2023 North Carolina FC season

North Carolina FC
2023 season
OwnerStephen Malik
Head coachJohn Bradford
StadiumSahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
USL League One2nd
USL1 PlayoffsChampions
U.S. Open Cup2nd Round
Top goalscorerLeague:
All: Oalex Anderson (17)
Highest home attendanceLeague/All: 5,795
(10/14 vs. Koxville)
Lowest home attendanceLeague/All: 1,119
(4/8 vs. Charlotte
Average home league attendance2,503
Biggest win3 goals
(April 21 vs. Chattanooga)
(September 2 at Fuego FC)
Biggest defeat0–3
(June 10 at Forward Madison)
← 2022
2024 →

The 2023 North Carolina FC season was the 17th season of the club's existence, and their third season in USL League One, the third division of the American soccer pyramid. North Carolina was coached by John Bradford, his third season with the club, and played their home games at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. The club had finished at the bottom of the table in their second season in USL League One. North Carolina finished the season in 2nd place in the league table, earning a spot in the playoffs. After defeating Hailstorm FC 3–1 in the semi-finals, they defeated rival Charlotte Independence 5–4 in penalties to win the 2023 USL League One Final.[1]
It was announced on August 7, 2023, that North Carolina will return to the USL Championship for the 2024 season.[2]

Club

Roster

As of November 5, 2023[3]
No. Pos. Player Nation
1 GK Nick Holliday  United States
2 DF Christian Lue Young  United States
3 DF Nelson Blanco  El Salvador
4 DF Luke Croll  England
5 DF Navarro  United States
6 DF Gustavo Fernandes  United States
7 MF Luis Arriaga  United States
8 MF Pecka  Brazil
9 FW Oalex Anderson  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
10 MF Jaden Servania  Puerto Rico
12 GK Tor Saunders  United States
13 MF Louis Perez  France
14 FW Rafael Mentzingen  Brazil
15 FW Mikey Maldonado  United States
17 FW Shak Adams  United States
18 DF David Benton  United States
19 FW Garrett McLaughlin  United States
22 DF Max Flick  United States
23 FW Marvin Mariche  United States
24 DF David Garcia  Spain
25 GK Trevor Mulqueen  United States
26 MF John McDowell  United States
31 GK Brooks Thompson  United States
44 MF Raheem Somersall  Saint Kitts and Nevis
88 FW Preston Popp  Canada

Competitions

Exhibitions

February 11, 2023 (2023-02-11) Preseason 1 North Carolina FC v UNC–Chapel Hill Cary, North Carolina
1:30 PM EST Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
February 18, 2023 (2023-02-18) Preseason 2 North Carolina FC v One Knoxville SC Cary, North Carolina
2:00 EST Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
February 22, 2023 (2023-02-22) Preseason 3 North Carolina FC v New York City FC II Cary, North Carolina
3:00 PM EST Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
February 25, 2023 (2023-02-25) Preseason 4 North Carolina FC v Charleston Battery Cary, North Carolina
2:00 PM EST Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01) Preseason 5 North Carolina FC v Columbus Crew 2 Cary, North Carolina
2:00 PM EST Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
March 4, 2023 (2023-03-04) Preseason 6 North Carolina FC v Loudoun United FC Cary, North Carolina
1:00 PM EST Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
March 11, 2023 (2023-03-11) Preseason 7 North Carolina FC v Charlotte Independence Cary, North Carolina
2:00 PM EST Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
July 21, 2023 (2023-07-21) North Carolina FC 2–4 Sunderland A.F.C. Cary, North Carolina
7:05 PM EDT Mentzingen 52'
Perez 59'		 Matete 5'
Batth 14'
Roberts 44'
Clarke 45+2'
Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park

USL League One

Main article: 2023 USL League One season

Standings

Pos Team
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Union Omaha (S) 32 19 5 8 61 41 +20 65 Qualification for the semi-finals
2 North Carolina FC (C) 32 19 7 6 58 39 +19 63
3 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC 32 18 6 8 59 37 +22 62 Qualification for the play-offs
4 Charlotte Independence 32 13 9 10 50 42 +8 49
5 Greenville Triumph SC 32 13 10 9 45 40 +5 48
Source: USL League One
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 6) disciplinary points; 7) drawing of lots.
(C) Champions; (S) Players' Shield winner

