Western Mass Pioneers
Encyclopedia
Western Mass Pioneers is an American soccer team based in Ludlow, Massachusetts
, United States
. Founded in 1998, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League
(PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.
The team plays its home games at Lusitano Stadium
, where they have played since 1998. The team's colors are red, black and white. Their current head coach is former Utica College
head coach Joe Calabrese.
The team has a sister organization, the Western Mass Lady Pioneers
, who play in the women's USL W-League.
, an amateur soccer club based in Ludlow, Massachusetts
. The USISL had set a condition for new teams which prohibited ethnic team names which prevented the club from using the name Gremio or Lusitano. Therefore, the town's two newspapers, the Union-News and Sunday Republican, held a week long "name the team" contest which resulted in the selection of Pioneers. In October 1997, general manager Rick Andre named Leszek Wrona, who had both played for and coached Gremio Lusitan, as head coach of the Pioneers. In September 1999, the Pioneers expressed an interest in moving up to the A-League after winning the USL D-3 Pro League. However, the team elected to remain in the D-3 Pro League. In 2001, John Voight replaced Wrona has head coach. Wrona would return in 2005, leave in 2007 and return again in 2008. By 2003, the team was fielding ten Junior Pioneer youth teams which competed in the Super Y-League
. Through all these years, the team has remained under the ownership of Gremio Lusitano.
On December 22, 2009, following the exodus of teams from the USL to the new North American Soccer League
, the Pioneers announced that they would self-relegate, and play in the USL Premier Development League
in 2010.
This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.
Anthony Augustine
Almir Barbosa
Ben Clark Steve Covino
Jeff Deren
Mateus dos Anjos
Paul Kelly
Joe Germanese
Jair
Fausto Klinger
Martin Klinger
Yan Klukowski
Neil Krause
Mike Lima
David Mahoney
Brandon Tyler
Adam Wallace
Jay Willis
Bryan Zobre
Ludlow, Massachusetts
Ludlow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,103 as of the 2010 census. It is located in western Massachusetts, north of Springfield, east of Chicopee, southeast of Granby, southwest of Belchertown, west of Wilbraham and is considered part of the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 1998, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
(PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.
The team plays its home games at Lusitano Stadium
Lusitano Stadium
Lusitano Stadium, located in Ludlow, Massachusetts, is a 3,000-seat stadium built in 1918 currently used for soccer. Currently its tenants are the Western Mass Pioneers of the USL Premier Development League and the Western Mass Lady Pioneers of the W-League....
, where they have played since 1998. The team's colors are red, black and white. Their current head coach is former Utica College
Utica College
Utica College is a private university located in Utica, New York. The history of the college dates back to the 1930s when Syracuse University began offering extension courses in the Utica area. Syracuse University established Utica College as a four-year institution in 1946, and in 1995, UC ...
head coach Joe Calabrese.
The team has a sister organization, the Western Mass Lady Pioneers
Western Mass Lady Pioneers
Western Mass Lady Pioneers were an American women’s soccer team, founded in 2004. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team played in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference...
, who play in the women's USL W-League.
History
In August 1997, the USISL announced it had awarded an expansion franchise to Gremio LusitanoGremio Lusitano
Gremio Lusitano is an amateur soccer team from Ludlow, Massachusetts.Founded in 1922 in a garage on Franklin Street, the team had competed for several seasons during the 1930s in the New England Division of the American Soccer League, but for most of its existence it has been an amateur or...
, an amateur soccer club based in Ludlow, Massachusetts
Ludlow, Massachusetts
Ludlow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,103 as of the 2010 census. It is located in western Massachusetts, north of Springfield, east of Chicopee, southeast of Granby, southwest of Belchertown, west of Wilbraham and is considered part of the...
. The USISL had set a condition for new teams which prohibited ethnic team names which prevented the club from using the name Gremio or Lusitano. Therefore, the town's two newspapers, the Union-News and Sunday Republican, held a week long "name the team" contest which resulted in the selection of Pioneers. In October 1997, general manager Rick Andre named Leszek Wrona, who had both played for and coached Gremio Lusitan, as head coach of the Pioneers. In September 1999, the Pioneers expressed an interest in moving up to the A-League after winning the USL D-3 Pro League. However, the team elected to remain in the D-3 Pro League. In 2001, John Voight replaced Wrona has head coach. Wrona would return in 2005, leave in 2007 and return again in 2008. By 2003, the team was fielding ten Junior Pioneer youth teams which competed in the Super Y-League
Super Y-League
The Super Y-League is the highest form of American and Canadian youth soccer. It consists of over 100 teams, many of which are operated by clubs from MLS to PDL.- Age groups :The Super Y-League has these following age groups:*U-12*U-13*U-14*U-15...
. Through all these years, the team has remained under the ownership of Gremio Lusitano.
On December 22, 2009, following the exodus of teams from the USL to the new North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
, the Pioneers announced that they would self-relegate, and play in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in 2010.
