 | |||
| Full name | Lane United Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Reds | ||
| Founded | 2013; 12 years ago (2013) | ||
| Dissolved | 2025 | ||
| Stadium | Civic Park | ||
| Owner(s) | Redside Sports, LLC | ||
| Managing director | David J. Galas | ||
| Head Coach | USL2:John Galas | ||
| League | Men:USL League Two Women:USL W League | ||
| 2023 | USL2: 5th, Northwest Division Playoffs: DNQ | ||
| Website | http://www.laneutd.com | ||
 Current season | |||
Lane United FC was an Americansoccer club based inEugene, Oregon, named forLane County, where Eugene is located. Founded in 2013, the men's team last played inUSL League Two, the fourth tier of theAmerican soccer pyramid. The club organized an amateur women's team, which competed in theUSL W League starting in 2023, and announced a professional women's team to compete in the first-tierUSL Super League in 2024.[1] In 2025 they announced that the club was disbanding to make way forSporting Cascades FC inUSL League One.[2]
Lane United was admitted into theUSL Premier Development League on July 18, 2013.[3] To raise local interest in the club, a team was quickly assembled for two friendlies during the late summer of 2013. The first match, held atSouth Eugene High School on July 18 saw the Reds lose to thePortland Timbers U23s, 0–3. The club then went on to earn its first victory againstSouthern Oregon Fuego 4–0 atSheldon High School on August 23, with midfielder Loren Hill notching the club's first-ever goal.[4][5][6]
In early 2014, the club entered into an agreement to use the Willamalane Center inSpringfield, Oregon as a home field through 2016. Construction on a new playing surface and grandstand began soon after the announcement.[7] Lane United also announced a three-year kit sponsorship withOakshire Brewing, a local brewery based in theWhiteaker neighborhood of Eugene.[8] The club slowly added commitments from college players and eventually finished out the 2014 roster with signings from open tryouts in April.[9]
The season opened on May 16 againstSeattle Sounders FC U-23, with Lane United earning its first league win on a goal from Connor Bevans.[10] The Reds earned subsequent good home results against theWashington Crossfire and thePuget Sound Gunners before falling into a skid, losing all six games in the month of June. The club seemingly regained momentum with a late draw againstTimbers U23s on July 1, but suffered narrow defeats againstVancouver Whitecaps U-23s,Victoria Highlanders, and Timbers in the final three games of the league season.[11] Lane United finished off the season with a home exhibition match againstVancouver Victory of theEvergreen Premier League, which the Reds won comfortably, 2–0.[12]
Lane United finished with eight points on the season, good for last place in the Northwest Division of the PDL.[13]
In December, Lane United was awarded PDL Rookie Franchise of the Year at theUnited Soccer Leagues Annual General Meeting.[14]
Lane United began their 2015 season with a non-league home game againstSouth Sound FC that ended in a 3–1 victory for LUFC.[15] The Reds' early victory was followed by two losses againstPortland Timbers U23s andKitsap Pumas, a 3–3 tie versusPuget Sound Gunners FC and two losses to theSeattle Sounders FC U-23 and theWashington Crossfire.[16] Midway through the season, Lane United reversed their early losing streak and went 3–1–1 with a tie againstCalgary Foothills FC, wins overVancouver Victory,Puget Sound Gunners FC, andLiga Unida XI, and a loss toSeattle Sounders FC U-23.
After a second loss to theKitsap Pumas, LUFC went on a three-game winning streak versus thePortland Timbers U23s, theWashington Crossfire, andBellingham United FC before ending the season with a loss toCalgary Foothills FC. The Reds ended the season 3–7–2 earning 5th place in theUSL PDL Western Conference Northwest Division.[17]Lane United FC forward Timmy Mueller was named to the USL PDL's All-League team for his outstanding season that included nine goals in eleven games.[18]
Lane United's 2016 season began with a win for the Reds when they defeated thePortland Timbers U23s 1–0, in their first game of the season at Tualatin Hills Athletic Center. They continued earning points at home and on the road with three consecutive ties vsKitsap Pumas (0–0),Victoria Highlanders (0–0), andPortland Timbers U23s (3–3), before recording their first loss of the season to theSeattle Sounders FC U-23 (2–1).
