Ocean City Nor'easters
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Ocean City Nor'easters is an American soccer team based in
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...
. Founded in 1996, the team currently 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 syst ...
, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays their home games at Carey Stadium which is located right next to the boardwalk in
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...
. The stadium's nickname "The Beach House" was coined during the 2005 season by the team's play-by-play announcer Josh Hakala. The team's colors are royal blue and orange. They are among the most successful
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 syst ...
teams since joining the league in 2003 after six seasons in the
USISL D-3 Pro League 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 ...
. Since 2003, they have the fifth-best regular season record and the fourth-best home record in the league.Nor'easter All Time Results
/ref> They are also one of the best amateur clubs in the country when it comes to the U.S. Open Cup. As a
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 syst ...
team, they have won 11 games (12 of them as a franchise) with six of them coming against professional opponents. Only two Open Division amateur teams
Flint City Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mid-Michigan Bucks, pla ...
with 10 and
Des Moines Menace Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The Menace have had sustained success in USL League Two dur ...
with 7) have more pro team upsets in the tournament's Modern Era (1995–present). In 2008, the Barons formed a partnership with
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling ...
of the English Football League Championship that has since ended. In 2010, following a split between the PDL team and their youth soccer affiliate, the team re-branded to Ocean City FC, adopted Reading's colors, and a similar badge. The team also adopted a new nickname: the
Nor'easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below), or an East Coast low is a synoptic-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. The original use ...
s. Since the re-brand the team has won two Eastern Conference championships (2013, 2016)


History


South Jersey Barons, D-3 Pro League (1996–2002)

The club was founded in 1996 as the South Jersey Barons and joined the
United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues 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 ...
(USISL) as a professional franchise, competing in the
USISL D-3 Pro League 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 ...
(now the
United Soccer League 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 ...
). In 1998, in only their second year in existence, the Barons won the Mid-Atlantic Division title. The next year, they followed that up with a second straight playoff appearance and a run to the USISL D-3 national championship game. On September 11, 1999, the Barons, playing the title game on the road, lost 2–1 to the
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 ...
. The Barons made a third straight playoff appearance in 2000, but would struggle for the next three years, never finishing above fourth place in the division.


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 syst ...
(2003 – Present)

