TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League Tuesday announced its 2021 Starting XI Awards at the 2021 USL Winter Summit.

The awards honor front office executives that delivered for their clubs and their communities throughout the past year in the USL Championship and USL League One.

Louisville City FC claimed eight awards in the Championship. President Brad Estes earned the leadership award for his outstanding work in guiding the club to another successful campaign on and off the field. LouCity vice president of communications Jonathan Lintner was the lone two-time award winner, earning honors in both the public relations and broadcast and digital categories.

Another notable honoree was New Mexico United’s Chanel Wiese, who was awarded the Community Relations award. In addition to her standout work for the club in New Mexico through the Somos Unidos Foundation, Wiese has also served as the chairperson for the past year of the USL Impact Committee as the league has endeavored to deliver initiatives that can drive social change in its communities.

Union Omaha president Martie Cordaro received the Leadership award for USL League One as Los Buhos recorded a remarkable second season. The club led the league in attendance and welcome a League One final record crowd as Omaha took its first league title. Forward Madison FC led all clubs with four awards, including both the league’s Marketing and Community Relations award as their excellent work in the Madison region continued.

The Starting XI Awards will be given annually, and no club can be honored in the same category in consecutive years.

 

 

USL Championship Starting XI Awards
Leadership: Brad Estes, Louisville City FC
Business Excellence: Mitch Ried, Louisville City FC
Operations: Jose Lizardo & Emma Boyle, San Antonio FC
Ticketing: Dave Walkovic, Louisville City FC
Corporate Sales: Pat Denbow, Louisville City FC
Marketing: Josh Mason, Indy Eleven
Public Relations & Broadcast: Jonathan Lintner, Louisville City FC
Community Relations: Chanel Wiese, New Mexico United
Digital: Jonathan Lintner, Louisville City FC
Consumer Products: Katie Stephenson, Louisville City FC
Human Resources: Erin Wilkins, Louisville City FC

USL League One Starting XI Awards
Leadership: Martie Cordaro, Union Omaha
Business Excellence: Chris Baretta, Greenville Triumph SC
Operations: Marcus Siler & Trey Kolak, Greenville Triumph SC
Ticketing: Stacey Wise, Greenville Triumph SC
Corporate Sales: Ryan Mooney, Forward Madison FC
Marketing: Forward Madison FC
Public Relations & Broadcast: Nathan Heintschel, Richmond Kickers
Community Relations: Forward Madison FC
Digital: Justin Rolfes, Union Omaha
Consumer Products: Chase Eagan, Forward Madison FC
Human Resources: Laura Nagore, FC Tucson

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.