Little Rock Rangers
Founded2016 (2016)
StadiumWar Memorial Stadium (54,120)
ManagerTBD
LeagueUSL League Two
Women's Premier Soccer League
WebsiteClub website

The Little Rock Rangers Soccer Club is an American soccer team based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The team was founded in 2016 and played its inaugural season in 2016. The team plays in the USL League Two, a national semi-professional league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. In 2016, the club added a team for the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), a league at the second tier of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, playing their inaugural season in 2017. The team plays its home games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

About

The Little Rock Rangers were accepted to play in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in 2015 and in 2016 the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL). In 2018, the Rangers had a 7–3 season and qualified for the 2019 Open Cup, "the nation’s oldest and most prestigious tournament."[1] The Rangers moved up to USL League Two in 2021. The team is mostly made up of high school and college-aged players, therefore the team is entirely amateur in order to preserve the college players' NCAA eligibility. The Little Rock Rangers Soccer Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and has a goal of improving soccer in the greater central Arkansas area by bringing in top-quality players and coaches. The Little Rock Rangers Academy, run by the club, provides opportunities for children 1 to 18 to develop their soccer skills with coaching from the first team staff and players.[1] The club also has a goal of being able to provide local soccer club scholarships to underprivileged but motivated children in the area. It does this through extra revenue from ticket sales and donations received.[2]

Crest

The deer and pine tree is a representation of all that is natural in the state of Arkansas. The white tail deer is the Arkansas state mammal and the loblolly pine is the state tree. The number "16" represents the year that the club started playing in the NPSL and it also represents the sixteen founders of the Little Rock Rangers Soccer Club.[2]

Stadium

Home matches are held at War Memorial Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium in Little Rock. Built in 1948, the stadium is home to the Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes, Catholic High School Rockets, and on occasion the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The stadium also hosts the Delta Classic and Arkansas Activities Association high school championship games. The facility has undergone numerous renovations and features a FieldTurf playing surface and a capacity of 54,120.[3]

On July 23, 2023, a new attendance record of 7,723[4] for the club at War Memorial Stadium was set as the Rangers defeated their Mid-South Division rivals, Texas United, 2-0 to advance to the Southern Conference Finals.[5]

Staff

Coaching Staff[6]

  • Men's Head Coach- Adriano Versari
  • Men's Assistant Coach - Chris Murphy
  • Men's Assistant Coach - Francesco Brunetti
  • Men's Goalkeeper Coach - Dylan Perdue

Business Staff

  • President/General Manager- Jonathan Wardlaw
  • Vice President of Operations- Jason Rector
  • Technical Director - Ante Jazic
  • Media and Communication - Trent Eskola

Season-By-Season

Results

Men's

2016 NPSL Season
Date Opponent Result Venue Event
2016-07-02 Dallas City FC W (2–0) Roffino Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-06-26 Liverpool Warriors W (2–0) Rough Rider Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-06-24 Fort Worth Vaqueros FC W (4–3) Martin Field NPSL Conference Match
2016-06-22 Corinthians FC of San Antonio W 3–2) Alamo Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-06-12 Tulsa Athletic L (0–1) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-06-10 Shreveport Rafters FC D (1–1) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-06-03 Joplin Demize W (1–0) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-05-28 Dutch Lions FC L (1–4) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-05-21 Joplin Demize L (1–2) Hershewe Soccer Complex NPSL Conference Match
2016-05-15 Houston Regals L (0–1) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-05-11 Tulsa Athletic L (0–1) Athletics Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-05-06 FC Wichita L (0–2) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2016-05-01 Shreveport Rafters FC L (1–3) Lee Hedges Stadium Friendly
2016-04-24 Memphis City FC D (3–3) Mike Rose Soccer Complex I-40 Cup/Friendly
2016-04-22 Memphis City FC W (2–1) War Memorial Stadium I-40 Cup/Friendly
2017 NPSL Season
Date Opponent Result Venue Event
2017-07-08 Tulsa Athletic L (3–2) LaFortune Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2017-07-01 Ozark FC L (2–1) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2017-06-24 Ozark FC W (3–1) John Brown University Soccer Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2017-06-17 FC Wichita W (1–0) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2017-06-10 Tulsa Athletic D (1–1) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2017-06-01 Demize NPSL D (1–1) Lake Country Soccer Cooper Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2017-05-26 Dallas City FC W (2–1) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2017-05-20 Demize NPSL W (2–1) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2017-05-13 FC Wichita D (2–2) Stryker Soccer Complex NPSL Conference Match
2017-05-06 Dallas City FC D (2–2) McInnish Sports Complex NPSL Conference Match
2017-04-30 Memphis City FC L (2–1) War Memorial Stadium I-40 Cup/Friendly
2017-04-28 Memphis City FC D (1–1) Mike Rose Soccer Complex I-40 Cup/Friendly
2017-04-22 Shreveport Rafters FC L (2–1) Lee Hedges Stadium Friendly
2017-04-14 Shreveport Rafters FC W (1–0) War Memorial Stadium Friendly
2017-03-25 BOCA Knights FC D (1–1) War Memorial Stadium Friendly
2018 NPSL Season
Date Opponent Result Venue Event
2018-04-21 Rafters FC L (2–1) War Memorial Stadium Friendly
2018-05-10 Rafters FC L (3–1) Independence Bowl Friendly
2018-05-10 OKC 1889 D (1–1) War Memorial Stadium Friendly
2018-05-13 OKC 1889 W (1–0) Norman North High School Friendly
2018-05-06 Tulsa Athletic L (6–1) Veteran's Park NPSL Conference Match
2018-05-19 FC Wichita L (2–1) Trinity Academy NPSL Conference Match
2018-05-26 STL Club Atletico W (3–1) St. Mary's High School NPSL Conference Match
2018-06-01 Demize NPSL W (4–3) Branson High School NPSL Conference Match
2018-06-09 STL Club Atletico L (3–2) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2018-06-16 Ozark FC W (2–1) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2018-06-21 Demize NPSL W (1–0) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2018-06-23 Ozark FC W (1–0) Veteran's Park NPSL Conference Match
2018-06-30 FC Wichita W (1–0) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2018-07-07 Tulsa Athletic W (2–0) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match
2018-07-11 Tulsa Athletic W (1–0) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Semifinals
2018-07-14 FC Wichita W (0–0,5–3) Trinity Academy NPSL Conference Finals
2018-07-17 Laredo Heat W (2–1 Texas A&M University Soccer Complex NPSL Region Semifinals
2018-07-21 Miami FC 2 L (3–0) St. Thomas University NPSL Region Finals

