User:Bossmancalling/2023 Richmond Kickers season

(2023 Richmond Kickers Season) is... (description)

The 2023 Richmond Kickers season is the club's 32nd season of existence, their fifth season in USL League One, and their 19th season in the third tier of American soccer. The Kickers were led by fourth-year head coach, Darren Sawatzky. The USL League One season started on April X and will conclude on October XX, 2023.

Background
The 2022 season was the first full season since 2019 due to cancellations and delays from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The club finished the 2022 season in first place with 51 points which ranks tied for second in league history for most points earned in a season. This earned the club a first round bye in the playoffs. They fell to Chattanooga Red Wolves SC in the semi-final round.

Striker Emiliano Terzaghi was the league's top scorer, with 17 goals. Terzaghi was also named league MVP for the third year in a row, a first for any American professional soccer player. Jonathan Bolanos received a nomination for MVP, while Sawatzky was named coach of the year and Ethan Bryant was named Young Player of the Year.

In the off-season, the club re-signed Terzaghi to a multi-year contract and exercised contract options on forwards Matt Bentley and Owayne Gordon and midfielder Chandler O'Dwyer.