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| Nickname | The Pulse |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| Dissolved | 2022 (merged with Flower City Union) |
| Stadium | Lazer Stadium |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| President | Samir Belhseine |
| Head Coach | Peter Fuller |
| League | National Independent Soccer Association United Women's Soccer |
| Website | https://www.syracusepulse.com/ |
Syracuse Pulse, initiallyAC Syracuse Pulse, was an American professionalsoccer club based inSyracuse, New York. The Pulse fielded a men's team in theNational Independent Soccer Association (NISA), the third tier of theUS soccer pyramid, during the 2022 season before merging with theFlower City Union.
In May 2021, an ownership group led by local businessman Samir Belhseine announced an application to join theNational Independent Soccer Association for 2022.[1] The team, initially just calledAC Syracuse, announced plans to develop an academy system along with a women's soccer team that would compete inUnited Women's Soccer. The team also announced a fan-vote for the community to pick the club mascot, with the top 32 names at the end of the voting submission window entered into a bracket and a winner announced at theNew York State Fair.[2]
On October 26, the team was officially accepted into NISA after being approved by the league's Board of Governors.[3] The team also announced its new team nicknameSyracuse Pulse and logo the same day in a local press conference.[4] FormerC.F. União assistant manager andCayman Islands youth national team manager Cláudio Garcia was announced as the first-ever team manager, but was replaced before the season by formerChattanooga FC coach Peter Fuller.[5]
The Pulse entered their inaugural season in a rushed fashion; the club's first training session was March 19, just seven days before their first league match. Nevertheless, they won that inaugural game overUpstate New York rivalFlower City Union.[6]
The Pulse finished the 2022 season 7-4-11, good for sixth place and the last playoff spot.[7] They were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, 2-0, by eventual league championsMichigan Stars FC.[8]
| Founded | 2023; 2 years ago (2023) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2024 | |
| Stadium | Falcon Park Syracuse, New York | |
| Capacity | 2,800 | |
| Owner | Jimmy Paola | |
| General Manager | Casey Catlin | |
| Head Coach | Jordan Sullivan | |
| League | National Independent Soccer Association | |
| Website | https://www.flowercityunion.com/salt-city | |
 Current season | ||
On January 17, 2023, Syracuse Pulse ceased to exist as a separate club after they merged with fellow expansion teamFlower City Union based inRochester, New York. The combined club played home matches in both cities; for home games in Syracuse the club played under the nameSalt City Union with its own logo, uniforms, and color scheme.[9]
After winning the 2023 NISA Championship in its first season as a combined club, Flower City Union announced its departure from the league in a statement on February 15, 2024.[10] NISA responded with a press release saying "goodbye to our reigning champions".[11] Five days later, Flower City were announced as new members of the semi-professionalNational Premier Soccer League.[12]
The Salt City identity has been abandoned with the move to the NPSL, and Flower City Union no longer plays any home games in Syracuse.[13]
AC Syracuse Pulse played their home games at Lazer Stadium on the campus ofOnondaga Community College inSyracuse, New York.
During their time as Salt City Union, the club played home games atFalcon Park inAuburn, New York.[14]
On December 10, 2021, the United Women's Soccer league announced that the a new Pulse women's team had been accepted into the league for the 2022 season.[15] Syracuse native and former UWS playerBrooke Barbuto was also announced as the team's first head coach. In May 2022, the league announced that the Pulse would not be playing after all "due to unforeseen circumstances".[16]
Ahead of its inaugural season, team management from The Pulse and NISA visited Morocco, Belhseine's home country, in November 2021 on a humanitarian mission.[17] In a joint press conference the team announced a partnership with the Moroccan-occupied city ofLaayoune to open an academy to promote and develop football in the Sahara region.[18]
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