The Long Island Rough Riders are an American

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

South Huntington, New York South Huntington is an affluent hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) within the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 9,422 at the 2010 census. Residents have a Huntington Stat ...

, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in

USL League Two 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 ...

, the fourth tier of the

American 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 ...

. The team plays its home games at

Hofstra University Soccer Stadium Hofstra University Soccer Stadium, is a 1,600 seat soccer-specific stadium on the campus of Hofstra University in Town of Hempstead, New York, Hempstead, New York. It is part of the Hofstra University sports complex. First opened in 2003, it is t ...

. The team's colors are white and blue. The club also has a women's team, also called the

Long Island Rough Riders The Long Island Rough Riders are an American soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Hofst ...

, who play in

USL W League The USL W League (USLW) is a pre-professional women's soccer league in the United States which began play in May 2022. It was announced on June 8, 2021 by the United Soccer League with eight founding clubs. It follows the USL W-League, a simi ...

History

Early years in the USISL

The Rough Riders played their first season in 1994, fielding a team in the

USISL United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...

that featured future US national team player

Chris Armas Christopher Armas (born August 27, 1972) is an American professional soccer coach and former player. He is currently sharing interim head coach duties at Leeds United with Michael Skubala and Paco Gallardo after the sacking of Jesse Marsch. ...

, who would lead the team in scoring with eight goals and four assists. Long Island (13–5) won the Northeast Division, finishing seven points ahead of

North Jersey Dragons North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

. The Rough Riders were placed in the "Raleigh Group" of the USISL 'Sizzling Nine' Championships, and qualified along with the

Minnesota Thunder Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division (USL-1), the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its hom ...

to face

Greensboro Dynamo North Carolina Fusion U-23, formerly known as Carolina Dynamo, is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. Th ...

in the national semifinal; they lost the game 2–1 in overtime as Greensboro went on to take the title. For their second season in 1995, the Rough Riders added several more players who would go on to excel in

Major League Soccer 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 ...

, including US national team goalkeeper

Tony Meola Antonio Michael "Tony" Meola (; ; born February 21, 1969) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. He represented the United States national team at the 1990, 1994, and 2002 World Cups. From 1996 to 2006, he ...

, Jim Rooney, and

Giovanni Savarese Giovanni Savarese (born July 14, 1971) is a Venezuelan football manager and former player, who is the head coach for the Portland Timbers. Club career Professional Breakthrough Savarese made his professional debut at 15, with Venezuelan cl ...

, who would be named the USISL regular season and playoff MVP, and who scored 23 goals during the campaign. The Rough Riders finished the season with a 19–1 record, top of the Coastal Conference for a second year running, and received a bye to the 'Sizzling Nine' Championship tournament. Wins over the

Monterey Bay Jaguars California Jaguars were an American soccer team that played in Salinas, California at the Salinas Sports Complex. They joined the USISL in 1995 as the Monterey Bay Jaguars, but changed the name a year later. They played in the A-League in 1997 ...

and the

New Mexico Chiles The New Mexico Chiles were an American soccer club established in 1990 which competed in the American Professional Soccer League. In 1991, the team merged with the New Mexico Roadrunners and moved to the USISL until its disestablishment in 1996. ...

in group play took them to the national semifinal for a second time. Unlike the year prior, the Rough Riders won their semi 5–2 against the

Tampa Bay Cyclones Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough Coun ...

, and then beat

2–1 to win the USISL Championship. The Rough Riders lost several players to the nascent MLS in 1996, including Meola and Savarese, but went on to have a successful season nevertheless, finishing with an 11–7 record and winning the North Atlantic Division. They beat

Delaware Wizards The Delaware Wizards were a professional soccer club based in Wilmington and New Castle, Delaware. The team played their first game in 1993 and their last in 2000. They played in the USISL. They were considered DC United's farm team but ended ...

2–0 in the second round of the playoffs, and qualified from a 'Select Six' tournament group, but lost 1–0 to the

Richmond Kickers Richmond Kickers is an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia. The Kickers compete as a member of USL League One (USL-1). The club was established in 1993, and began play that same year as a United States Interregional S ...

in the playoff semifinals.

