Home Venue: Taft Stadium
2017 Season: 14-11-7, 49pts, sixth place in Western Conference
2017 USL Cup Playoffs: W 1-0 at Reno 1868 FC: W 1-1 (4-1 PKs) at San Antonio FC; L 0-0 (6-7 PKs) at Swope Park Rangers
Head Coach: Steve Cooke, 1st season

TEAM OUTLOOK
OKC Energy FC reached the Western Conference Final of the USL Cup Playoffs for the second time in three seasons last fall, but a remarkable run from the No. 6-seed ended at the hands of the Swope Park Rangers in an epic 11-round penalty shootout. The club will be hoping its late-season upswing can carry forward into the new year, though, as Energy FC played some of its best soccer down the stretch.

If that happens, it will do so under new leadership. Longtime Colorado Rapids assistant coach Steve Cooke was appointed as the replacement for Jimmy Nielsen this offseason, taking the reins of a squad that returns a number of key players. Among them is leading scorer Jose Angulo, who matched his single-season best output of 15 goals, while Jose Barril, Miguel Gonzalez and Alex Dixon will provide strong attacking support.

A major new face at the club is that of goalkeeper Matt van Oekel, who arrives from Real Salt Lake with extensive lower-division experience. Other new faces include local standout Shawn McLaws and Christian Ibeagha, both of whom will add to a backline that returns Coady Andrews and Kyle Hyland. With the experience the side possesses, and the confidence it can take from a positive postseason, a move into top-four contention is certainly the goal.

Home Venue: Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex
2017 Season: 17-8-7, 58pts, fifth place in Western Conference
2017 USL Cup Playoffs: L 1-1 (2-4 PKs) at Swope Park Rangers
Head Coach: Patrice Carteron, 2nd season

TEAM OUTLOOK
Phoenix Rising FC entered its new era with high-profile signings, and ended it with a first trip to the USL Cup Playoffs in 2017 before being eliminated in a penalty shootout by eventual Western Conference champion the Swope Park Rangers. The upward trajectory of the side has continued this offseason, however, with some major additions joining Didier Drogba and a solid returning cast for the new season.

Maybe the most important returnee, however, is Head Coach Patrice Carteron, who built Rising FC into a serious force over the second half of the season that saw the side just miss out on a top-four position in the Western Conference. Leading scorer Jason Johnson is also back alongside veterans Chris Cortez and Alessandro Riggi, but the addition of players like 2017 All-League selection Billy Forbes and New Zealand international James Musa have upped the anticipation level for the club going into the new season.

Then, of course, there is the presence of Drogba, who averaged a goal every 119.6 minutes over his 14 appearances for Phoenix in 2017 after his early-season arrival. As the former Ivory Coast international approaches 500 appearances in domestic competition after turning 40 years old days before the season begins, following what could be Drogba’s potential swan song will be a fascinating storyline, and there’s nothing more he’d like to do than end by lifting a trophy.

Home Venue: Zions Bank Stadium
2017 Season: 20-5-7, 67pts, first in Western Conference, USL Regular Season Champions
2017 USL Cup Playoffs: L 1-1 (1-3 PKs) vs. Sacramento Republic FC
Head Coach: Mark Briggs, 2nd season

TEAM OUTLOOK
The Monarchs engaged in one of most impressive turnarounds in the USL last season, with the injection of experience into the club’s lineup resulting in not only the first USL Cup Playoffs berth in its history, but also the first silverware in the 2017 USL Regular Season Championship. While the season ended in disappointment in the playoffs thanks to a penalty shootout defeat to Sacramento Republic FC, the Monarchs were a far different proposition for opponents in their third season.

At the forefront were All-League selections Chandler Hoffman and Sebastian Velasquez, both of whom return to lead the team this season, but Head Coach Mark Briggs – who also picked up silverware for his role in the club’s success – also has a strong contingent of returning players like Andrew Brody, Charlie Adams and Michael Gallagher set to return. There’s also a solid group of new talent to work with as the club opens its new home venue, Zions Bank Stadium.

