

This list includes players who were very important to the team. They might have played for their country, played many games, scored many goals, or became famous in soccer before or after playing for the Battery.

Head Coaches Through the Years

• Tim Hankinson (1993–1994)
• Nuno Piteira (1995–1999)
• Alan Dicks (1999–2001)
• Chris Ramsey (2001–2004)
• Mike Anhaeuser (2004–2021)
• Conor Casey (2022)
• Ben Pirmann (2023–Present)

Club Presidents Through the Years

• Tony Bakker (1993–1998)
• Nigel Cooper (1999–2008)
• Andrew Bell (2008–2018)
• Mike Kelleher (2018–2022)
• Lee Cohen (2022–Present)

Team Achievements and Awards

The Charleston Battery has won many titles and awards over the years:

• USISL Pro
  • Champions (1): 1996
• USL A-League
  • Champions (1): 2003
• USL Second Division
  • Champions (1): 2010
• USL Championship
  • Champions (1): 2012
  • Runner Up (1): 2023
  • Eastern Conference Champions (Playoffs) (1): 2023
• U.S. Open Cup
  • Runner Up (1): 2008
• Southern Derby
  • Winner (10): 2003, 2005^, 2009^, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2024

^ as co-champions

• No Quarter Derby
  • Winner (2): 2020, 2022

Season Records

This table shows the Charleston Battery's performance in the last five seasons.

Season	League											Position		Playoffs	USOC	Continental / Other		Average attendance	Top goalscorer(s)
	Div	League	Pld	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD	Pts	PPG	Conf.	Overall						Name	Goals
2019	2	USLC	34	11	10	13	44	44	0	46	1.35	9th	19th	R1	R4	DNQ		2,424	Zeiko Lewis	8
2020		USLC	15	9	3	3	26	15	+11	30	2.00	5th	9th	QF	NH			N/A	Nicque Daley Zeiko Lewis	6
2021		USLC	32	10	15	7	49	60	−11	37	1.16	6th	10th	DNQ	NH			2,771	Claudio Repetto	9
2022		USLC	34	6	21	7	41	77	−36	25	0.74	12th	25th	DNQ	R2			2,797	Augustine Williams	16
2023		USLC	34	17	9	8	47	43	+4	59	1.74	3th	4th	RU	R4			3,113	Augustine Williams	15

1. Avg. attendance means the average number of people at league games only.
2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in league games, playoffs, and other official matches.

Images for kids

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  Charleston Battery logo

• Battery Park
• Carolina Challenge Cup