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Rochester Lancers (MASL)

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Rochester Lancers
Full nameRochester Lancers
Nickname(s)RLancers
Founded2010; 14 years ago (2010)
Dissolved2024
GroundTotal Sports Experience
Capacity500
OwnerSalvatore "Soccer Sam" Fantauzzo
Head CoachJake Schindler
LeagueMajor Arena Soccer League 2
2023, 2nd place
Websitehttps://www.rochesterlancers.com/teams/mens-indoor-lancers

The Rochester Lancers were a professional indoor soccer team in the Major Arena Soccer League 2.[1] The team is named in honor of the Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League. The team was active from November 2011 through March 2015.[2] A new version of the team contested the 2018–19 Major Arena Soccer League 2 season; for 2019–20 the team moved back up to the MASL. After another two year hiatus the Lancers are in M2 for the 2022-23 season. The team concluded play after the 2024 season.[3]

History

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In 1995, Salvatore "Soccer Sam" Fantauzzo purchased the Rochester Lancers name and logo as part of his soccer memorabilia collection. In 2010, Fantauzzo started negotiating with commissioner Chris Economides of the USL to be part of the new indoor I-League. The USL struggled to attract teams to the newly formed I-League. At the 2010-2011 MISL Championship game in Baltimore, Fantauzzo convinced MISL commissioner David Grimaldi to meet with the USL and bring the MISL current teams into that organization. The 2011-2012 season saw the new MISL under the USL banner with the four existing MISL teams and the three new I-League teams. Fantauzzo decided to use the Rochester Lancers name and logo for this new indoor MISL team.

Following a merger of the I-League and the third Major Indoor Soccer League, the Lancers played their first game in Syracuse on November 4, 2011, against the Syracuse Silver Knights. Led by team captain and former Rochester Rhinos forward Doug Miller, the first game in the team's history ended in a 16–15 loss and the top scorer was Lubo Kocic who scored 4 goals for the Lancers. The Lancers finished 2nd in the Eastern Division in 2011, qualifying for the playoffs.[4] During the 2011–12 season they, offered a surprise contract to former 76ers player Allen Iverson.[5]

In 2012 assistant coach, Jim Hesch replaced Billy Andracki and became the head coach. Former Cuban International, Rochester Rhino and Rochester Lancers player, Rey 'Boom Boom' Martinez became the assistant coach. The team finished in 5th place in the MISL with a 10-16 record and did not make the playoffs.

The Lancers announced new head coach Josh Rife on September 13, 2013.[6][7] Josh Rife's assistant coach was Billy Ginther. The team finished in 5th place in the league with a 6-14 record and did not make the playoffs.

After the 2013–2014 season, the team announced that it was leaving the MISL along with five other teams and joining the Premier Arena Soccer League, later was renamed the Major Arena Soccer League.[8] Fantauzzo with Tommy Tanner negotiated hard to keep multi-point scoring in the game of indoor soccer. However, the MASL continued the single point goal system it used as the PASL without 2 & 3 point goals.

On August 2, 2014, team founder and CEO Salvatore Fantauzzo announced that the Lancers would not be playing in the 2014–15 season.[9] Team captain (and Rochester Rhinos legend) Doug Miller intervened and offered to take over management of the team in order to permit the team to preserve its season. Miller later was named coach of the team, though he would continue to play. The team finished in 3rd place in the Eastern Division with a record of 10–10. The team made the playoffs but lost in the division finals to the Baltimore Blast. After the 2014/15 season the team went on a hiatus to hopefully resolve the NYS insurance issues.

In 2017, Soccer Sam licensed his Lancers name & logo to the Rochester River Dogz of the (NPSL). The new Rochester Lancers ownership group included head coach Doug Miller, GM Marc Mandell, Asst GM Nick Mojsovski and CEO Salvatore 'Soccer Sam' Fantauzzo. Weeks later Fantauzzo joined the United Women's Soccer (UWS) and the Lady Lancers were born. Sal Galvano and Loren Inglese handled the team side. Ashley Maria King from the original Lancers handled the business side year one. In 2018, Kayla Klark Kent also from the original Lancers returned to help with the business side. Sal Galvano continued with the team in 2018 as the head coach with Brooke Barbuto as his player/assistant coach.

