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The Charleston Battery announced Thursday a pair of additions to the roster, midfielder Dionysius “DZ” Harmon and goalkeeper Jack Pondy, pending league and federation approval. Both players join the club ahead of Friday night’s away match against New York Red Bulls II.

Harmon hails from Loganville, Georgia, and arrives in Charleston after a successful career at Coastal Carolina University. The 6-1 midfielder appeared in 44 matches for the Chanticleers from 2018 through 2020, notching one goal and four assists. Harmon’s exceptional play during the 2019 season earned him All-Sun Belt honors.

DZ accumulated some silverware during his time in Myrtle Beach, winning two Sun Belt Tournaments (2019 and 2020) and one regular-season conference title (2020). Harmon made the decisive conversion during the penalty shoot-out to win the 2020 conference tournament, defeating Georgia State 4-3 on penalties.

Pondy is from Columbia, S.C., and signs his first professional contract, providing depth in the net behind Joe Kuzminsky and Paul Lewis. Jack is a towering keeper at 6-5 with a 6-9 wingspan and arrives at the Battery from Soda City FC of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL).

Jack had a successful tenure with Soda City, earning UPSL Best XI First Team honors during the 2019 Fall Season for his strong performance. Pondy was a regular man of the match selection for the Columbia club for his strong shot-stopping play that anchored the Soda City lineup. Jack helped lead Soda City to three Mid-Atlantic Division titles while with the club.

Pondy’s collegiate career included tenures with Winthrop University and the University of Connecticut. Pondy was a standout at A.C. Flora High School just outside Columbia, where he was co-captain and a two-time All-State and three-time All-Region selection. Pondy helped lead his team to secure a state championship in 2015.

Both players join the club in time for the 2021 season, as the Black and Yellow kick off the campaign on the road against New York Red Bulls II on Friday, May 7, at 7 p.m.

Last, but certainly not least, on our review of Atlantic Division opponents are the club the Battery will open their season against: New York Red Bulls II. New York are another MLS reserve club on the Black and Yellow’s docket, and it will be the first time the two sides have met since 2019.

The 2020 season was unfamiliar territory for the New Jersey club, as they failed to make the USL Championship Playoffs for the first time ever. The team posted a 5-11-0 record that landed them in third place in Group F, behind Hartford Athletic and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Despite the losing record, five of New York’s losses came by only one goal and were by no means an easy fixture on opponents’ schedules. The offense showed flashes of power, notably Omar Sowe, who led the club with seven goals in 14 matches. The club also notched at least five goals in three of their matches last season.

Head-to-head, New York have had Charleston’s number. Red Bulls II lead the series 5-1-6 since 2015. The lone Battery victory in the series came in July 2016, when a brace from Romario Williams lifted Charleston in a 2-3 victory in New Jersey. Although the overall record favors Red Bulls II, three of the last four meetings have ended in draws. The last meeting, on September 27, 2019, featured a dramatic equalizer from an AJ Paterson header in the dying seconds of the match to secure a point on the road. The goal was the first of Paterson’s professional club career. With a recent history of competitive matches between the two sides, expect the meetings this year to follow suit.

For New York, the key will be weaving together a lineup despite plenty of roster turnover, with just three players returning from the previous season. That includes the squad’s top two scorers from 2020, forward Omar Sowe (7 goals) and Jake LaCava (5 goals). Expect Sowe to be an impact player once again for New York, as his experience with both the club and Head Coach John Wolyniec will be important to their play. Incoming forward Jeremy Rafanello, signed from Indy Eleven, will look to solidify the side’s attack. Another notable signing was Red Bulls Academy product and defender Curtis Ofori, who becomes the youngest player in Red Bulls II history at 15 years old. His impressive play in the offseason earned him his first pro contract. With many new pieces this season, getting the lineup to gel early is paramount to the club getting back to their usual form.