Promotion to the A-League

With the merger of the USISL and the

American Professional Soccer League The American Professional Soccer League (APSL) was a professional men's soccer league with teams from the United States and later Canada. It was formed in 1990 by the merger of the third American Soccer League with the Western Soccer League. It ...

in 1997, the Rough Riders decided to move up, and began their first season in the

A-League A-League Men (known as the Isuzu UTE A-League for sponsorship reasons) is the highest-level professional men's soccer league in Australia and New Zealand. At the top of the Australian league system, it is the country's premier men's competiti ...

in that year. They finished the regular season third in the Northeast Division behind Montreal Impact with a 13–10–5 record. Long Island beat

Rochester Raging Rhinos Rochester New York FC, formerly known as the Rochester Rhinos, are an American professional soccer team based in Rochester, New York, United States. Founded in 1996, as the Rochester Raging Rhinos, they changed their name to Rochester Rhinos to ...

and the Impact in the playoffs, before losing the

Carolina Dynamo North Carolina Fusion U-23, formerly known as Carolina Dynamo, is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The ...

in the semifinals. The Rough Riders also enjoyed a run to the quarterfinals of the

US Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in men's Soccer in the United States, soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing nati ...

, beating

USASA The United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) is a national organization for amateur soccer in the United States. It consists of 55 state organizations as well as national, regional and state leagues. The National Premier Soccer League, NI ...

amateur team Bridgeport Italians in the second round, then upsetting

side

New England Revolution The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), in the Eastern Conference of the league. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having compet ...

4–3 before eventually falling to the

New York/New Jersey MetroStars New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

1–0 on a

golden goal The golden goal or golden point is a rule used in association football, lacrosse, field hockey, and ice hockey to decide the winner of a match (typically a knock-out match) in which scores are equal at the end of normal time. It is a type of sud ...

. Defender

Travis Rinker Travis Rinker (born May 4, 1968, in Huntington, New York) is an American retired professional soccer player. Playing career Rinker was named USISL United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league ...

made the All A-League Team that year. The Rough Riders finished fourth in the Northeast Division in 1998, and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the

Kickers Kickers is a youth brand created in 1970 in France that produces a wide range of footwear and clothing. Kickers was bought in 2007 by the Royer group. Kickers are primarily popular amongst British school children, with Kickers 'Lo' style shoe ...

. The following season was a similar story as the team finished third in the regular season, and were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the Pittsburgh Riverdogs. Strikers

John Wolyniec John Wolyniec (born January 24, 1977) is an American professional soccer coach and former player. During his playing days, Wolyniec played for Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls three separate times: In 1999 as the MetroStars, from 2 ...

and

Darko Kolic Darko is a common Slavic given name, and an Akan family name. People: * Darko (given name) * Darko (surname) Places: * Velké Dářko, a pond in the Czech Republic Movies: * ''Donnie Darko ''Donnie Darko'' is a 2001 American science fiction ...

were much more prolific, scoring 15 and seven goals, respectively. Fortunes improved significantly in 2000, as the Rough Riders claimed their first regular-season title at this level, winning the Northeast Division by one point over the

with a 16–9–4 record. Striker

Edson Buddle Edson Michael Buddle (born May 21, 1981) is an American retired Footballer who is currently the head coach of USL League Two side Westchester Flames. He is one of only 11 players to have scored 100 goals in Major League Soccer history. Buddle ...

scored 11 of the team's 54 goals, and goalkeeper

Paul Grafer Paul Grafer (born August 7, 1974) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who spent six seasons in Major League Soccer with the Colorado Rapids and MetroStars. He was the goalkeeper coach for the United States U-17 men's national soccer team b ...

posting a 1.29 goals against average. Their title came thanks to nine bonus points earned for scoring three or more goals in a game. However, for a third straight season, playoff success eluded the Rough Riders, who lost 2–1 to the

Toronto Lynx Toronto Lynx was a Canadian soccer team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1997, the team last played in the 2014 season of the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Great Lakes D ...

in the conference quarterfinals. The high of the first year of the new millennium was followed by a disappointing low in 2001 as the Rough Riders slumped to their first losing record in years (8–16–4), finishing sixth in the Northern Conference – 42 points behind divisional champions

Hershey Wildcats Hershey Wildcats were a professional soccer team, based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, that played in the USL A-League between 1997 and 2001. The team was owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company. The team played in Hersheypar ...