Match results

March 17, 2023 (2023-03-17) 1 North Carolina FC 0–1 Tormenta FC Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Report Akale 34' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,429
Referee: Jeremy Scheer
April 1, 2023 (2023-04-01) 2 North Carolina FC 2–1 Lexington SC Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Report Akale 34' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,423
Referee: Shawn Tehini
April 8, 2023 (2023-04-08) 3 North Carolina FC 1–1 Charlotte Independence Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Anderson 32' Report Kelly 61' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,119
Referee: Alejo Calume
April 15, 2023 (2023-04-15) 4 Union Omaha 1–2 North Carolina FC Omaha, Nebraska
3:00 PM EDT Gallardo 84' Report Mentzingen 3' (pen.)
Perez 43'		 Stadium: Al F. Caniglia Field
Attendance: 1,665
Referee: Jervis Atagana
April 21, 2023 (2023-04-21) 5 North Carolina FC 3–0 Chattanooga Red Wolves Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Anderson 45'
Mentzingen 57', 66'		 Report Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,766
Referee: Izlen Peksenar
April 29, 2023 (2023-04-29) 6 Greenville Triumph 1–2 North Carolina FC Greenville, South Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Wu 90+4' Perez 19'
Mentzingen 37' (pen.)		 Stadium: Paladin Stadium
Attendance: 3,228
Referee: Joshua Encarnación
May 5, 2023 (2023-05-05) 7 Fuego FC 0–2 North Carolina FC Fresno, California
10:00 PM EDT Report Mentzingen 32'
Perez 60'		 Stadium: Fresno State Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 775
Referee: Ricardo Fierro
May 13, 2023 (2023-05-13) 8 North Carolina FC 0–2 Forward Madison Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Report Martinez 14'
Osmond 68'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,610
Referee: Abdou Ndiaye
May 17, 2023 (2023-05-17) 9 North Carolina FC 3–2 Richmond Kickers Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Anderson 62'
Perez 73'
McLaughlin 76'		 Report Da Silva 29', 32' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,377
Referee: José Carlos Rivero
May 21, 2023 (2023-05-21) 10 Charlotte Independence 2–1 North Carolina FC Charlotte, North Carolina
2:00 PM EDT Mbuyu 61'
Bennett 81'		 Report Anderson 47' Stadium: American Legion Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 3,672
Referee: Servando Berna Rico
June 3, 2023 (2023-06-03) 11 One Knoxville SC 0–1 North Carolina FC Knoxville, Tennessee
7:30 PM EDT Report Servania 45+1' Stadium: Regal Stadium
Attendance: 2,422
Referee: Michael O'Reilly
June 10, 2023 (2023-06-10) 12 Forward Madison 3–0 North Carolina FC Madison, Wisconsin
8:00 PM EDT Payne 44'
Prentice 64'
Crull 75'		 Report Stadium: Breese Stevens Field
Attendance: 4,567
Referee: Matt Geringer
June 18, 2023 (2023-06-18) 13 North Carolina FC 2–2 Lexington SC Cary, North Carolina
3:00 PM EDT Perez 50'
McLaughlin 54'		 Report Baynham 31'
Robertson 81'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,682
Referee: Cristian Campo Hernández
June 30, 2023 (2023-06-30) 14 North Carolina FC 2–0 Charlotte Independence Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EST Anderson 40', 59' Report Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,396
Referee: Joe Surgan
July 8, 2023 (2023-07-08) 15 One Knoxville SC 2–2 North Carolina FC Knoxville, Tennessee
7:30 PM EDT Crisler 31'
Ross 36'		 Report Anderson 4'
McLaughlin 60'		 Stadium: Regal Stadium
Attendance: 2,109
Referee: Muhammad Hassan
July 15, 2023 (2023-07-15) 16 North Carolina FC 2–2 Forward Madison Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Anderson 67', 90+3' Report Gebhard 16'
Bartman 37'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,875
Referee: Michael O'Reilly
July 26, 2023 (2023-07-26) 17 North Carolina FC 2–0 Hailstorm FC Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Perez 45'
Anderson 90+5'		 Report Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,354
Referee: Shawn Tehini
July 29, 2023 (2023-07-29) 18 Chattanooga Red Wolves 1–2 North Carolina FC East Ridge, Tennessee
7:30 PM EDT Hernandez 83' Report Sommersall 33'
Mentzingen 39'		 Stadium: CHI Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,717
Referee: Madzid Coric
August 5, 2023 (2023-08-05) 19 Tormenta FC 2–3 North Carolina FC Statesboro, Georgia
7:30 PM EDT Adjei 13'
Sterling 39'		 Report Mentzingen 35' (pen.), 42' (pen.)
Anderson 76'		 Stadium: Optim Health Systems Field
Attendance: 2,041
Referee: Donovan Eubank