For the Battery, the opposite is the case with the core roster returning this season. The Black and Yellow will field a squad decently familiar with New York despite not meeting in 2020. Goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky, defenders Jarad van Schaik, Leland Archer and AJ Paterson, midfielder Angelo Kelly, and forwards Zeiko Lewis and Nicque Daley all saw action against New York in 2019. Their experience will be called on to keep the squad unwavering in whatever Wolyniec’s lineup throws at them.

The two sides will face off early and often, with three matches set in the first seven matchweeks. History does not define the present, so expect Charleston to aim to keep their momentum from last season going and level the series record.

Red Bulls II and the Battery will meet four times this season, twice in Montclair, New Jersey and twice in Charleston, South Carolina. The Battery will host the opposition at Patriots Point on Sunday, May 23, and again on Saturday, June 12. Tickets for the May fixture can be purchased here, and for the June fixture here.

Limited tickets remain for next two home matches.

The Charleston Battery have announced that the 2021 home opener on Friday, May 14 at Patriots Point against Charlotte Independence is sold out. With stadium capacity limited to 50% to start the 2021 regular season, the club will welcome approximately 2,000 fans to the new stadium for the May 14 match.

“We’re so excited how the city has rallied around this new era for the Battery at Patriots Point,” said Battery head of community Scott Krenitski. “After a long offseason, we can’t wait to welcome a sold-out crowd to our new home on the 14th.”

The match, slated for 7:00 p.m., will be televised on the ESPN+ streaming platform.

A limited number of tickets remain available for the Battery’s next two home matches. Charleston welcome New York Red Bulls II Sunday, May 23 for a 2:00 p.m. afternoon bout and LA Galaxy II Friday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available exclusively through SeatGeek, the team’s digital ticketing provider.

The Battery’s 2021 season kicks off this weekend as the team visits MSU Soccer Park Friday, May 7 to take on New York Red Bulls II at 7:00 p.m. The Battery will host fans for Friday’s away match at DIG in the Park for the first Charleston Battery Watch Party presented by Bud Light. Located in Park Circle, DIG in the Park will provide Battery fans with $1 off Bud Light and Heineken during the Watch Party. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. with limited capacity; fans are encouraged to arrive early ahead of the 7:00 kickoff. 

Charleston’s 32-game season will feature 16 home matches at Patriots Point. The Battery will host rivals, old and new, including the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Miami FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Hartford Athletic and more. Fans can see the full 2021 schedule by visiting https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com/2021-schedule.

A breakdown fans have been waiting for, we are looking at our next Atlantic Division opponent: the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Tampa Bay and Charleston have developed a rivalry over the years as both clubs have been among the most prolific in the league, and it always shows when they meet on the pitch. The Battery currently lead the series with a record of 7-4-2.

Last season was a successful one for the Rowdies as the club took home the title for the Eastern Conference. Although the 2020 USL Championship Final was abandoned and they were unable to make a bid for the league crown, the club had an impressive run the whole way through. Tampa Bay compiled a 10-3-3 record and won Group H by three points. The Florida club were among the best defensive sides in the league, with defender Forrest Lasso taking home the league’s Defender of the Year award for the second time. Goalkeeper Evan Louro also had an impressive campaign between the sticks with 8 clean sheets, tied for second-most in the league.

Among the most heated games of the Rowdies’ season came against the Black and Yellow. During the regular season, the Battery were the only club to beat Tampa Bay, posting a 3-1-0 record over the Rowdies.

The series started with a 2-0 victory for Tampa Bay in Florida, where goals from Sebastian Guenzatti and Malik Johnson lifted the Rowdies. Tampa Bay then fell twice to Charleston at Patriots Point in a pair of 1-0 contests, goals from Stavros Zarokostas and Zeiko Lewis were the respective difference makers. In a chance to even the season series, Tampa hosted the Battery again late in the regular season. The Battery, however, got the best of them in a 1-2 thriller where an 84th-minute goal from Zarokostas secured the victory. Zarokostas’ brace canceled out an equalizer from former Battery defender Forrest Lasso.

