The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that Football Club Davis (Davis, CA) has joined the league as an expansion team. The club will compete in the West Region’s Golden Gate Conference.
“The NPSL is very excited to announce our first expansion team for the 2018 season,” NPSL Chairman Joe Barone commented. “Our growth in California and the West Region continues to be strong and we are excited to welcome the Golden Lions of FC Davis to the NPSL family.”
Adam Lewin is the owner of Football Club Davis. He is a former standout soccer player and youth coach with a passion for soccer, business, politics, music, and community building.
“FC Davis applied to the NPSL due to the alignment in our mission, vision, and core values,” Lewin said. “From its league operations to the amazing team owners in our conference, it was a perfect match for our club. In addition, the league has a rich history with a growing national footprint. Local professional clubs have to be part of the future of soccer in this country. With the NPSL occupying so many important markets, the league’s future looks brighter now more than ever.”
Starting in 2014, Lewin had a vision of bringing a semi-pro team to Davis, California. Being in a university town with international influence full of soccer devoted fans, the market for a team that the city of Davis could call their own was severely underserved. The journey to viability started with building a player pool comprised of enough quality players to complete at the NPSL level in the Golden Gate Conference. Leveraging UC Davis Club players, UC Davis ICA players, and former local area standouts who went on to illustrious college careers, the team became a hub for talented soccer players within the region to congregate.
FC Davis was formed in Spring of 2017 following a decision to separate the team from Davis Legacy Soccer Club for expansion purposes.
“On the pitch, we know the Golden Gate Conference historically is very strong,” Lewin added. “Looking at the number of consecutive years a team from the conference participated in the national semi-finals proves it is one of if not the toughest conference in the country. We have assembled a preliminary roster that we expect to make us contenders right from the start. With a group of talent footballers, it should make for an exciting first season for our fans.”
By the end of the first two years, players such as Matt Wiesenfarth, Brian Ford, Andisheh Bagheri, and countless other award-winning collegiate players took the field for the former Davis APL team. Between 2014 and 2016, the Davis APL team won consecutive NorCal League Titles playing against teams such as SF City, IFX Ballistic, and Turlock Express. The club won back-to-back NorCal State titles. They also made two appearances in U.S. Open Cup local state qualifying and was successful against a range of NCAA DI, DII, and NAIA teams.
Since its formation, FC Davis was built to play a highly entertaining, attacking, and high pressing style of soccer. By assembling a talent pool that reflects the traits needed to carry out the desired tactical game plans, the philosophy of the club has remained consistent: to entertain.
“Off the field, we want to use the club as a vehicle for good in the areas we serve,” Lewin continued. “Through charity and sport, we have the opportunity to impact the soccer ecosystem in our community in a unique way. From offering elite youth players the experience of training in a professional environment to sponsoring coaches in local clubs to obtain higher federation licenses, we want to construct a model that other clubs can use to improve the game for the towns and cities they reside in.”
FC Davis will play their home games at Aggie Stadium on the beautiful UC Davis campus.
The 105,000 square foot stadium can host 10,000 fans in the bleachers and on the two grass berms behind each goal. Complete with a 720-seated VIP section and approximately 2,500 bleacher seats with back support, the stadium offers a variety of seating options.
The amenities of the stadium include a ticket office, video board, concession stands, and suites. Viewed as one of the premier NCAA DIAA facilities in the country, FC Davis is proud to partner with UC Davis to play at such a fan-focused venue.
“For the league, we hope to one day be a flagship organization for how a club can operate on and off the field,” Lewin concluded. “From our game day events to community outreach, we want to show the potential impact an NPSL team can have when the pieces are put together correctly.”
More information about the club can be found by visiting www.footballclubdavis.com or by following the club on Twitter (@FCDavis_NPSL), Facebook (@FootballClubDavis), and Instagram (@fcdavis_npsl).