The Lancers relaunched the indoor team for the 2018–19 season, playing in the Eastern Division of the M2 development league with home games in The Dome Center. The Lancers returned to Division 1 play as they re-joined the MASL for the 2019-20 season, winning only 1 game before competition was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans to join the late-starting 2021 MASL season were cancelled in February, partly due to the Dome Center's use as a New York state COVID vaccination site.[10]

Year-by-year results

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Year League Logo Reg. Season Playoffs Avg. attendance
2011–12 MISL 2nd Eastern Division, 11–13 Lost Division Finals 5,675
2012–13 MISL 5th MISL, 10–16 Did not qualify 5,975
2013–14 MISL 5th MISL, 6–14 Did not qualify 7,347
2014–15 MASL 3rd Eastern Division, 10–10 Lost Division Finals 6,539
2015–18 on Hiatus
2018–19 MASL2 2nd Eastern Division, 8-4 Won Division Finals

3rd in League

2,500
2019-20 MASL 9th Eastern Conference, 1-21 Did not qualify 3,010
2020-22 On Hiatus
2022-23 MASL2 2nd in North Conference, 8-4 Did not qualify 500
2023-24 MASL2 1st in East Division, 12-0 Lost in the Final 500
Total 66–78 6-7 6,859

Head coaches

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2019–20 roster

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
00 GK United States USA Brian Wilkin
2 MF Brazil BRA Rafa Godoi
3 FW United States USA David Wright
4 MF United States USA Gary Boughton
5 MF United States USA Sean Hantes
6 MF Ukraine UKR Bogdan Yatsishin
7 DF United States USA Tim Crawford
9 MF United States USA Daniel Reger
10 FW England ENG Michael Cunningham
11 DF United States USA Anthony Rozzano
12 FW United States USA Darryl Potter
13 MF United States USA Frankie Ciliberto
14 FW United States USA Alex Harling
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 FW United States USA Andriy Demydiv
17 FW United States USA Peter Dilorenzo
18 MF United States USA Bryan Wolanski
19 FW United States USA Doug Miller
20 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Zikret Osmic
21 MF United States USA Matt D'Amico
22 GK Brazil BRA Marcelo Moreira
23 MF United States USA Jeremy Ortiz
24 MF United States USA August Finn
25 DF United States USA Jake Reed
27 DF Brazil BRA Diego Mayanga
31 DF United States USA Jeremy Loncao
35 GK United States USA Christian Esposito

2011–12 roster

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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 United States USA Leonardo Tillemont
0 GK Brazil BRA Diego Martins
1 GK Republic of Ireland IRL Gavin McInerney
2 MF Canada CAN Josiah Snelgrove
3 DF United States USA Will Kletzien
4 MF United States USA Gary Boughton
5 MF Ecuador ECU Juan Pablo Reyes
6 FW Chile CHI Chile Farias
8 DF United States USA Elliot Fauske
9 FW United States USA Andrew Hoxie
10 FW Brazil BRA Mauricio Salles
12 FW Haiti HAI Jefferson Dargout
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 FW Serbia SRB Lubo Kocic
15 DF United States USA Brayton Knapp
17 MF Peru PER Nelson Becerra
19 FW United States USA Doug Miller
21 DF United States USA Kyle Manscuk
22 MF United States USA Grady Renfrow
23 MF United States USA Jeremy Ortiz
25 GK United States USA Neal Kitson
25 GK United States USA Patrick Hannigan
26 DF United States USA Jake Schindler
35 DF Cuba CUB Rey Martinez
80 FW United States USA John Ball

2012–13 roster

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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 United States USA Marc Sotle
0 GK Turkey TUR Bora Turgot
1 GK Republic of Ireland IRL Gavin McInerney
2 MF Brazil BRA Pedrinho Franco
3 FW United States USA Andy Tiedt
4 MF United States USA Gary Boughton
5 DF United States USA Troy Cole
7 FW Germany GER Ivory Washington
8 DF United States USA Elliot Fauske
9 FW United States USA Garret Pettis
10 FW Brazil BRA Mauricio Salles (Captain)
11 DF United States USA Paul Craig
12 FW Haiti HAI Jefferson Dargout
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 DF United States USA Stephen Basso
15 DF United States USA Brayton Knapp
16 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Danny Earls
17 FW Costa Rica CRC Luis Enrique
19 FW United States USA Doug Miller
20 DF United States USA Evan McNeley
21 DF United States USA Kyle Manscuk
23 MF United States USA Jeremy Ortiz
25 GK United States USA Patrick Hannigan
26 DF United States USA Jake Schindler
27 FW United States USA Joey Tavernese
35 DF Cuba CUB Rey Martinez
77 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Alan McGreal