In 2003, the Barons moved to the
USL Premier Development League 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 syst ...
, and after finishing in fourth place in their inaugural season, they made history in their second season in the PDL. In 2004, they became the fifth team in league history to go through the regular season with an unbeaten record (14–0–4). They won the Northeast Division title that year, but their season came to the end in the playoffs. In the conference championship game at
McPherson Stadium McPherson Stadium is a sport stadium in McPherson, Kansas. The facility is primarily used by the McPherson College Bulldogs football, soccer, and track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on runn ...
in
Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
, they lost to 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. Th ...
3–2 on a goal in the 90th minute. In 2005, the South Jersey Barons were taken over by local businessmen Russ McPaul and Giancarlo Granese. Their first act as new owners was to move the Barons to
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...
, and rename the team the Ocean City Barons. The club moved into its new home at Carey Stadium on 6th street and the Boardwalk. In their first full season at Carey Stadium in the
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 syst ...
, the club won every game in the regular season at home (8–0–0), and finished with a 12–3–1 overall record under the direction of player-coach-general manager Neil Holloway. By the end of the regular season, their home unbeaten streak had reached 22 games, with their last home loss coming back on June 7, 2003, against the
Vermont Voltage Vermont Voltage was an American soccer team based in St. Albans, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1997, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of th ...
. The fans came out to see the Barons win that year, as the club finished with the sixth-best home attendance in the
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 syst ...
. They hosted the Eastern Conference playoffs, but were upset in the conference semifinals by the
Richmond Kickers Future Richmond Kickers Future was an American soccer team based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 2002 as part of the development system of the Richmond Kickers USL Second Division franchise, the team played in the USL Premier Develop ...
4–3 on a goal in the final seconds of regulation by Richmond's Dominic Oduro. 2006 marked the 10th season for the Barons organization, but on the field, despite finishing with a winning record, it was considered a down year by club standards. The Barons finished with a 6–4–6 record, which was good enough for second place in the Northeast Division, and they missed the playoffs for the first time since moving to the PDL. The Barons’ home unbeaten streak came to an end on July 16 when they lost 2–1 to the Ottawa Fury. The streak, which still stands as a club record, ended at 28 games. Since 2003, no
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 syst ...
team has achieved a longer home unbeaten streak. In 2007, long-time
Ocean City High School Ocean City High School (OCHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Ocean City, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Ocean C ...
head coach
Mike Pellegrino Mike Pellegrino is a former professional lacrosse player and American football coach who is the cornerbacks coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Coaching career New England Patriots Pellegrino joined the Patr ...
took over the coaching duties and returned the Barons to the playoffs. Their 9–3–4 record earned them a second-place finish in the Mid-Atlantic Division. Their home record continued with a 6–1–1 mark and the Barons were selected by the league to host the Eastern Conference playoffs for the second time in three years. The club lost in the conference semifinals to the
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 ...
5–0 after they had two players sent off in the opening 24 minutes of the match. The 2008 campaign was a tale of two halves as the club suffered its worst season since joining the
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 syst ...
. Despite this, they still had a winning record with 6 wins, 5 losses and 5 draws. In the first half of the season, the Barons were unbeaten, with a record of 4–0–4, but the second half of the season was a different story, finishing with a 2–5–1 record. Some of the highlights included Byron Carmichael becoming the club's all-time leader in goals and points, while finishing the season with an even 100 career points. Ocean City's 8–1 win over the expansion New Jersey Rangers was a historic one as Steve Miller scored the club's third hat trick in franchise history and it was the most goals scored in a game and the largest margin of victory that the club has ever enjoyed as a member of the
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 syst ...
. The Barons bounced back from a disappointing 2008 season with one of the club's greatest campaigns in 2009. In addition to a pair of professional team upsets in the U.S. Open Cup and a date with
D.C. United D.C. United is a professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer, the top tier of American soccer. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...
of Major League Soccer, Ocean City had a great regular season and a historic postseason run. After a 9–4–3 record earned them a third-place finish in the competitive Northeast Division and a spot in the postseason, they made history with two playoff wins before advancing to the PDL quarterfinals. The Barons eliminated the
Long Island Rough Riders The Long Island Rough Riders are an American association football, 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 i ...
, the second best defensive team in the PDL, 2–0 in the opening round, giving OC their first playoff win since 2004. In the next round, the Men In Red handed the undefeated Ottawa Fury their first loss of the season with a 2–1 overtime win on a 98th-minute goal by Tyler Bellamy. The playoff run came to an end in
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, where they lost to the
Chicago Fire Premier Chicago Fire U-23 was an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team last played in the PDL, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They last played in 2016, choosing to leave the PDL. The ...
3–0.


Rebrand as the Nor'easters

The club rebranded itself after the 2009 season, becoming the Ocean City Nor’easters and adopting the color scheme (royal blue & white) of English club
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling ...
. However, in thei
first season with their new identity in 2010
the team struggled, finishing with a 5–6–5 record, their first losing season since they joined the PDL in 2003. By and large, the team featured a very young, inexperienced roster and failed to qualify for the post-season and the
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a knockout cup competition in men's soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in that country. The 2023 U.S. O ...
. The season could have been different with a few different bounces of the ball, as four of the six losses suffered were by one goal. Th
2011 season
was one of high promise that teetered on the edge of success. The Nor’easters finished with a 2–6–8 record knowing that if they had turned the ties into victories then the season would have had a completely different look to it. The young players from the Under-20 Men continue to push into the first team and the Nor’easters Academy is already proving successful with the likes of Mitch Grotti, Jerry Guzzo and Gio Tacconelli all graduating to the PDL first team in 2011. The Ocean City Nor’easters began th