During the postseason, it was the Rowdies who got the better end of the duel, beating the Battery 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The green and yellow club secured their first piece of silverware since 2012 with their Eastern Conference Title. Their playoff run also consisted of victories over Birmingham Legion and Louisville City to reach the Final.

The Rowdies have many key players returning for this season. Defenders Aaron Guillen, Jordan Scarlett and Lasso are all back to solidify the Tampa Bay back line. Louro also returns to anchor the defense in the net. Leading scorer and captain Sebastian Guenzatti will be marking his fifth season with the team in 2021. There were some departures, notably forward Kyle Murphy and midfielder Malik Johnson. The club made some additions with Conner Antley, who was the 2019 League One Defender of the Year, and forward Steevan Dos Santos, who brings a wealth of playing experience and goal-scoring ability. Head Coach Neill Collins’ squad looks to be poised for another title run, as the ex-Wolves man will manage Tampa Bay for a fourth season.

Last regular season, the Battery had the Rowdies’ number, especially with some strong home performances and a road victory to close out the series. Like Tampa Bay, Charleston is returning much of their core squad with some exciting newcomers joining the roster. The Battery’s defense did an effective job of handling the Rowdies’ offense during their meetings, with two clean sheets and only one goal conceded each in the last two meetings in Tampa. They will look to maintain similar strong performances this year, as these matches proved how much an impact just one goal can have given the strength of both defenses. On offense, Stavros Zarokostas will look to pick up where he left off, as three of his five goals last season came against Tampa Bay.

The Rowdies and Battery will clash four times this season, twice in Tampa Bay and twice in Charleston. The Battery will host Tampa Bay at Patriots Point on Tuesday, September 7, and again on Saturday, October 2. Tickets for the September fixture can be purchased here, and for the October fixture here.

Stay tuned for our next, and final, opponent preview coming soon!

The Charleston Battery have officially released their 2021 home and away kits! The new look, revealed during an exclusive Season Member event with a video featuring players throughout the Holy City, was greeted with raucous cheers from the attending crowd of 100+ fans. That was followed up with Leland Archer, Ben Di Rosa and Joe Kuzminsky at the event to then show off the kits in person.

The Nike shirts feature a striking striped pattern, with black and yellow for home and white and yellow for away, reminiscent of the style worn by the 2003 league-winning squad. Both shirts and the shorts feature red lettering for the name and numbers. The 2020 home shirt will make a reappearance in 2021 at the alternative third shirt. 

Charleston’s new uniforms will debut on the road against New York Red Bulls II on Friday, May 7. Check out this year’s look and reveal video below!

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery announced Friday a partnership with Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant as the team’s Official Hotel Provider for the 2021 season. Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant will provide guest accommodations and meeting space for visiting teams throughout the 2021 season.

“We are very excited to be partnering with the Charleston Battery this season,” said Caitla Little, Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant Sales & Catering Manager. “It is so important to us to be involved with our neighborhood and a part of the sports community within it.”

“Visiting teams may be our opponents on the pitch, but they are also our guests when visiting Patriots Point,” said Battery operations manager Wade Crutchfield. “Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant has been an excellent partner coordinating boutique accommodations for our opponents heading into the season.”

“Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant and the Battery’s collaboration is just one example of how hotels and professional sporting organizations can work together,” Little added. “We look forward to this season and future seasons to come.”

Located at 250 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant sits just minutes away from Patriots Point. With close proximity to the stadium, the club will additionally utilize Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant’s events and meeting space for player meetings and future events.

Up next in our breakdowns of Atlantic Division foes, we’re taking a look at The Miami FC. Miami are still in their USL Championship infancy after joining the league for the 2020 season. The vibrantly colored club previously competed in the North American Soccer League, National Premier Soccer League and National Independent Soccer Association, where they picked up a considerable amount of silverware along the way. The Battery welcomed Miami to the league with a set of four matches together in 2020.