2013–14 roster

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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 United States USA Marc Sotile
1 GK Republic of Ireland IRL Gavin McInerney
2 MF Brazil BRA Pedrinho Franco
3 DF United States USA Sean Summerville
4 MF United States USA Gary Boughton
5 DF United States USA Troy Cole
6 DF United States USA JP Rodrigues
7 MF United Kingdom GBR Julian Myers
8 DF United States USA Elliot Fauske
9 FW United States USA Andrew Hoxie
10 FW Brazil BRA Mauricio Salles (Captain)
11 DF Canada CAN Paul Craig
12 FW Haiti HAI Jefferson Dargout
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 DF United States USA Stephen Basso
14 DF Angola ANG Edgar Bartolomeu
15 FW United States USA Josh Faga
17 FW Costa Rica CRC Luis Enrique
19 FW United States USA Doug Miller
20 MF Brazil BRA Juninho Da Silva
23 FW United States USA Marco Terminesi
24 MF United States USA George Morningstar
25 GK United States USA Patrick Hannigan
26 DF United States USA Jake Schindler
27 FW United States USA Joey Tavernese
28 DF Montenegro MNE Bato Radoncic

2014–15 roster

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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 United States USA Marc Sotile
2 MF Brazil BRA Pedrinho Franco
3 DF United States USA Roberto Acosta
4 MF United States USA Gary Boughton
5 DF Isle of Man Isle of Man Seamus Sharkey
6 DF United States USA Brian Knapp
7 MF United States USA Tim Crawford
8 DF United States USA Elliot Fauske
9 FW United States USA Andrew Hoxie
10 FW Brazil BRA Mauricio Salles (Captain)
11 DF United States USA Alex Megson
12 FW Haiti HAI Jefferson Dargout
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 DF United States USA Stephen Basso
14 DF Angola ANG Edgar Bartolomeu
15 FW Ecuador ECU Juan Pablo Reyes
17 FW Costa Rica CRC Luis Enrique
18 MF Uruguay URU Carlos Munoz
19 FW United States USA Doug Miller
20 MF United States USA Sean Hantes
21 MF Cuba CUB Yaikel Perez
22 GK Brazil BRA Marcelo Moreira
23 MF United States USA Jeremy Ortiz
24 MF United States USA George Morningstar
25 GK United States USA Dominic Coco
26 DF United States USA Jake Schindler
27 FW United States USA Joey Tavernese
29 DF United States USA Jayme Kapinos
30 GK United States USA Joey Kapinos

References

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  1. ^ AMERICA'S OLDEST SOCCER BRAND RETURNS INDOORS WITH A NEW 100% PLAYER FOCUS, Staff Author, MASL website, October 13, 2022
  2. ^ Sharp, Brian (July 6, 2015). "Citing insurance cost, Lancers call it quits". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, NY: Gannett. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  3. ^ Lewis, Michael (2024-10-24). "END OF AN ERA: Lancers have played their last indoor game". Front Row Soccer. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  4. ^ "Lancers Clinch Final Playoff Berth". United Soccer Leagues. February 23, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  5. ^ "Former NBA star Allen Iverson gets pro soccer contract offer". The Globe and Mail. 20 February 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Rife Named Coach Of Lancers". MISL. September 13, 2013. Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  7. ^ "LANCERS ANNOUNCE NEW HEAD COACH". Rochester Lancers. September 13, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  8. ^ "Baltimore Blast joining with other teams to form new indoor soccer league".
  9. ^ "To My Rochester Lancers Family". Rochester Lancers. 2 August 2014.
  10. ^ "Lancers Will Not Play the 2021 Indoor Season". Rochester Lancers. 5 February 2021.
  11. ^ "FROM CAPTAIN TO COACH: SCHINDLER TO LEAD LANCERS2 SEASON | Rochester Lancers". 24 October 2022.