Rochester Lancers (MASL)
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The Rochester Lancers are an
indoor soccer Indoor soccer or arena soccer (known internationally as indoor football, fast football, or showball) is five-a-side version of minifootball, derived from association football and adapted to be played in walled hardcourt indoor arena. Indoor socc ...
team in the
Major Arena Soccer League 2 The Major Arena Soccer League 2 is a North American indoor soccer league that serves as the developmental league of the Major Arena Soccer League. History M2 launched in 2017 to "provide an outlet for teams to either reorganize for a re-emergenc ...
. The team is named in honor of the Rochester Lancers of the
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to: *North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league *North American Soccer League (2011–2017) The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league b ...
. The team was active from November 2011 through March 2015. In July 2015, the team cited a sharp increase in the cost of insurance to more than double the team's payroll costs and announced the end of the franchise. A new version of the team contested the 2018–19
Major Arena Soccer League 2 The Major Arena Soccer League 2 is a North American indoor soccer league that serves as the developmental league of the Major Arena Soccer League. History M2 launched in 2017 to "provide an outlet for teams to either reorganize for a re-emergenc ...
season; for 2019–20 the team moved back up to the
MASL The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a North American professional indoor soccer league. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. MASL is the highest level of arena soccer in North America. MASL players ...
. After another two year hiatus the Lancers are in M2 for the 2022-23 season.


History

In 1995, Salvatore "Soccer Sam" Fantauzzo purchased the Rochester Lancers name and logo as part of his soccer memorabilia collection. In 2010, Fantauzzo started negotiating with commissioner Chris Economides of the USL to be part of the new indoor I-League. The USL struggled to attract teams to the newly formed I-League. At the 2010-2011 MISL Championship game in Baltimore, Fantauzzo convinced MISL commissioner David Grimaldi to meet with the USL and bring the MISL current teams into that organization. The 2011-2012 season saw the new MISL under the USL banner with the four existing MISL teams and the three new I-League teams. Fantauzzo decided to use the Rochester Lancers name and logo for this new indoor MISL team. Following a merger of the
I-League The I-League (known as Hero I-League for sponsorship ties with Hero MotoCorp) is the second-tier men's professional football competition of the Indian football league system. It is currently contested by 12 clubs across the country with the w ...
and the third Major Indoor Soccer League, the Lancers played their first game in
Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...
on November 4, 2011, against the
Syracuse Silver Knights Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' * Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York * Syracuse, Indiana *Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Mis ...
. Led by team captain and former
Rochester 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 ...
forward Doug Miller, the first game in the team's history ended in a 16–15 loss and the top scorer was Lubo Kocic who scored 4 goals for the Lancers. The Lancers finished 2nd in the Eastern Division in 2011, qualifying for the playoffs. During the 2011–12 season they, offered a surprise contract to former
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player
Allen Iverson Allen Ezail Iverson (; born June 7, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "the Answer", he played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at both the shooting guard and point guard positions. Iver ...
. In 2012 assistant coach, Jim Hesch replaced Billy Andracki and became the head coach. Former Cuban International, Rochester Rhino and Rochester Lancers player, Rey 'Boom Boom' Martinez became the assistant coach. The team finished in 5th place in the MISL with a 10-16 record and did not make the playoffs. The Lancers announced new head coach
Josh Rife Josh Rife (born December 29, 1979) is a retired American soccer player who currently coaches for the Ball State Cardinals women's soccer team. He was announced as the head coach of the Cardinals in July 2019. Career Youth and College Rife gre ...
on September 13, 2013. Josh Rife's assistant coach was Billy Ginther. The team finished in 5th place in the league with a 6-14 record and did not make the playoffs. After the 2013–2014 season, the team announced that it was leaving the MISL along with five other teams and joining the Premier Arena Soccer League, later was renamed the
Major Arena Soccer League The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a North American professional indoor soccer league. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. MASL is the highest level of arena soccer in North America. MASL players ...
. Fantauzzo with
Tommy Tanner Thomas Tanner is a retired American soccer midfielder who played professionally in the USL A-League, Major Indoor Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League. He was the 1992 MISL Rookie of the Year. Tanner is the owner and currently ...
negotiated hard to keep multi-point scoring in the game of indoor soccer. However, the MASL continued the single point goal system it used as the PASL without 2 & 3 point goals. On August 2, 2014, team founder and CEO Salvatore Fantauzzo announced that the Lancers would not be playing in the 2014–15 season. Team captain (and
Rochester 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 ...
legend) Doug Miller intervened and offered to take over management of the team in order to permit the team to preserve its season. Miller later was named coach of the team, though he would continue to play. The team finished in 3rd place in the Eastern Division with a record of 10–10. The team made the playoffs but lost in the division finals to the
Baltimore Blast The Baltimore Blast is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The team is a part of the Major Arena Soccer League. The team has won 10 championships since it was founded in 1980. Beginning with t ...
. After the 2014/15 season the team went on a hiatus to hopefully resolve the NYS insurance issues. In 2017, Soccer Sam licensed his Lancers name & logo to the Rochester River Dogz of the (NPSL). The new Rochester Lancers ownership group included head coach Doug Miller, GM Marc Mandell, Asst GM Nick Mojsovski and CEO Salvatore 'Soccer Sam' Fantauzzo. Weeks later Fantauzzo joined the
United Women's Soccer United Women's Soccer (UWS, also commonly abbreviated UWS) is a second-division pro-am women's soccer league in the United States. The league was founded in 2015 as a response to the dual problems of disorganization in the WPSL and of the fold ...
(UWS) and the Lady Lancers were born. Sal Galvano and Loren Inglese handled the team side. Ashley Maria King from the original Lancers handled the business side year one. In 2018, Kayla Klark Kent also from the original Lancers returned to help with the business side. Sal Galvano continued with the team in 2018 as the head coach with Brooke Barbuto as his player/assistant coach. The Lancers relaunched the indoor team for the 2018–19 season, playing in the Eastern Division of the M2 development league with home games in
The Dome Center The Dome Center is a fair and convention complex located in Henrietta, New York, just outside the city of Rochester. It was originally part of a 60 acre site that hosted the annual Monroe County (NY) Fair between 1947 and 2013. Facilities Do ...
. The Lancers returned to Division 1 play as they re-joined the
MASL The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a North American professional indoor soccer league. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. MASL is the highest level of arena soccer in North America. MASL players ...
for the 2019-20 season, winning only 1 game before competition was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans to join the late-starting 2021 MASL season were cancelled in February, partly due to the Dome Center's use as a New York state COVID vaccination site.


Year-by-year results


Head coaches

*
Bill Andracki Bill Andracki is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who had an extensive professional career playing both indoor and outdoor soccer. Youth In 1988 and 1989, Andracki attended Mercer County Community College, playing on the men's soccer team. H ...
(2011–12) * Jim Hesch (2012–13) *
Josh Rife Josh Rife (born December 29, 1979) is a retired American soccer player who currently coaches for the Ball State Cardinals women's soccer team. He was announced as the head coach of the Cardinals in July 2019. Career Youth and College Rife gre ...
(2013–14) * Doug Miller (2014–15; 2018–present)


201920 roster


201112 roster


201213 roster


201314 roster


201415 roster


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rochester Lancers (2011-15) Major Arena Soccer League teams Indoor soccer clubs in the United States Major Indoor Soccer League (2008–2014) teams 2010 establishments in New York (state) Men's soccer clubs in New York (state)