Among those new arrivals are the experienced Charleston Battery duo of Justin Portillo and Maikel Chang, and former Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC standout Masta Kacher, all of whom could help add to the Monarchs’ attack this season. Defensively, 2016 USL Cup-winner Konrad Plewa arrives to man the center of defense, all of which should help the Monarchs make a sterling effort at replicating their successful 2017.

Home Venue: Greater Nevada Field
2017 Season: 17-7-8, 59pts, third in Western Conference
2017 USL Cup Playoffs: L 1-0 vs. OKC Energy FC
Head Coach: Ian Russell, 2nd season

TEAM OUTLOOK
No-one knew quite what to expect from Reno 1868 FC’s first season, but after a top-three finish in the Western Conference that saw the side set a single-season record with 75 goals in the regular season, the expectations are high going into Year 2 for Head Coach Ian Russell and his squad.

The side will have to deal with some absences from its successful inaugural year, though, most notably with Dane Kelly having moved on after parlaying the USL Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player into a chance at top-flight soccer with D.C. United. Coming in as potential replacements are former Swope Park Rangers striker Mark Anthony Gonzalez, and both attacking midfielders Christian Thierjung (Tulsa Roughnecks FC) and Jerry van Ewijk (Orange County SC).

The good news for Russell, however, is some of the key players from his inaugural squad will be back, led by attacking midfielder Antoine Hoppenot and defensive stalwarts Jordan Murrell and Brent Richards. 1868 FC has also added former loanee Lindo Mfeka on a permanent deal after his time with the club a season ago and brought aboard 2017 USL Cup champion Guy Abend from Louisville to the center of midfield, all of which should help Reno remain in solid contention for a place in the postseason.

Home Venue: Papa Murphy’s Park
2017 Season: 13-12-7, 46pts, eighth place in Western Conference
2017 USL Cup Playoffs: W 1-1 (3-1 PKs) at Real Monarchs SLC; L 1-0 at Swope Park Rangers
Head Coach: Simon Elliott, 1st season

TEAM OUTLOOK
Sacramento had a down regular-season compared to its previously high standards in 2017, and aside from a notable upset of regular-season champion Real Monarchs SLC in the Western Conference Quarterfinals to earn the club’s first road postseason win, and first playoff win at all since lifting the 2014 USL Cup, the side never quite seemed to find the consistency it needed on a game-in and game-out basis to contend.

Enter new Head Coach Simon Elliott, with the former New Zealand international earning promotion from within the club to replace the departing Paul Buckle. Elliott will have some good returning pieces to work with like midfielder and captain Jeremy Hall and winger Wilson Kneeshaw, but for the most-part Sacramento will have a very different look than the club that ended last season when it kicks off 2018.

One of the new faces is a familiar one, though, with Cameron Iwasa returning to the club to join newcomers Christian Eisselle in attack. Playmayer Villyan Bijev will look to provide service to both after joining Republic FC on a permanent deal after his loan stint from Portland a season ago, while goalkeeper Josh Cohen is set to be the man between the sticks in front of incoming defenders Mitchell Taintor (Toronto FC) and Cole Seiler (Vancouver Whitecaps FC). With expectations remaining high, the pressure to deliver will be on from the off for Elliott and his new crew. 

Home Venue: Toyota Field
2017 Season: 17-4-11, 62pts, second place in Western Conference
2017 USL Cup Playoffs: W 2-1 vs. Tulsa Roughnecks FC; L 1-1 (1-4 PKs) vs. OKC Energy FC
Head Coach: Darren Powell, 3rd season

TEAM OUTLOOK
San Antonio FC took on much more strongly the form Head Coach Darren Powell was looking for in its second season in the league, and as a result the club emerged with both the best defensive record in the USL and a second-place finish in the Western Conference as Toyota Field became one of the toughest places to visit throughout the regular season.