with a change of Head Coach with Neil Holloway concentrating on his general manager duties and Rutgers-Camden coach Tim Oswald joining the team. The Nor’easters put together a strong, deep roster that saw them go on a 13–3–0 regular season record which resulted in them winning the Mid-Atlantic Division and qualifying for the 2013 U.S. Open Cup. The Nor’easters recorded one of their biggest attendances of 1,175 for their final home game as the supporters gave their appreciation for the exciting and successful season. The Nor’easters
2013 season
was arguably their greatest to date. Ocean City finished with an 11-2-1 record (2nd best record in Eastern Conference) and qualified for the playoffs. In the postseason, they won the Eastern Conference championship and advanced to the PDL Semifinals. Earlier in the season, they added to their U.S. Open Cup resume by upsetting the
Pittsburgh Riverhounds Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1999 and beginning play in 1999, the club plays in the Eastern Conference of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American so ...
of the
United Soccer League 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 ...
to earn their fifth win over a pro team. In the following round, they nearly knocked off the Philadelphia Union but the Major League Soccer side scored a game-winning goal in second half stoppage time. After another winning season in 2014 (7-5-2), the Nor'easters lost out on a playoff berth in 2015 on the final day of the campaign. Th
2016 season
the club got back to their winning ways with a roster that was almost unrecognizable from the previous year. A 9-5-0 record was good enough for second place in the Mid-Atlantic Division and a spot in the PDL playoffs. When they got into the postseason, they made the most of it. They defeated three division champions en route to the PDL Semifinals with wins over the GPS Portland Phoenix,
Charlotte Eagles The Charlotte Eagles are an American professional soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at ...
, and their long-time rival Reading United AC in the conference final. They would fall to the Calgary Foothills FC in the Semifinals hosted at Carey Stadium. In 2017, former Ocean City defender John Thompson took over as head coach as Tim Oswald shifted to a front office role as Sporting Director. Despite finishing with a better regular season record (9-4-1) than the previous year's Eastern Conference championship team, the Nor'easters missed out on the PDL playoffs due to a change in the playoff format. In 2018, the division was even more competitive after adding the
Long Island Rough Riders The Long Island Rough Riders are an American association football, 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 i ...
and a second straight nine-win season (9-5-0) wasn't enough to qualify for the postseason, and because the US Soccer Federation reduced the number of Open Division teams that were included in the 2019 tournament, they did not qualify for the U.S. Open Cup. Prior to the 2019 season
John Thompson announced he was stepping down from the role as head coach
Later that offseason, the club announced tha
Tim Oswald would return to the sidelines as head coach with Kevin Nuss returning to the club to replace Oswald as Sporting Director
However, a week before the season
Oswald announced that he would be stepping down as head coach due to a medical concern and Kevin Nuss would take over as head coach
The team finished second in the Mid-Atlantic Division. After the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, play resumed in 2021 under new leadership. Alan McCann, who had won the last two USL2 Coach of the Year awards while in charge of rival Reading United AC, was hired to lead the Nor'easters in the club's 24th seaso

McCann led the Nor'easters back to the playoffs but the Storm ultimately fell short, dropping a narrow 1-0 decision to West Chester United in the Eastern Conference Semifinal

The Nor'easters finished with a 9-2-3 record, the club's best regular season record since 2013. Ocean City finished in second place in the Mid-Atlantic Division for the second year in a row. The Nor'easters did it by making some history along the way on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the 2021 team scored 40 goals, the second most in the league, and the most by an Ocean City team since 2005. The club was led by Simon Becher with 11 goals. Becher, who was named to the All-Conference tea

led the league in game-winning goals and finished tied for third in goals. On the defensive side, it was one of the best back lines in club history, allowing just 12 goals in 14 regular season games with a 0.86 team goals against average. Both were records for a 14-game season. Another defensive accomplishment was eight clean sheets across all competitions, the second-most in club history.


