FC Buffalo is an American women's soccer club based in Buffalo, New York, United States. Founded in 2021, the team plays in United Women's Soccer (UWS), a pro-am league at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the East Conference. FC Buffalo is the sister team of USL League Two club FC Buffalo.

FC Buffalo
Full nameFC Buffalo
Founded2021; 3 years ago (2021)
StadiumAll-High Stadium
Buffalo, New York
OwnersNick Mendola
Head CoachNikki Bartholomew[1]
LeagueUnited Women's Soccer
WebsiteClub website

The team plays its home games at All-High Stadium in Buffalo. The team's colors are blue, gold and white.

History

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In 2021, club owner Nicholas Mendola announced the launch of a women's soccer team, which started play in May. On March 5, the club announced Nikki Bartholomew as the first manager of FC Buffalo. In their first UWS season, FC Buffalo finished in first place in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 7–2–1.[2] FC Buffalo hosted the East Conference playoffs, winning their first match against Lancaster Inferno FC 3–2. In the Eastern Conference Final FC Buffalo lost 2–0 against CT Fusion.[3]

On May 9, 2022, the team announced that they would play their home games for the 2022 season at Dobson Field on the campus of D'Youville University while All-High Stadium is renovated.[4] The club again only lost once in the regular season, then winning a pair of playoff games to reach the National Championship weekend. FC Buffalo would fall against Calgary Foothills WFC in the semi-finals, ending their playoff run.[5] After the renovations at All High were completed, Buffalo Public Schools initially declined to have the team play its matches there for the 2023 season, which forced an emergency field location at Williamsville South High School.[6][7] Then in April of 2024, the club were welcomed back to All-High ahead of the upcoming season.[8] The women won the 2024 Iron Division and the right to host the National Championship weekend.[9]

Players and staff

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Current squad

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As of 14 July 2024[10]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
0 GK   USA Brigid Mulholland
1 GK   SWE Agnes Stenlund
2 DF   USA Laura Bogner
3 DF   USA Charlie Pawli
4 DF   USA Erin Weir
5 DF   USA Delta Barber
7 MF   USA Skylar Cornell
8 FW   USA Carissima Cutrona
9 DF   USA Claire DeAngelis
11 FW   USA Sarah Woods
12 DF   USA Gwen Jarosz
14 MF   USA Grace Kulniszewski
15 MF   USA Izzy Schmidt
16 MF   CAN Danielle Vis
18 MF   USA Leah Wengender
19 MF   USA Morgan Kulniszewski
20 DF   USA Kam Vanderbosch
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 MF   USA Gianna Tuzzolino
22 DF   USA Tess Ford
23 MF   USA Charlotte Takacsy
24 MF   CAN Kasia Bak
26 MF   USA Eileen Solomon
28 DF   USA Rory Schaeffer
33 MF   USA Dani Martinez
- MF   CAN Payton Robertson
- GK   USA Sydney Mulka
- MF   USA Meredith Donohue
- DF   USA Emma Klein
- MF   CAN Demi Maroudas
- MF   USA Mirann Gacioch
- MF   USA Linda Ullmark
- FW   CAN Amanda Cripps
- GK   USA Shea Vanderbosch
- FW   USA Kylie Miranto

Management and staff

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As of July 7, 2024
Executive Staff
Position Staff
Owner   Nick Mendola
Director of Women's Soccer   Liz Mantel
Technical Staff
Position Staff
Head coach   Nikki Bartholomew
Assistant coach   Trevor Lawler
Assistant coach   Angela Nicholas-Tolsma
Assistant coach   Gabrielle Wilson

All-time record

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Year League W-L-D GF GA GD Regular Season Playoffs
2021 United Women's Soccer 7-2-1 23 14 +9 1st, East Division Lost East Conference Finals
2022 United Women's Soccer 7-1-2 23 7 +16 1st, Penn-NY Division Lost National Semi-Finals
2023 United Women's Soccer 8-0-0 43 5 +38 1st, East Division Lost Second Round
2024 United Women's Soccer 6-1-1 23 7 +16 1st, Iron Division Lost National Semi-finals
Total 4 Seasons 28-4-4 112 33 +79

Playoff results

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Season Game Visiting Home
2021 East Conference Semi-Finals Lancaster Inferno 2 FC Buffalo 3
East Conference Finals CT Fusion 2 FC Buffalo 0
2022 East Conference Semi-Finals FC Buffalo 2 New England Mutiny 1
East Conference Finals FC Buffalo 3 Coppermine United 2
National Semi-Finals Calgary Foothills 4 FC Buffalo 1
2023 First Round (E1)FC Buffalo 1 (E8) Albany Rush 0
Second Round (E1)FC Buffalo 2 (E4)Lancaster Inferno 4

Honors

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  • UWS Eastern Conference Regular Season Champions: 2021
  • UWS Penn-NY Division Champions: 2022
  • UWS Eastern Conference (Playoff) Champions: 2022
  • UWS Penn-NY Division Champions: 2023
  • UWS Iron Division Champions: 2024

References

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  1. ^ "Lancaster native, former UB star named first FC Buffalo Women coach". 5 March 2021.
  2. ^ "FC Buffalo Women win regular season conference title, will host regional playoffs". Buffalo News. 11 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Shorthanded FC Buffalo Women fall in conference final to end sparkling inaugural season". Buffalo News. 19 July 2021.
  4. ^ "FC Buffalo + CBW + Dobson Field = Winning Combo". fcbuffalo.org. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  5. ^ Lozanovski, Nick (2022-07-24). "FC Buffalo falls in UWS national semifinal". FC Buffalo. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  6. ^ Buffalo, F. C. (2023-05-15). "Letter: Why FC Buffalo has a new home". FC Buffalo. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  7. ^ "FC Buffalo welcomes new and returning faces into the 716 for 2023 season". WKBW 7 News Buffalo. 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  8. ^ Buffalo, F. C. (2024-05-02). "FC Buffalo returns to All-High Stadium". FC Buffalo. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  9. ^ Gorski, Adam (18 July 2024). "FC Buffalo Women embracing 'special' opportunity to compete for national title at home". WIVB.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  10. ^ "FC Buffalo Women roster".