The club has a strong core of players returning to build on that success, too, with reigning USL Goalkeeper of the Year Diego Restrepo among 16 players set to be back with the club this season. The absences are notable, though, with USL Defender of the Year Sebastien Ibeagha heading to New York City FC in Major League Soccer, and influential midfielders Michael Reed (Nashville SC) and Billy Forbes (Phoenix Rising FC) landing elsewhere in the USL.

SAFC appears to have found replacements for those gaps, however, with Ryan Felix arriving from the Rochester Rhinos to add to a center back group that sees both Cyprian Hedrick and Stephen McCarthy return, while the return of Kris Tyrpak, Cesar Elizondo and Ever Guzman offer an attacking trio the began to develop strong chemistry as the 2017 season went on. The return to Texas of Sonny Guadarrama from his long career in Mexico will provide another player to watch as SAFC takes aim at picking up its first silverware.

Home Venue: Shawnee Mission District Stadium
2017 Season: 17-8-7, 58pts, fourth in Western Conference
2017 USL Cup Playoffs: W 1-1 (4-2 PKs) vs. Phoenix Rising FC; W 1-0 vs. Sacramento Republic FC; W 0-0 (7-6 PKs) vs. OKC Energy FC; L 1-0 at Louisville City FC
Head Coach: Paulo Nagamura, 1st season

TEAM OUTLOOK
The Swope Park Rangers accomplished something no other side has in the USL’s modern era in 2017, becoming the first club to record back-to-back appearances in the USL Cup. As had happened the year before, however, the Rangers fell short in the final thanks to Louisville City FC’s late winner, and now face a year that will see the need for some major rebuilding from within.

Those offseason changes began on the sideline, with former Sporting Kansas City player Paulo Nagamura assuming the reins as Head Coach after serving as an assistant a season ago to now-Ottawa Fury FC Head Coach Nikola Popovic. Other offseason departures included Christian Duke, who had appeared in every game of the Rangers’ first two seasons, and Nansel Selbol to Orange County SC, and Lebo Moloto to Nashville SC. After the progression of players like Felipe Hernandez a season ago, more SKC Academy graduates are likely to get their chance this season.

The side has done well to replace some of its departures, though, with Hadji Barry (Orlando City SC) and Tyler Blackwood (Sacramento Republic FC) coming aboard to provide additional attacking firepower and the young talent of former Columbus Crew SC midfielder Rodrigo Saravia adding to the potential the side possesses. The standards have been set high for the Rangers, and it will be interesting to see if they can live up to them for a third successive season.

Home Venue: ONEOK Field
2017 Season: 14-14-4, 46pts, seventh in Western Conference
2017 USL Cup Playoffs: L 2-1 at San Antonio FC
Head Coach: David Vaudreuil, 2nd season

LOOK AHEAD
Tulsa Roughnecks FC engineered a massive turnaround season in 2017, going from the worst record in the Western Conference to the USL Cup Playoffs for the first time as new Head Coach David Vaudreuil’s new recruits and new approach paid major dividends for the side. Now as Vaudreuil enters his second year there will be more work needed to sustain that success after some key departures this offseason.

At the top of the list for the Roughnecks to find replacements for were playmaker Juan Pablo Caffa, who departed for expansion side Fresno FC after earning USL All-League Second Team honors in his first year in the league, and target forward Ian Svantesson, now with the Charleston Battery. To do this, Vaudreuil has dipped back into South America, picking up Uruguayan forward Jhon Pirez – a former signing with Chelsea FC – and 22-year-old Fernando Arce.

Of the key players set to return, goalkeeper Fabian Cerda is at the top of the list, with the shot-stopper having signed a new deal this offseason. Tulsa has also added some veteran USL experience, acquiring former Sacramento and Saint Louis midfielder Ivan Mirkovic, and another former Republic FC player in Enrique Montano. The trick will be pulling all the pieces together again, but after last season there will be few taking the Roughnecks lightly.