U.S. Open Cup

Adding to their success in the league, the Barons have also qualified for the U.S. Open Cup on five occasions. They made their first appearance in 2002, their final year as a professional franchise. That year, they defeated Vereinigung Erzgebirge of the
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 ...
4–0 in the first round, but were eliminated in the next round 1–0 by the
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, who played in the level above the Barons, in the A-League (now called the
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 ...
). In 2004, the year of their undefeated league season in the PDL, they began the tournament with a 5–0 thrashing of the USASA's Allied SC, and once again met an A-League team in the second round. The Syracuse Salty Dogs were the club, which featured Anthony Maher, the older brother of the Barons’ Matthew Maher. It was only the second time in the Professional Era (1995–present) of the Open Cup that two brothers played against each other in a Cup game. The original match seemed to be heading in the Barons’ direction in the 75th minute with the score tied at 1–1, and the Salty Dogs playing with nine men. Unfortunately for the underdogs, the referee abandoned the match at that point due to lightning and darkness. Six days later, the match was replayed, and despite Neil Holloway giving the Barons a 1–0 lead in the 22nd minute, Syracuse was too strong, knocking the Barons out of the tournament by the score of 4–2. The following year, the Barons made a return to the Cup and made their biggest impression in club history. They began as they had the previous two tournament appearances with a 3–0 shutout win over historic USASA club, New York Greek-American Atlas. The Barons would host their second round match against the
Long Island Rough Riders The Long Island Rough Riders are an American association football, 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 i ...
of the
USL Second Division The USL Second Division (commonly referred to as USL-2) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, operated by United Soccer Leagues (USL). It was at the third tier of soccer in the United States, behind Major League Soccer (t ...
, and they used their home field advantage at Carey Stadium to thrash the Rough Riders 4–0. Ruben Mingo,
Tony Donatelli Anthony "Tony" Donatelli (born June 7, 1984 in Glenside, Pennsylvania) is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Baltimore Blast of the Major Arena Soccer League. Career Youth and College Donatelli played for Hunter Soccer ...
, Chris Williams and Steven Wacker all scored in one of the second round's biggest upsets. In the third round, the Barons were on the short end of a historical Open Cup match in Richmond, Virginia. Again, weather played a role, postponing the original game date, and a week later, the match was delayed by two hours. When the match was finally completed, the Barons had lost to the Richmond Kickers of the
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 ...
, 8–4. The Kickers answered Byron Carmichael’s opening goal, with four straight tallies in the first half. Just before halftime, Carmichael cut the lead to two, and just after the break
Tony Donatelli Anthony "Tony" Donatelli (born June 7, 1984 in Glenside, Pennsylvania) is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Baltimore Blast of the Major Arena Soccer League. Career Youth and College Donatelli played for Hunter Soccer ...
’s goal made it 4–3 in the 54th minute. However, the home side was too strong, and with the Barons pushing for an equalizer, the Kickers opened the floodgates. 12 goals was the most total goals scored in an Open Cup match since professional teams began entering the tournament in 1995. The four goals conceded by the Richmond Kickers was the most they had allowed in their Open Cup history. After missing out on the tournament in 2006, the Barons returned to the Cup in 2007 and began at home with a 1–0 upset over
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of the USL Second Division. They hosted the second round as well and lost 2–1 to the
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 ...
in one of the more exciting matches of the 2007 Open Cup. The Barons had three balls cleared off the line in the second half, but they weren't able to equalize. 2009 was a landmark season for the Barons in the Open Cup as they qualified for the Open Cup for the fourth time in the last six years. But the biggest highlight was the fact that Ocean City faced off with a club from Major League Soccer for the first time in franchise history. The Barons’ run in the tournament began with a shocking 3–0 home upset of