The inaugural season for Miami was a mixed bag, one with high expectations but one that got off to a slow start and ultimately ended in a below-average result, finishing third in Group H with a 4-8-4 record. A high spot for the club was their first USL point, which came at the expense of the Tampa Bay Rowdies when Miami earned a draw in St. Petersburg against the eventual Eastern Conference Final-Winners. Miami ended their season on a two-game win streak which included a dramatic 4-3 win over the Battery. The result thwarted the Black and Yellow’s ambitions to overcome the Rowdies and win Group H.

Head-to-head, however, the Battery got the better end of the series, winning two matches to Miami’s one and one draw to split the spoils. Both of the Battery’s victories came at Patriots Point, 3-1 and 2-1. The lone draw came in Miami, where a late Miami goal from Miguel González nullified Stavros Zarokostas’ effort for the three points. Each match seemed to have playoff implications come with it, and 2021 will likely be no different. 

It was a busy offseason for the South Florida side with several acquisitions indicating a win-now mentality. Among their most notable roster additions were midfielder Speedy Williams and defenders Paco Craig and Luca Antonelli. Williams and Craig previously won USL Championship Finals during their stints with Louisville City and have All-League selections to their names. Antonelli, a former Italian international, brings with him bags of experience as a Serie A journeyman, notably with Genoa and A.C. Milan, where he won the 2016 Supercoppa Italiana with the Rossoneri. Paul Daglish is back on the bench for Miami and he will look to gel his new pieces with his returning squad, who are without last year’s top scorers Romario Williams and Sebastián Velásquez.

For Charleston, correcting the spells of inconsistency against Miami last year will be key to securing victories over the Florida side. The dropped points on the road spoiled ambitions to win Group H and guarantee a playoff match at Patriots Point. The Black and Yellow were impressive against Miami at home and will look to keep that form throughout all four meetings, especially with a roster very familiar with the adversaries. On the defensive side, the team features an ensemble of key additions in Houston Dynamo loanee Erik McCue and former MLS SuperDraft pick Ben Di Rosa. The two will look to bolster the backline alongside returning defenders Jarad van Schaik, Leland Archer, Logan Gdula, AJ Paterson and Temi Adesodun.

Charleston and Miami will clash four times this season, twice in South Carolina and twice in Florida. The Battery will host Miami at Patriots Point on Friday, June 18, and again on Saturday, October 30, for the regular season finale. Tickets for the June fixture can be purchased here, and for the October fixture here.

Next up in our breakdowns of this season’s Atlantic Division opponents, we’re taking a look at Loudoun United FC. Loudoun are another relatively new club to the league, debuting in 2019 as the USL Championship reserve team for D.C. United of MLS. The Virginia side met the Battery twice during their debut season and were scheduled to meet in an out-of-group match in 2020, but it was postponed and eventually abandoned.

The 2020 campaign was a tough one for Loudoun, as the club posted a 1-9-3 record that slotted them at the bottom of both Group F and the Eastern Conference table. Their lone victory came in New Jersey in a duel of MLS reserve clubs, a 1-2 win over New York Red Bulls II. Things just did not go Loudoun’s way during the year, which saw their final three matches abandoned in an already-shortened 2020 season.

Head-to-head, Loudoun and the Battery have split the series at one victory apiece. Charleston won the first match, 1-2, on the road in a game that featured goals from Taylor Mueller and Dante Marini to secure the three points. In the second match, Loudoun returned the favor and won 1-2 on the road, where a brace from Alioune Ndour was the difference-maker. 

