Lehigh Valley United

Lehigh Valley United

Full name	Lehigh Valley United Sonic
Nickname(s)	Sonic
Founded	2009 (2009)
Stadium	Whitehall High School Sports Complex Whitehall, Pennsylvania
Ground Capacity	1,500
Owner	Soccer Association of the Lehigh Valley (SALV)
President	Matt McTish
Head Coach	Dave Weitzman
League	Premier Development League
2017	6th, Mid Atlantic Playoffs: DNQ
Website	Club website
Home colors Away colors

Lehigh Valley United (also referred to as LVU) is an American soccer team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2009, the team plays in the Premier Development League, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.

The team plays its home games at the Whitehall High School Sports Complex in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. The team's colors are pale blue and white.

History

Lehigh Valley United was founded in 2009 by the non-profit organization Soccer Association of the Lehigh Valley (SALV) to field a top-level team in the National Premier Soccer League, considered the fourth division of the American soccer pyramid and roughly equal to the USL Premier Development League, while also supporting youth development and coaching.^[1]

The team originally took its name from its youth club affiliate, FC Lehigh Valley United, and adopted "Sonic" from a corporate partnership with American restaurant chain, Sonic Drive-In, in a deal that lasted three seasons. This was also reflected in the club's logo, which was changed following the conclusion of the deal in 2012. The team shares its history and many former players with the successful Pennsylvania Stoners team, which won the NPSL Championship in 2008 but left the league at the end of the 2009 season.^[2]

The Sonic had a successful first season, finishing first in Northeast Division/Keystone Conference and making it to the national semi-finals in the playoffs. Following a second place divisional finish in 2011, the club returned to first place in 2012 and defeated Chattanooga FC 1-0 in the National Championship game on July 29, 2012, winning their first league title. Since 2010, Sonic has posted a remarkable league and playoff record of 46 Wins, 4 draws, and 7 Losses. In 2013, Sonic represented the NPSL in US Soccer's Inaugural Amateur National Championship. After beating the Croatian Eagles (WI) in the national semi-final (1-0) Sonic then played the Carolina Dynamo (PDL) in the final losing 3-1 in penalty kicks (1-1 regulation)^[3]

FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic joined the USL PDL on November 18, 2014. ^[4]

Original FC Sonic logo 2009-2012

Players and staff

2010 Roster

Source:

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

No. Position Player MF James Graf Cody Antonini MF Hunter Norton GK Charlie Sales DF Pat LeTourneau DF Jordie Ciuffetelli Joe Sales Tom Mustac Tucker Sandercock MF Ali Famili Brian Suchoski MF Matt Baker MF Andy Adlard DF Ryan Jones DF Reed Norton

No. Position Player DF Josh Brown DF Brandon Turner DF Kevin Strunk Jeff Reinhart MF Daniel Odenwelder MF Schuylar Rimmele Luis Devia GK Nate McDonald

Head coaches

• Dave Weitzman (2009–present: 2009 PA Stoners)

Year-by-year

Honors

Domestic

• National Premier Soccer League
  • National Champions (1): 2012 (Also, 2008 Champions as PA Stoners)
• Keystone Division Titles (NPSL):
  • Winners (2): 2010, 2012,
• Northeast Conference Champions (3):
  • 2010, 2012, 2013

Stadium

• Ulrich Sports Complex at Lehigh University; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (2010–2012)
• Whitehall High School Sports Complex; Whitehall, Pennsylvania (2013–present)

References