The Austin Aztex were a
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
team based in
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
, United States. Founded in 2011 as a member of the
Premier Development League
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental association football, soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United Stat ...
, the team played the 2015 season in the
United Soccer League
United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a Association football, soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues curren ...
, the second tier of the
United States soccer pyramid
The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of prom ...
. This was the second team to carry the name Austin Aztex;
the first were founded in 2008 and relocated to
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
in 2010, with that ownership group eventually being awarded an
MLS franchise of the same name in that city.
The 'new' Aztex played their home games at the 6,500-seat
House Park
House Park is a 6,000-6,500 seat American football stadium in Austin, Texas, owned and operated by the Austin Independent School District. Unlike many school districts in Texas, AISD uses multiple shared stadiums including House Park for use in at ...
just west of the downtown Austin core, until that stadium was severely damaged by the
2015 Memorial Day floods; for the remainder of that season, they played at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex.
On October 2, 2015, the Aztex announced that, due to the fact that neither House Park nor Kelly Reeves met league stadium standards, and to difficulty in procuring a stadium that meets those standards, the team would be on hiatus during the 2016 USL season. The Aztex planned to resume competition in 2018 after the stadium issue was resolved but in the event, did not return to the USL.
USL Championship
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...
soccer returned to Austin with the newly formed
Austin Bold FC
Austin Bold FC was an American professional soccer team located in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2017, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. In 2021, Austin Bold FC announced it would be moving to Fort Worth, Texas leaving Circ ...
beginning play in 2019 at their own stadium at the
Circuit of the Americas
Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a Grade 1 FIA-specification motor racing track and facilities located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Austin, Texas, in the United States. The facility is home to the Formula One United States G ...
. A Major League Soccer franchise was awarded to
Precourt Sports Ventures, former owners of
Columbus Crew SC
The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
, to begin play in 2021 as
Austin FC
Austin FC is an American professional soccer club based in Austin, Texas. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 2018, the club began play in the 2021 season. Their home stadium is Q2 ...
.
History
Rebirth of the Aztex
The latest incarnation of the Austin Aztex was founded by David Markley, who was a minority owner of the
original Aztex. The previous team's majority owners moved the organization to
Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
at the end of the
2010 season and renamed the team
Orlando City SC.
In September 2011, Markley announced plans to create a new Austin Aztex team which would compete in the
Premier Development League
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental association football, soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United Stat ...
beginning in the
2012 season. The new Aztex played their first game on May 5, 2012 at
Woodforest Bank Stadium
The Woodforest Bank Stadium is an outdoor Football stadium and natatorium located in Shenandoah, Texas. The stadium is the home to the Oak Ridge High School War Eagles, Grand Oaks High School Grizzlies, The Woodlands High School Highlanders, and ...
, home of the
Texas Dutch Lions, and defeated the hosts 4–0. The first Aztex goal was scored by midfielder
Tony Rocha
Antonio "Tony" Rocha (born 21 August 1993) is a professional footballer who currently plays for Orange County SC in the USL Championship. Born in the United States, he represents the Belize national football team.
Career College
Rocha played co ...
on a free kick in the 6th minute of play. The Aztex's first home game was played on May 19, 2012 against the
El Paso Patriots before a crowd of 2,507. The Aztex rose to the occasion with a 6–1 win, with
Kris Tyrpak
Kristopher Evan Tyrpak (born March 19, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward.
Career Early career
Raised in Dripping Springs, Texas, Tyrpak started his youth career with the Austin Capitals Soccer Club and Lone ...
providing three of the Aztex's six goals.
![First Austin Aztex home game](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/First_Austin_Aztex_home_game.jpg)
The reborn Aztex finished their first season with 9 wins, 5 losses, and 2 draws. They won their first playoff game against the
Ocala Stampede
Ocala Stampede was an American soccer club based in Ocala, Florida that played in the Premier Development League, the fourth division of the American soccer pyramid.
History
Ocala Stampede was granted a franchise in the PDL on December 28, 20 ...
but fell to
Orlando City U-23
Orlando City U-23 was an American soccer team based in Lake Mary, Florida, United States. Founded in 1998, the team played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southeast Division of the So ...
's in the Southern Conference final.
In preparation for the move to
USL Pro
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, pl ...
, the Aztex introduced a new logo and affiliated with the
Columbus Crew SC
The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
, an
MLS
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
club which had also recently undergone a logo change.
Colors and badge
The Aztex kits were dark blue with gold numbers and gold trim. Their alternate kits were white with gold trim and numbering. Kits were provided by
Admiral Sportswear
Admiral is one of the oldest English sportswear brands, with a manufacturing emphasis on clothing for association football. Founded in 1914 in Leicester, Admiral was originally an undergarment brand but switched to the manufacture of apparel for ...
. Emergo Group, an international regulatory consulting firm headquartered in Austin, served as the team's jersey sponsor from 2012 through 2014.
The Aztex badge was blue and gold with a
Texas lone star, a
soccer ball
A football (also known as football ball, soccer ball, or association football ball specifically in the United Kingdom) is the ball used in the sport of association football. The name of the ball varies according to whether the sport is called " ...
, and the word "AzTeX" with an enlarged A, T, and X. "
ATX
ATX (Advanced Technology eXtended) is a motherboard and power supply configuration specification developed by Intel in 1995 to improve on previous de facto standards like the AT design. It was the first major change in desktop computer enclo ...
" is shorthand for Austin, Texas.
Year-by-year
Honors
USL PDL
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...
* USL PDL Champions:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
* Southern Conference Champions:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
* Mid-South Division Champions:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
,
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
Head coaches
*
Paul Dalglish
Paul Kenneth Dalglish (born 18 February 1977) is a Scottish former professional footballer.
Playing career
Dalglish, son of former Scotland international Kenny Dalglish, was born in Glasgow though spent his childhood in the city where his fa ...
(2012–2014)
* Manuel Buentello (2014)
*
Paul Dalglish
Paul Kenneth Dalglish (born 18 February 1977) is a Scottish former professional footballer.
Playing career
Dalglish, son of former Scotland international Kenny Dalglish, was born in Glasgow though spent his childhood in the city where his fa ...
(2014–2015)
See also
*
Austin Lightning
*
Austin Aztex FC
Austin Aztex FC was an American professional soccer team based in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team played in the USL First Division, and in the USL Division of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer ...
*
Austin Aztex U23
Austin Aztex U23 was an American soccer team based in Round Rock, Texas, United States. Founded in 2007, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, after which the fra ...
References
External links
Austin AztexOfficial Website
Eberly's Armynbsp;– the
supporters group for Austin Aztex.
{{Texas sports
USL League Two teams
Association football clubs established in 2011
2011 establishments in Texas
Former USL Championship teams
Association football clubs disestablished in 2017
Sports in Austin, Texas
Soccer clubs in Texas