Women's

2017 WPSL Season
Date Opponent Result Venue Event
2017-06-30 Chattanooga FC War Memorial Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2017-06-25 Inter Nashville FC International Indoor Soccer Complex WPSL Conference Match
2017-06-17 Gulf Coast Texans War Memorial Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2017-06-11 Knoxville Force War Memorial Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2017-06-07 Alabama United FC Rathmell Sports Complex WPSL Conference Match
2017-06-04 Knoxville Force Sansom Sports Complex WPSL Conference Match
2017-05-27 Memphis Lobos Houston High School WPSL Conference Match
2017-05-25 Memphis Lobos War Memorial Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2018 WPSL Season
Date Opponent Result Venue Event
2018-05-13 Memphis Lobos L (4–1) Houston Middle School Friendly
2018-05-16 Memphis Lobos D (0–0) War Memorial Stadium Friendly
2018-06-01 Lady Demize W (2–1) Branson High School Friendly
2018-06-21 Lady Demize W (6–0) War Memorial Stadium Friendly
2018-05-19 FC Wichita L (7–1) Trinity Academy WPSL Conference Match
2018-05-27 OK City FC L (1–0) Mid America Christian University WPSL Conference Match
2018-05-30 FC Dallas L (10–1) Dr. Pink Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2018-06-03 Texas Spurs L (5–1) Lucas, TX WPSL Conference Match
2018-06-09 Texas Spurs L (4–1) War Memorial Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2018-06-15 Fortuna Tulsa L (6–0) University of Tulsa WPSL Conference Match
2018-06-17 FC Dallas L (4–1) War Memorial Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2018-06-28 Fortuna Tulsa D (0–0) War Memorial Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2018-06-30 FC Wichita D (1–1) War Memorial Stadium WPSL Conference Match
2018-07-07 OK City FC L (6–0) War Memorial Stadium NPSL Conference Match

Record

Men's

Year Division League Region Conference Friendlies Regular Season Playoffs
2016 4 NPSL South South Central 1–1–1 7th, 5–6–1 N/A
2017 4 NPSL South Heartland 1–0–1 3rd, 4–2–4 [7] Heartland Conference Semifinalists
2018 4 NPSL South Heartland 1–2–1 1st, 7–3–0 [8] South Region Finalists [9]
2019 4 NPSL South Heartland 2–1–0 2nd, 4–1–5 Heartland Conference Semifinalists
Year League Conference Division Friendlies Regular Season Playoffs
2021 USL2 Central Mid-South 0–1–0 5th, 6–7–1 N/A
2022 USL2 Southern Mid-South 1–0–0 4th, 4–5–4 N/A
2023 USL2 Southern Mid-South 1–1–0 2nd, 8–2–2 Southern Conference Finalist

Women's

Year Division League Region Conference Friendlies Regular Season Playoffs
2017 2 WPSL South Southeast 0-0-0 1st, 0-0-0 TBD
2018 2 WPSL South Southwest 2–1–1 6th, 0–8–2[8] N/A

References

  1. 1 2 "About".
  2. 1 2 "Little Rock Rangers".
  3. ↑ "LITTLE ROCK RANGERS SOCCER CLUB JOINS THE NPSL – National Premier Soccer League". nationalpremiersoccerleague.com. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  4. ↑ @lrrangers (July 24, 2023). "You've done it again Little Rock!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. ↑ Derby, Caroline. "Little Rock Rangers win, advance to Southern Conference Final". KLRT FOX 16. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "Little Rock Rangers Soccer Club". littlerockrangers.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-03.
  7. ↑ "National Premier Soccer League".
  8. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2018-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ↑ "National Premier Soccer League".
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