The Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals soccer club joined the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) as an expansion team in 2022.
The NPSL is one of the largest established men’s soccer leagues in the United States with over 90 teams competing across the country. The club opened at home vs. the Jackson Lions FC (Tom’s River, N.J.) on May 18. They play at the Ukrainian American Sport Center, 1 Lower State Road, Horsham.
The team is co-coached by Dan Harmon and Michael Gorni. Harmon’s decorated coaching career includes four state championships, one Region 1 championship, one national league championship and two national final eight appearances. Gorni is one of the most accomplished coaches in the region thanks to 40 state championships with Lehigh Valley United and FC Delco, 25 national final eight appearances, and seven national championships.
The club began with the Ukrainian’s “Tryzub” first fielding a team in 1950, which won four U.S. Open Cup championships and six league titles in the American Soccer League. In more recent years, the club has continued its success with boys and girls teams ranging from 8 to 19 years with various championships under its belt.
The inaugural NPSL roster is a mix of players primarily in the 18-23 age range, many of which are from local high schools or are currently playing in college. Some standout names include two former Pennsylvania high school state players of the year: Carter Houlihan, (Lafayette College), and Ben Liscum (Penn State University). Also playing are high school All-American Tarin Morris (Muhlenberg College), regional All-Americans Josh Jones (University of Louisville), and Brandon Curran (University of Pennsylvania) and Euan Forrest (Lehigh University), who played in the high school All-American game.
Harmon said, “We have high expectations for this group but we also understand that the league is extremely strong from top to bottom. This is a men’s league with seasoned coaches and quality players who have played together for years.”
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