Expect Loudoun to aim for a better 2021 campaign, as the club has made a handful of offseason moves to enhance their roster. Among their most notable departures to address were forwards Elvis Amoh, the club’s top scorer in 2020, and Alioune Ndour. Midfielder Drew Skundrich, coming over from Sacramento Republic FC, brings some crafty playmaking and experience that the youthful Loudoun side will look to lean on. Forward Kairou Amoustapha, a member of the Niger U-20 National Team, should see an enhanced role this season to fill the void on offense, as he notched three goals and one assist for Loudoun last season. Head Coach Ryan Martin will look to mesh his newcomers, youngsters and veterans to rally the club for a bounceback year.

For Charleston, the key will be consistency against a Loudoun side that may shapeshift over the course of the four meetings. Consistency was the name of the game last season for the Battery, and it is likely to be in the game plan again this year with much of the core starters returning. Those familiar with Loudoun from the 2019 matchups include goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky, defenders AJ Paterson and Jarad van Schaik, midfielder Angelo Kelly, and forward Nicque Daley. With every point valuable, the club won’t overlook Loudoun based on last year’s performances and will aim to adapt as necessary in each matchup with Loudoun’s fluid squad. 

Loudoun and Charleston will clash four times this season, twice in Virginia and twice in the Lowcountry. The Battery will host Loudoun at Patriots Point on Saturday, June 6, and again on Friday, August 13. Tickets for the June fixture can be purchased here, and for the August fixture here.

Hartford Athletic are up next in our series breaking down our Atlantic Division opponents. Relatively new to the USL Championship, the Battery have faced the Connecticut club twice since their founding two years ago, with both meetings occurring during the 2019 season. Don’t let their young history deceive you, however, as the blue-and-green club have shown the ability to make noise since settling into the league.

In 2020, Hartford strung together an impressive campaign in just their second season in the league. The club won Group F with a record of 11-3-2, narrowly topping Pittsburgh by one point. With 35 points to their name, they tied with Louisville City FC for top of the Eastern Conference table. This run earned the club a home match for the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, but Hartford did not advance as they fell 0-1 to Saint Louis FC. 

Head to head, the Battery have been the more successful club, winning both meetings in 2019. In a home-and-away set, the Battery won 2-1 in Charleston and 2-3 in Connecticut. In both matches, it was Zeiko Lewis who got the scoring started.

Despite the Battery’s successful 2-0-0 record against Hartford, it is safe to say the Hartford club they will face in 2021 is far different than the one faced in 2019. Hartford carry some momentum into the season after going from the second-fewest points in the Eastern Conference in 2019 to tied for the most in 2020. 

Key for Hartford, however, will be their ability to continue the strong run without 2020’s top scorers Alex Dixon (6 goals) and Éver Guzmán (5 goals), who both signed with new clubs this season. Fans can expect seasoned midfielder Danny Barrera to remain a central piece of the Hartford squad and help maintain their attack as the No. 10 works with a new supporting cast. Newcomer forward Bradford Jamieson IV, who returns to the U.S. after a season in the Danish 1st Division, will look to fill the void in Hartford’s attack. 

The club is also under new leadership on the bench, as Harry Watling took over as head coach in January, coming over from England. Watling, 31, has an impressive coaching resume that includes tenures in the Chelsea Academy under Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti and, most recently, with the West Ham United Academy. Watling will make his senior-team managerial debut with Hartford.

Important for the Battery in the 2019 meetings with Hartford was scoring early and often, as the Black and Yellow struck first in both ties. Zeiko Lewis returns leading the attack and will look to pick up where he left off two seasons ago against Hartford. Forwards Nicque Daley and Stavros Zarokostas will aim to solidify the club’s attack, with newcomer Geobel Perez providing important depth to the group. The core Battery squad behind them remains largely intact from the previous year, and they will rely on the chemistry established in 2020 to counteract a relatively new opposition in Hartford. 

Hartford and Charleston will face off four times this season, twice in Connecticut and twice in Charleston. The Battery will host Hartford at Patriots Point on Saturday, July 17, and again on Sunday, October 10. Tickets for both fixtures at Patriots Point are now available here.

Stay tuned for the next opponent review!