The Reds rallied after that loss, earning a draw two days later againstWashington Crossfire (0–0), and wins against South Sound FC (non-league friendly) (1–0),Seattle Sounders FC U-23 (3–1), andCalgary Foothills FC (1–0). The Reds lost a bit of momentum in the later half of the season, beginning with a loss at home toCalgary Foothills FC (1–0) and followed by a draw against non-league rival Club Jalisco (0–0), and a 1–0 loss at home to thePortland Timbers U23s.
The last four games of the season had a lot riding on them with a chance for Lane United to earn a spot in the Northwest Division Playoffs and the US Open Cup. Lane United kept their playoff hopes alive with a 1–1 tie againstWashington Crossfire on the road but their dream was cut short by a 2–1 loss to theKitsap Pumas four days later. The Reds ended the season with a 2–2 draw against theVictoria Highlanders and a 3–1 loss to theWashington Crossfire to finish sixth in the PDL Northwest Division.[19]
On March 26, 2020, came a day that left Reds' fans with nothing but disappointment. Lane United had hoped to open their new 2020 season at Civic Park, the new home pitch for the club that had created a lot of anticipation for the Reds. Ultimately—due to COVID-19—Lane United had to cancel the season for the ultimate health and safety of all the loyal Reds supporters, partners, players, and coaches. The remaining teams in the Northwest Division followed suit shortly thereafter with the league announcing the cancellation of the entire 2020 USL League Two season on April 30.[20]
After a whole year of waiting, Lane United FC finally opened up play at Civic Park on May 29, 2021. The opening match lived up to the hype with a great atmosphere as the Reds kicked off their season up with a thrilling 3-3 draw with Portland sideInternational Portland Select FC in a non-league friendly.
After initially hiring Manny Martins to manage the team, Martins left prior to the start of the league season for the Head Coaching position with the Utah State Women's Team.[21] Lane United brought on Jason Carney, also the Director of Coaching for the FC Portland Soccer Academy, to fill the void.[22]
From there, the season was in full swing and was filled with many highs including The Reds first win at Civic Park on June 19 in a 3-0 win againstOVF Alliance. The main highlight was the club winning the 2021 Oregon Open Cup, the first-ever piece of silverware for LUFC. After a 3-0 semi-final win against FC Swoosh that included a brace from Reds midfielder Henry Cromack, Lane United took down USL2 league foeOVF Alliance 4-2 in penalty kicks after the initial 90 minutes ended nil-nil. Goalkeeper Albert Escuin made several crucial saves during the game and stopped one of the penalties to earn Man of the Match honors.
Unfortunately for Lane, the league season in USL League Two did not have the same success as in the Oregon Open Cup, as the club finished fourth in the Northwest Division. The Reds, however, did have some standout players in the 2021 season including the team's leading goal-scorer from Spain, José Carlos González who finished the USL League Two season with 6 goals along with providing one assist. The Reds also saw the emergence of 17 year-old Canadian Henry Cromack, who was on target with 3 goals and 1 assist during league play, along with his two goals in the Oregon Open Cup semifinal. Albert Escuin was also another notable player for the Reds as he made a staggering 46 saves in 8 matches. All three players were named to theUSL League Two Western Conference Team of the Year.[23]
The crest is a traditional circular badge design, with the club name wrapped around a central emblem. Inside the circle is the red image of a Dawn Redwood above the Mckenzie and Willamette rivers that run through the heart of Lane County. Underneath the imagery lies the number 2013, signifying the club's founding date.
