Milwaukee Rampage

Milwaukee Rampage

Full name	Milwaukee Rampage
Nickname(s)	Rampage
Founded	1993
Dissolved	2002 (as a professional franchise)
Stadium	Uihlein Soccer Park Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Ground Capacity	7,000
League	A-League

The Milwaukee Rampage is a defunct American soccer franchise, which played in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the A-League.

History

Founded in 1993, the Rampage played its first game on June 24, 1993 against Siarka Tarnobrzeg. Head coach Boro Sucevic fielded a team which included Kris Kelderman, Joey Kirk and Steve Provan. The Rampage played another six exhibition games that summer.^[1] The team entered the 1994 United States Interregional Soccer League where it fell to the Minnesota Thunder in the Midwest Division final. This set up a rivalry between the two teams which continued until the Rampage's demise in 2002. In 1995, the USISL split into an upper and lower league. The Rampage joined the higher, professional league. That year, Milwaukee again fell to the Thunder in the Midwest Division final. In 1996, the USISL added a third league, the 1996 USISL Select League. The Rampage again fell to the Thunder, this time in the first round of the playoffs. In 1996, the Select League, along with the competing A-League, both received Division 2 status from FIFA. This led to a merger between the two leagues to form the 1997 A-League under the umbrella of the USISL. Milwaukee joined this combined league. This time the Thunder did not stand in its way as the Rampage went to the league championship, defeating the Carolina Dynamo in penalty kicks. The team won the championship once more, in 2002. The Rampage folded in 2002 because of financial problems. Upon their collapse, the Rampage were replaced in the A-league by the Milwaukee Wave United. The Milwaukee Rampage still exists as an amateur soccer club in Milwaukee.^[2]

Working various pressbox duties throughout the Rampage's nine years (including operating the scoreboard, working the sound system and as back-up to the public address announcer) was Michael James.^{[citation needed]}

General Managers

• Pat Clemens - 1994
• Jim Harwood - 1994-2002

Coaches

• Boro Sucevic (1993-1994, 2000–2002)
• Carlos Cordoba (1995, 1999)
• Bob Gansler (1996–1998)

Notable players

• Jon Szczepanski. Captain
• Brian McBride
• Tony Sanneh
• Digital Takawira
• John Wolyniec
• Todd Dusosky
• Carmine Isacco
• Ranko Golijanin
• Dan Popik
• Jason Russell
• David Marshall Jr.

Year-by-year

References