. Following the campaign, team ownership decided to voluntarily relegate the team to the D3 Pro League for 2002.

Back to the Third Tier – USL Second Division

The Rough Riders bounced back magnificently in 2002, winning the D3-Pro League Atlantic Conference with a 13–6–1 record, six points clear of New York Freedom in second place.

Derrick Etienne Derrick Burckley Etienne Jr. (born 25 November 1996) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Midfielder#Winger, winger for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United FC. Born in the United States, he represents the Haiti ...

and Cordt Weinstein combined for 27 goals, while goalkeeper Billy Gatti maintained an imposing presence in net. Long Island squeaked past New York on penalty kicks after a 2–2 tie in the playoff quarterfinals, and enjoyed a dominant 3–0 win over the

Connecticut Wolves The Connecticut Wolves were an American soccer club that was founded by the Clifton Onolfo, the Onolfo Family, and several investors including Tony DiCicco. The Club's inaugural match was attended by 5,200 plus fans and competed in the United Socc ...

in the semifinal to reach the championship game. The final against Southern Conference champions

Wilmington Hammerheads Wilmington Hammerheads FC was a semi-professional American soccer team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Founded in 1996, the team last competed in the Premier Development League, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid in 2017. History ...

was a tight game, but the Rough Riders emerged as 2–1 victors to take their second championship in franchise history. The Rough Riders retained their divisional title in 2003, despite the league being re-aligned and renamed the Pro Select League. Long Island went 13–4–3, 13 points clear of the

New Jersey Stallions The New Jersey Stallions were an American soccer team, founded in 1996, which competed in various divisions of the United Soccer Leagues until 2004, after which the team left the league and the franchise was terminated. The club originally star ...

, their closest rival, and with Etienne again scoring 10 goals. The Rough Riders enjoyed some impressive victories in the regular season campaign, including a 3–0 victory on the road in May over

Westchester Flames Westchester Flames is an American soccer team based in New Rochelle, New York, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. The team plays its home games at City Park Stadium, ...

, a 4–1 road win over Jersey Falcons in early July, and a pair of comprehensive wins over

Reading Rage Reading United AC is an American soccer team based in Reading, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club plays its home games at Don Thomas Stadium on the campus ...

, 5–1 and 4–1. The Rough Riders also made their second trip to the

, but lost 2–1 in the second round to USL-PDL team Mid Michigan Bucks. Despite being favorites to progress through the playoffs, they were upset by the Stallions 5–4 on penalty kicks after a scoreless tie in the playoff regional final. Long Island struggled in 2004, finishing last in the Atlantic Division with an 8–11–1 record. The season was, however, significant because it marked the return of two former Rough Riders – Jim Rooney from the

and

from overseas. Etienne was again Long Island's top scorer with 11 goals. The USL Pro Soccer League became the USL Second Division in 2005, and reverted to a single-table format, consisting of nine teams all based on the East Coast. The season started in up-and-down fashion. An opening day 4–1 win over the

Northern Virginia Royals Northern Virginia FC (formerly Northern Virginia Royals and Evergreen FC) is an American soccer club from Leesburg, Virginia competing in USL League Two, USL W League, Eastern Premier Soccer League and the Major Arena Soccer League 3. The clu ...

was followed by a win over

New Hampshire Phantoms The Seacoast United Phantoms (formerly the New Hampshire Phantoms) are an American soccer team based in the coastal region of southeastern New Hampshire and northeastern Massachusetts. The team is based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where it p ...