The traditional home kit is a red shirt, shorts, and socks, the source of the club's nickname. On away days, the club's kits have varied, but most recently they've worn a teal shirt with gray shorts. Lane United wears a simplified version of the crest on its shirts, featuring the tree and three lines alone. The letters "LUFC" underline the emblem.
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt partner |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Adidas | Ninkasi Brewing Company |
| 2014–2016 | Oakshire Brewing | |
| 2017–2018 | Hummel | Oakshire Brewing |
| 2019–2020 | Agate Alley | |
| 2021––2022 | SheerID |
After playing at two different high schools during the summer of 2013, the club entered into an agreement with Willamalane Parks and Recreation District to play at the Willamalane Center in Springfield through the 2016 season. The spartan facilities include a FieldTurf playing surface, metal grandstand with seating for approximately 1,000 spectators, and permanent outdoor field lighting.
Lane United played its 2019 season at Marist High School in northern Eugene.[24]
Lane United is a member of the Eugene Civic Alliance, a consortium of local community groups and businesses that recently acquiredCivic Stadium in south Eugene. Previously home to theEugene Emeralds, the Civic Alliance aims to modernize the stadium for use by Lane United Football Club and construct a fieldhouse on the property for use by a local youth sports organization.[25] Club officials have stated the need for a home venue with a higher attendance capacity in order to grow the club and eventually join theUnited Soccer League as a fully professional side.
Civic Stadium was destroyed in a fire on June 29, 2015.[26] However, the Eugene Civic Alliance aims to reuse the site, erecting a multi-use stadium with Lane United as a primary tenant as well as other amenities. The rebuilt stadium will be known as Civic Park.[27]
Lane United was scheduled to play its home games at the new Civic Park starting in the 2020USL League Two season, but after that season was canceled due to COVID-19, the club played there until 2025, when the club ended.
By September 2013, an independent supporters group had formed, known as the Red Aces[1]. The group achieved non-profit status and were subsequently granted a small ownership stake in the club itself.[28] Aside from supporting the team during games, the Red Aces were advocates for the club's acquisition and renovation ofCivic Stadium in Eugene.[29]
On matchdays, the Red Aces could be found at the south end of the Willamalane Center grandstand, displaying tifo and encouraging a raucous atmosphere.[30] They most recently occupied the southwest side at Civic Park.
The club was owned by Redside Sports, LLC, alimited liability company formed in the summer of 2013 to finance the franchise. The chief stakeholders in the group are: David G. Elmore, owner of theEugene Emeralds and several other minor-league sports teams in theAmerican West, and local businessmen Frank Nakatsuma and Joe Hawes. Several minority shareholders and the Red Aces supporters group also control the LLC.[3]
| Position | Name |
|---|
| Position | Name | Number |
|---|
| Year | Division | League | Matches | W | L | T | Pts | Regular season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 4 | USL PDL | 14 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 8th of 8, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2015 | 4 | USL PDL | 12 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 5th of 7, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2016 | 4 | USL PDL | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 6th of 7, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2017 | 4 | USL PDL | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 5th of 6, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2018 | 4 | USL PDL | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 3rd of 6, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2019 | 4 | USL League Two | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 3rd of 6, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2020 | 4 | USL League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Season cancelled due toCOVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2021 | 4 | USL League Two | 12 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 4th of 4, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2022 | 4 | USL League Two | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 3rd of 6, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2023 | 4 | USL League Two | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 5th of 6, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2024 | 4 | USL League Two | 14 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 6th of 8, Northwest | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 10 Seasons | 132 | 32 | 60 | 40 | 1.03 PPG | 0 Appearances | 0 Appearances | |||
| Year | League | Matches | W | L | T | Pts | Regular season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | USL W League | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 3rd of 5, Northwest | did not qualify |
| 2024 | USL W League | 10 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 5th of 5, Northwest | did not qualify |
| 2025 | USL W League | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 4th of 6, Northwest | did not qualify |
| 3 Seasons | – | 30 | 8 | 18 | 7 | 0.80 PPG | – | 0 Appearances |
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