August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) 20 Richmond Kickers 2–2 North Carolina FC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 PM EDT Terzaghi 33'
Hornsby 90+6'		 Report McLaughlin 36'
Hornsby 90+6' (o.g.)		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 3,143
Referee: Gary Gutiérrez
August 12, 2023 (2023-08-12) 21 North Carolina FC 2–1 Greenville Triumph Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT McLaughlin 54'
Perez 56'		 Report MacKinnon 36' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,301
Referee: Cristian Campo
August 19, 2023 (2023-08-19) 22 Richmond Kickers 1–3 North Carolina FC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 PM EDT Fitch 86' Report Anderson 16', 53'
Maldonado 81'		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,570
Referee: Gabriele Ciampi
August 26, 2023 (2023-08-26) 23 North Carolina FC 1–2 Hailstorm FC Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Garcia 52' Report Amann 27'
Rendón 64'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,343
Referee: Olvin Oliva
September 2, 2023 (2023-09-02) 24 North Carolina FC 2–1 Fuego FC Cary, North Carolina
4:00 PM EDT Servania 36'
Benton 89'		 Report Cerritos 4' (pen) Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,142
Referee: Velimir Stefanovic
September 6, 2023 (2023-09-06) 25 Union Omaha 4–3 North Carolina FC Papillion, Nebraska
8:00 PM EDT Dolabella 9'
Brito 45+2'
Duba 59'
Meza 75'		 Report McLaughlin 11'
Mentzingen 85'
Popp 90+4'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 2,648
Referee: Joe Surgan
September 9, 2023 (2023-09-09) 26 Greenville Triumph 0–2 North Carolina FC Greenville, South Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Report Mentzingen 11' (pen.)
Servania 23'		 Stadium: Paladin Stadium
Attendance: 1,524
Referee: John Rush
September 16, 2023 (2023-09-16) 27 North Carolina FC 2–3 Tormenta FC Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Sommersall 49'
Anderson 60'		 Report Akale 21'
Khoury 82'
Adjei 90+4'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,952
Referee: Aleksandar Zhelyazkov
September 20, 2023 (2023-09-20) 28 Fuego FC 0–3 North Carolina FC Fresno, California
10:30 PM EDT Report Anderson 28'
McLaughlin 74'
Mentzingen 81' (pen.)		 Stadium: Fresno State Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 582
Referee: Olvin Oliva
September 23, 2023 (2023-09-23) 29 Hailstorm FC 0–2 North Carolina FC Windsor, Colorado
9:00 PM EDT Report McLaughlin 40'
Anderson 58'		 Stadium: Future Legends Complex
Attendance: 2,119
Referee: Cristian Campo
September 29, 2023 (2023-09-29) 30 North Carolina FC 1–1 Union Omaha Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Mentzingen 12' Gil 40' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,664
Referee: Gary Gutiérrez
October 7, 2023 (2023-10-07) 31 Lexington SC 0–1 North Carolina FC Georgetown, Kentucky
7:00 PM EDT Anderson 29' Stadium: Toyota Stadium
Attendance: 2,181
Referee: Richonne Clark
October 14, 2023 (2023-10-14) 32 North Carolina FC 2–1 One Knoxville SC Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Fernandes 30'
McLaughlin 89'		 Report Ross 55' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 5,795
Referee: Arnel Selman

Playoffs

October 28, 2023 (2023-10-28) Semi-final North Carolina FC 3–1 Hailstorm FC Cary, North Carolina
7:30 PM EDT
Report
Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,345
Referee: Alexis Da Silva
November 5, 2023 (2023-11-05) Final North Carolina FC 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)		 Charlotte Independence Cary, North Carolina
5:00 PM EDT
Report
Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 4,487
Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
Penalties

U.S. Open Cup

Main article: 2023 U.S. Open Cup
April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) 2nd Round North Carolina FC North Carolina 1–2 (a.e.t.) Virginia Loudoun United FC Leesburg, Virginia
7:00 PM EDT Servania 67' Report Ryan 7'
Leggett 116'		 Stadium: Segra Field
Referee: Kenneth Rojas

References

  1. ^ "STARRY NIGHT! NCFC is 2023 USL League One Champion". northcarolinafc.com. North Carolina FC. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  2. ^ "North Carolina FC to rejoin USL Championship in 2024". northcarolinafc.com. North Carolina FC. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  3. ^ "North Carolina FC 2023 Roster". uslleagueone.com. USL League 1. Retrieved December 19, 2023.