, then two losses, two wins and then three losses. The team enjoyed a couple of comprehensive victories, notably a second 4–1 win over

in which

Moussa Sy Moussa Sy (born 12 July 1979 in Conakry) is a Guinean football Striker with the Long Island Rough Riders of the United Soccer League United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a Association football, soccer le ...

scored all four goals, and a 5–2 hammering of

in early July. Their

campaign ended early with a shocking 4–0 defeat to PDL side

Ocean City Barons Ocean City Nor'easters is an American soccer team based in Ocean City, New Jersey. Founded in 1996, the team currently plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays their home games at Carey Stadium whic ...

in the second round. The Rough Riders lost their final five games of the regular season, including a demoralizing 4–1 thrashing at home to

Western Mass Pioneers Western Mass Pioneers is an American soccer team based in Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1998, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Lusitano Stadium, ...

, and finished the season in sixth place with a 7–13–0 record, missing the playoffs for a second straight year. Etienne was Long Island's top scorer again (nine goals), while Wilmer Cabrera contributed five assists. The next season was arguably the worst in team history, with the Rough Riders finishing at the bottom of the table with three wins and fifteen goals scored. The 2006 season was marred by a 13-game winless streak stretching from opening day through mid-July. Losses included: 5–0 to

, 3–0 to

Harrisburg City Islanders Penn FC (formerly the Harrisburg City Islanders) was an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2003, the team most recently played in the USL Pro, the second tier of the United States soccer ...

, and 3–0 to

. Long Island's first victory was a scrappy 1–0 home win against

at home, on an 84th-minute strike from

. The high point was a 3–2 seesaw win over Wilmington in the season finale. Following the campaign, the team chose to voluntarily relegate themselves to the USL-PDL for the 2007 season.

USL-PDL

The Rough Riders' first season in PDL began with four straight wins, including a 3–1 road win against the

Brooklyn Knights Brooklyn Knights were an American soccer club based in New York City. Founded in 1999, the Knights currently field youth teams in the United Soccer Leagues Super-20 League and Super Y-League. The team also previously field a team in the USL Pre ...

. Their early season form took them to the

for the fourth time, but they exited the competition at the hands of

USL First Division The USL First Division (usually referred to as USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada from 2005 to 2010. During its existence, it formed the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer league system b ...

stalwarts

. Long Island's home form was their strong point, with five wins and a tie in front of their fans at

Michael Tully Field Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...

. The Rough Riders' first season at this level ended with them fourth in the Northeast Division, nine points behind divisional champs

Cape Cod Crusaders Cape Cod Crusaders were an American soccer team based in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1994, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when ...

, and just out of the playoffs.

Mike Grella Michele Grella (born January 23, 1987) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward and winger, who is currently a soccer analyst for CBS Sports Network and Paramount+. Club career Youth and amateur Grella was born i ...

was top scorer with five goals, while Jose Batista contributed five assists. Long Island was again a playoff contender in 2008. The Rough Riders tied their first game of the season 1–1 before demolishing

Virginia Legacy Legacy is an American soccer team based in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. The team plays in the Mid-Atlantic Conference of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. The team was founded in ...

5–1, with

scoring a hat trick. The team was again successful at home, registering five wins and three ties at

. They won an exciting 4–3 encounter with the

in early June, scored a 90th-minute equalizer through goalkeeper Hasely Holder to tie 3–3 with

Newark Ironbound Express Jersey Express was an American soccer team based in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey, Springfield, New Jersey. Founded in 2007, the team played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, ...