Crystal Palace Baltimore Crystal Palace Baltimore was an American professional soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, US. Founded in 2006, the club was originally named Crystal Palace USA and was affiliated with English side Crystal Palace. The club was a member of t ...
of the USL Second Division. Byron Carmichael was named TheCup.us Player of the Round after scoring a pair of first half goals and
J. T. Noone Joseph "J. T." Noone (born July 17, 1988 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) is an American soccer player currently playing for the Baltimore Blast in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Career College and Amateur Noone attended Central Dauphin High Sc ...
would put the nail in the coffin with a second half goal. The upsets at The Beach House continued in Round 2 when the Barons’ Tunde Ogunbiyi shutout the
Real Maryland Monarchs Real Maryland F.C., commonly known as the Real Maryland Monarchs, was an American soccer team based in Rockville, Maryland, United States. Founded in 2007, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the Amer ...
of the Second Division and Noone converted a penalty kick in the second period of overtime to put the Barons into the third round by a score of 1–0. With the win, Ocean City became only the sixth amateur team in Open Cup history to register back-to-back wins over professional teams. In Round 3, the Barons would put a scare into
D.C. United D.C. United is a professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer, the top tier of American soccer. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...
but would fall 2–0 to the defending Open Cup champs on a wet night at the
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in Germantown, Maryland. As a PDL team in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Ocean City have six wins with five of them being upsets of professional clubs. Only one other PDL team has more wins and upsets in the tournament (
Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American association football, soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mi ...
with 9.) After not qualifying for the U.S. Open Cup tournament from 2010 to 2012, the Ocean City returned to Cup action in 2013 defeating the New York Red Bull U-23's in the First Round at Carey Stadium 2–0. In the 2013 2nd Round they defeated
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side the
Pittsburgh Riverhounds Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1999 and beginning play in 1999, the club plays in the Eastern Conference of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American so ...
1–0 at Carey Stadium marking the team's fifth win over a professional team. However, they were beaten by the Philadelphia Union of MLS in the next round by the score of 2–1, after the Union scored a goal in second half stoppage time. Ocean City goalkeeper Tunde Ogunbiyi remains the only PDL goalkeeper as well just the third amateur GK to earn a clean sheet against consecutive professional teams in the U.S. Open Cup during the Modern Era. (1995–present) In 2017, the Nor'easters hosted Junior Lone Star FC of the Philadelphia Premier Soccer League in the opening round. After a 3-1 win, they advance to Round 2 where they hosted the
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 ...
in a rematch of the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. After 120 minutes of scoreless soccer, Harrisburg won the penalty kick shootout 6-5. For Ocean City, it was the sixth shutout of a professional team, more than any amateur team in the Modern Era. In 2018, the Nor'easters had to play all of their games on the road, starting with a 3-0 win in
Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti (), commonly shortened to Ypsi, is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, an ...
over NPSL power
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. Next, they traveled to North Carolina to take on the
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of the USL and they won the game 3-1 to earn their sixth win over a professional team in the competition. It was the first time they had upset a professional team away from home and it was the first time they did so while allowing a goal (the previous five were all shutouts). They would return to North Carolina where their US Open Cup run would come to an end with a 4-1 loss to
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of the USL.