Current roster
As of June 3, 2011.Notable former players
- See also: All-time Western Mass Pioneers rosterAll-time Western Mass Pioneers rosterThis list comprises all players who have participated in at least one league match for the Western Mass Pioneers since the USL began keeping archived records in 2003...
This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.
Anthony Augustine
Anthony Augustine
Anthony Augustine is a Grenadian footballer who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers in the USL Premier Development League.-College and amateur:...
Almir Barbosa
Almir Barbosa
Almir Barbosa is a Cape Verdean footballer. He currently plays for New Hampshire Phantoms in the USL Premier Development League.-College and Amateur:...
Ben Clark Steve Covino
Steve Covino (soccer)
Steve Covino is an American soccer player currently playing for F.C. New York in the USL Professional Division.-College and amateur:...
Jeff Deren
Jeff Deren
Jeff Deren is an American soccer player who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers in the USL Second Division.-College:...
Mateus dos Anjos
Mateus dos Anjos
Mateus dos Anjos is a Brazilian soccer player, currently without a club.-College:Mateus grew up in Belo Horizonte, but moved from his native Brazil to the United States in 2001 to attend and play college soccer at Rockland Community College, and later Southern Connecticut State University...
Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (soccer)
Paul Kelly is a former American professional soccer player. Paul attended the University of Maine at Orono from 1992-1996. While at Maine he garnered several honors, including: Regional All-American - '94 & '95; All North Atlantic Conference - '92, '94, '95; All State, '92-'96; NAC Tournament Best...
Joe Germanese
Joe Germanese
Joe Germanese is an American football player.Germanese made his full professional debut and scored his first career goal for Revolution on 1 July 2008, in a US Open Cup third round game against Richmond Kickers.During 2008 Germanese also spent a short spell on loan at USL Second Division side...
Jair
Anselmo Ribeiro
Anselmo "Jair" Ribeiro is a retired Cape Verdean soccer player.-Youth:Jair emigrated from his native Cape Verde to the United States as a child, settling with his family in suburban Boston...
Fausto Klinger
Fausto Klinger
Fausto Klinger is an Ecuadorian soccer player. He played college soccer with Seton Hall, before moving onto professional soccer.-Club career:...
Martin Klinger
Martin Klinger
Martin Klinger is an Ecuadorian association football player. He spent two seasons in Major League Soccer with the MetroStars, making 9 appearances. He later went on to play with the Atlanta Silverbacks and the Western Mass Pioneers....
Yan Klukowski
Yan Klukowski
Yan Klukowski is an English football player who is currently contracted to Forest Green Rovers.-Youth and College:...
Neil Krause
Neil Krause
Neil Krause is an American soccer player who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers in the USL Second Division.-College and Amateur:...
Mike Lima
Mike Lima
Mike Lima is an American soccer player who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers in the USL Premier Development League.-College and Amateur:...
David Mahoney
David Mahoney
David Mahoney is an American soccer goalkeeper, who formerly played for the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer....
Brandon Tyler
Brandon Tyler
Brandon Tyler is an American soccer player currently playing for New Orleans Jesters in the USL Premier Development League.-Career:...
Adam Wallace
Adam Wallace (soccer)
Adam Wallace is a Canadian soccer player of Jamaican heritage who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers in the USL Second Division.-College and amateur:...
Jay Willis
Jay Willis
Jason "Jay" Willis is an American soccer player who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers in the USL Premier Development League...
Bryan Zobre
Bryan Zobre
Bryan Zobre is an American soccer player who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers in the USL Premier Development League.-Youth and College:...
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 3 | USISL D-3 Pro League | 3rd, Northeast | Division Semifinals | 2nd Round |
| 1999 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 1st, Northern | Champion | Did not qualify |
| 2000 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 5th, Northern | Conference Finals | Did not qualify |
| 2001 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 7th, Northern | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2002 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 1st, Northern | Quarterfinals | Did not qualify |
| 2003 | 3 | USL Pro Select League | 3rd, Northern | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2004 | 3 | USL Pro Soccer League | 3rd, Northern | Did not qualify | 2nd Round |
| 2005 | 3 | USL Second Division | 1st | Final | 3rd Round |
| 2006 | 3 | USL Second Division | 6th | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2007 | 3 | USL Second Division | 6th | Did not qualify | 2nd Round |
| 2008 | 3 | USL Second Division | 6th | Quarterfinals | 2nd Round |
| 2009 | 3 | USL Second Division | 7th | Did not qualify | 2nd Round |
| 2010 | 4 | USL PDL | 6th, Northeast | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | 4 | USL PDL | 3rd, Northeast | Did not qualify | 1st Round |
Honors
- USL Second Division Regular Season Champions 2005
- USL D-3 Pro League Northern Division Champions 2002
- USL D-3 Pro League Champions 1999
- USL D-3 Pro League Northern Division Champions 1999
Head coaches
Leszek Wrona (1998-2001, 2005, 2008-2010) John Voight (2002-2004) Tom d'Agostino (2006-2007) Joe Calabrese (2011-present)Average attendance
Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.- 2009: not yet available
- 2010: 669