, and flattened New Jersey Rangers 6–0, with Grella and

Anthony Barberio Anthony or Antony is a masculine given name, derived from the ''Antonia (gens), Antonii'', a ''gens'' (Roman naming conventions, Roman family name) to which Mark Antony (''Marcus Antonius'') belonged. According to Plutarch, the Antonii gens were ...

scoring two goals each. The Rough Riders finished the season third in the Northeast Division, two points behind

, and agonizingly out of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

and Michael Todd were the team's leading scorers, each scoring five goals. Todd and

Tadeu Terra Tadeu Souza Terra (born October 30, 1986 in Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian footballer who is currently without a club. Career College and amateur Terra came to the United States from his native Brazil in 2006 after being offered a college soc ...

tallied four assists apiece. In 2009, the Rough Riders (12–2–2) finished in second place in the Northeast Division. Despite failing to qualify for the U.S. Open Cup, they clinched a spot in the divisional playoffs. The Rough Riders lost 2–0 to the

. The Rough Riders ended the 2010 season in fourth place in the Mid Atlantic Division with an 8–4–3 record. They made their fifth U.S. Open Cup appearance and advanced to the second round for the first time since 1997 when they defeated the

. They opened up the first round against the

New York Pancyprian-Freedoms New York Pancyprian-Freedoms is an American amateur soccer team based in Astoria, New York, United States. Founded in 1974, the team plays in the Eastern Premier Soccer League, a league at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The tea ...

. Long Island took the lead in the first half as Danny Kramer scored off a cross from Ben Arikian. In the second half, the Rough Riders added another goal as Alex Grendi took a shot off a cross from Kramer and it found the back of the net. The Rough Riders were defeated by the

in the second round. In December, the team was invited by the

Bermuda Football Association The Bermuda Football Association, founded in 1928, is the official football organization in Bermuda and is in charge of the Bermudian national team. The league is also in charge of the sporting leagues on the island. Association staff Leagu ...

to participate in its BFA Christmas 2010 tour, a holiday tournament for local and international clubs. The Rough Riders played against Bermuda's Under-20 World Cup National Team, The Dandy Town Hornets, and Bermuda's Premier Division League Champions. Long Island (12–1–3) finished atop of the Eastern Conference Mid Atlantic Division in 2011 which solidified a spot in the postseason. In their first playoff appearance in two years, the Rough Riders defeated the

3–2 as Dominick Sarlee netted a hat trick in the USL Premier Developmental League's Eastern Conference Championships. The Rough Riders' postseason continued as they advanced to the PDL Eastern Conference Championship against Mid Atlantic Division rivals

Jersey Express The Jersey Express is a team in the American Basketball Association based in Paterson, New Jersey. The team was formed in 2005 as the Newark Express. Marsha Blount is the owner of the team. Inaugural season (2005–06) The Express ended the re ...

. Midfielder

Stephan Barea Stephan Barea (born May 22, 1991) is a soccer player who plays for Greek American AA, as a midfielder. Born in the United States, he represented Puerto Rico at international level. Career Barea played college soccer for Hofstra Pride, as well as ...

's winner in the 84th minute propelled the Rough Riders to the PDL Championship semifinal against the

Laredo Heat Laredo Heat is an American soccer team based in Laredo, Texas, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They were members of the USL Premier Devel ...

, where they'd lose 4–1. In 2012, the Rough Riders welcomed back captain Danny Kramer and former MLS player, Gary Flood. The team finished in fifth place with a record of 6–7–3. The Rough Riders lost 2–0 to second round to

in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup. Long Island went 7–5–2 in 2013, finishing in third place in the division, failing to qualify for the postseason and U.S. Open Cup. Former Rough Riders player James Nealis was chosen in the 37th round in the MLS Draft by the

Houston Dynamo Houston Dynamo FC (formerly officially, but still commonly, called the Houston Dynamo) is an American professional soccer club based in Houston. The Dynamo compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Establi ...