U.S. Open Cup Results


Players


Current roster

''As of June 12, 2022.''


Notable former players

''This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.''


Year-by-year


Honors

* 2022 USL League Two Mid-Atlantic Division Champions * 2016 USL PDL Eastern Conference Champions * 2013 USL PDL Eastern Conference Champions * 2013 USL PDL Mid-Atlantic Division Champions * 2012 USL PDL Mid-Atlantic Division Champions * 2004 USL PDL Northeast Division Champions * 1999 USISL D-3 Pro League Regular Season Champions * 1999 USISL D-3 Pro League Northern Division Champions * 1998 USISL D-3 Pro League Mid Atlantic Division Champions


Organizational Awards

* 2008 USL PDL Organization of the Year * 2007 USL PDL Communications Award * 2007 USL PDL Executive of the Year (Neil Holloway) * 2006 USL Hall of Fame Inductee ("10+ club") * 2005 USL Progress Award


Head coaches

* Matt Driver (1997–5/3/2002) Record: 53–38–2 * Sam Maira (5/11/2002–2003) Record: 16–16–3 * Dan Christian (2004) Record: 14–0–4 *
Mike Pellegrino Mike Pellegrino is a former professional lacrosse player and American football coach who is the cornerbacks coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Coaching career New England Patriots Pellegrino joined the Patr ...
(2007–2008) Record: 15–8–9 * Neil Holloway (2005–2006, 2009–2011) Record: 32–17–15 * Tim Oswald (2012–2016) Record: 47-19-6 * John Thompson (2017–2018) Record: 18-9-1 * Kevin Nuss (2019) Record: 6-3-5 * Alan McCann (2021) Record: 9-2-3 * Kevin Nuss (2022) Record: TBD


Stadium

Carey Stadium ("The Beach House") in
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...
has been the primary home for the Ocean City Nor'easters for the majority of the club's history with the exception of the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons. In 2002, the season was split between Carey Stadium and Community Park at Rutgers-Camden University in Newark, NJ. Since 2005, when the club made its permanent home at Carey Stadium, the Nor'easters have had to play eight games at the nearby Tennessee Avenue Soccer Complex in
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...
due to scheduling conflicts and when the turf at Carey Stadium was being replaced. 1997
Carey Stadium;
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...

Eastern Regional High School ; Voorhees, NJ (1 game) 1998
Carey Stadium;
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...

Eastern Regional High School ; Voorhees, NJ (4 games) 1999
Carey Stadium;
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...

Edgewood Regional High School Edgewood Regional High School is the original name of Winslow Township High School that opened in 1958. Though the mailing address of the school was Atco, the site actually resided in the Tansboro section of Winslow Township, in Camden County ...
;
Tansboro, New Jersey Tansboro is an unincorporated community located within Winslow Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States.Locali ...
(3 games)
Carl Lewis Stadium;
Willingboro Township, New Jersey (1 game) 2000
Carey Stadium;
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...

Edgewood Regional High School Edgewood Regional High School is the original name of Winslow Township High School that opened in 1958. Though the mailing address of the school was Atco, the site actually resided in the Tansboro section of Winslow Township, in Camden County ...
;
Tansboro, New Jersey Tansboro is an unincorporated community located within Winslow Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States.Locali ...
(2 games)
Lenape High School Lenape High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Medford Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. It is the oldest of the four high schools that comprise the Lenape Regional High School District, ...
;
Medford, New Jersey Medford is a Township (New Jersey), township in Burlington County, New Jersey, Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the township's population was 24,497, an increase of 1,464 ...
(1 game) 2001
Cherokee High School;
Marlton, New Jersey Marlton is a census-designated place (CDP) located within Evesham Township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

Carey Stadium;
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...
(3 games) 2002
Rutgers-Camden Community Park; Camden, New Jersey (5 games)
Carey Stadium;
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...
(5 games) 2003
Stadium at
Mercer County Community College Mercer County Community College (MCCC) is a public, community college in Mercer County, New Jersey. More than 7,000 students enroll in one or more credit courses each year. Established in 1966, MCCC has an open-door admission policy. The West ...
;
West Windsor, New Jersey West Windsor is a township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. Located within the Raritan Valley region, the township is an outer-ring suburb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area, as defined by the United States Census ...
2004
Winslow Stadium; Winslow, New Jersey (2004) 2005–present
Carey Stadium;
Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, ...


All Time MLS Draft PicksOcean City Nor'easters All-Time MLS Draft Picks
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References


External links

*
Nor'easters All-Time Results

Ocean City Nor'easters USL2 Team Records

Ocean City Nor'easters USL2 Individual Records

Ocean City Nor'easters Year-By-Year Individual Stats

Ocean City Nor'easters All-Time Goalkeeper Stats

Ocean City Nor'easters USL2 career stat leaders
{{New Jersey Sports Association football clubs established in 1996 USL League Two teams Soccer clubs in New Jersey USL Second Division teams 1996 establishments in New Jersey Ocean City, New Jersey