. The Rough Riders concluded the 2014 season with an 8–4–2 record. They finished in third place of the Mid Atlantic Division and were four points shy from solidifying a spot in the playoffs. In 2015, the Rough Riders finished in second place in the Mid Atlantic Division at 9–4–1, advancing to the PDL playoffs for the first time since 2011. The semifinal match against the

remained scoreless until the 48th minute when Kramer's shot from inside the penalty box put the Rough Riders ahead. A minute later, the Express got on the scoreboard with the equalizer. The Express took the lead in the 52nd minute and provided another goal in the 76th minute en route to a 3–1 comeback win. Former Rough Riders player

Tim Parker Timothy Charles Parker (born 19 June 1955) is a British executive. As of 2020 he was the chairman of the National Trust, Post Office Ltd, and Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). He was replaced in February 2022 as chairman of th ...

made his

playoff debut for the

Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Vancouver. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The MLS iteration of the club was established on March ...

against the

Portland Timbers The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...

in early November. Parker also earned his first call-up to the United States National Team training camp in January that included international friendlies versus Canada and Iceland. The Rough Riders finish third in the Northeast Division with a record of 6–5–3 the next season. In 2017, the Rough Rider
went 10–2–5
en route to the PDL Eastern Conference Final. Long Island, which finished runner-up in the Northeast Division, defeated Mid-Atlantic winners New York Red Bulls U-23 in an Eastern Conference play-in game. The Rough Riders beat the Myrtle Beach Mutiny, winners of the South Division, in the conference semifinals, before losing to eventual PDL champion Charlotte on penalty kicks in the Eastern Conference Final. Former Rough Riders midfielder Stephen Roche wa
named head coach on February 13, 2018
He guided Long Island to
10–5–1 overall record
and 9–4–1 record in the PDL, finishing in third place. The offseason was highlighted by midfielde
Danny Bedoya signing with New York City FC
Rough Riders' parent club, on August 9.

MLS Affiliation

On April 21, 2016,

New York City FC New York City Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in New York City that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of American soccer, as a member of the league's Eastern Conference. The club is co-owned ...

announced the Long Island Rough Riders would be their official Premier Development League affiliate beginning with the 2016 season.

Proposed USLD3 Expansion

The Long Island Rough Riders proposed an artificial turf soccer stadium on the campus of Suffolk County Community College Grant Campus in Brentwood, New York, Brentwood. In an attempt to bring in a professional soccer team that would compete in the USL League One.

Players

Roster

Notable former players

''This list comprises notable former players of the men's Long Island Rough Riders''

Year-by-year

Honors

* USISL Northeast Conference Champions 1994 * USISL Pro League Coastal Conference Champions 1995 * USISL Pro League Champions 1995 * USISL Select League North Atlantic Conference Champions 1996 * USL A-League Northeast Conference Champions 2000 * USL D3-Pro League Atlantic Conference Champions 2002 * USL D3-Pro League Champions 2002 * USL Pro Select League Atlantic Conference Champions 2003 * USL PDL Mid Atlantic Division Champions 2011 * USL PDL Eastern Conference Champions 2011 * USL League Two Metropolitan Division Champions 2021 * USL League Two Eastern Conference Champions 2022 * USL League Two Runners Up 2022

Staff

Stadium

* Mitchel Athletic Complex; Uniondale, New York, 1 game (2021) Full Time (2003–2006) (2022–present) * Motamed Field at Adelphi University; Garden City, New York, 4 games (2021) *

(2018–2020) 2 games (2021) * Cy Donnelly Stadium at St. Anthony's High School (New York), St. Anthony's High School;

(2009–17) * Stadium at MacArthur High School (Levittown, New York), MacArthur High School; Levittown, New York, 2 games (2010–11) 1 game (2016) *

; New Hyde Park, New York (2007–08) 1 game (2018) * Belson Stadium; Jamaica, New York, 1 game (2007) * Stadium at Stony Brook University; Stony Brook, New York, 4 games (2005–06) * Citibank Park; Central Islip, New York, 2 games (2003)

Average attendance

Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at https://web.archive.org/web/20100105175057/http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.%7B%7BOriginal * 2007: 558 * 2008: 628 * 2009: 510 * 2010: 423 * 2011: 453 * 2012: 400 * 2013: 468 * 2014: 525 * 2015: 515

References

External links

Official Site
{{The City Football Group Association football clubs established in 1994 USL League Two teams Sports in Long Island Men's soccer clubs in New York (state) USISL teams Former USL Second Division teams A-League (1995–2004) teams 1994 establishments in New York (state)