As we close the proverbial book on 2022 and look ahead to 2023, let’s take one more look back on the Union Omaha season and gain a new appreciation for all of the great things that happened. Whether it’s the historic US Open Cup run, the fan attendance, or the league play, there was plenty to be happy about, so let’s take a closer look.
Fans continued to show their support for the Owls, as a total of 50,381 people attended home matches at Werner Park. That figure is the highest in club history, with 44,478 people attending matches in 2021 and the 2020 season reduced due to COVID restrictions. The average attendance at Union Omaha matches this season was 3,890 people, which is also the largest in club history. The Owls were the third highest in overall attendance and average attendance, while second highest in largest attendance.
| Lowest | Average | Highest | |
| 2020 | 2,400 | 2,500 | 2,700 |
| 2021 | 2,722 | 3,354 | 3,884 |
| 2022 | 2,236 | 3,890 | 5,167 |
*Data taken from USL1 match reports & Mike Pendleton (Twitter: @phat7deuce)
**Post-season home matches not included
Before the season began, Union Omaha experienced drastic changes to the roster. Even though the club maintained a 25-man roster, a lot of faces within the club were new to fans. The club was able to retain a third of the roster, which further emphasizes the changes happening within the club. Here are the veterans that returned from the 2021 season:
| Position | Jersey Number | Name |
| GK | 24 | Rashid Nuhu |
| GK | 33 | Kevin Piedrahita |
| D | 2 | Emir Alidhoždić |
| D | 13 | Daltyn Knutson |
| M | 22 | Conor Doyle |
| M | 30 | Yoskar “Edu” Galvan |
| M | 17 | JP Scearce |
| F | 19 | Ricky Rivera |
And here are the first-year players with the club:
| Position | Jersey Number | Name |
| GK | 31 | Christian Olivares |
| D | 21 | Isaac Bawa |
| D | 28 | Shaft Brewer Jr. |
| D | 5 | Gabriel Claudio |
| D | 20 | Luis Gil |
| D | 4 | Alex Touche |
| M | 26 | Dion Acoff |
| M | 8 | Joe Brito |
| M | 12 | Eddie Gordon |
| M | 27 | Ryen Jiba |
| M | 6 | Chavany Willis |
| F | 16 | Alex Bruce |
| F | 9 | Corey Hertzog |
| F | 10 | Hugo Kametani |
| F | 11 | Kemal Malcolm |
| F | 7 | Noe Meza |
| F | 23 | Giovani Montesdeoca |
Despite the drop in clubs participating in the 2022 USL League One regular season, the scheduled still worked out such that Union Omaha would play 30 regular season matches (15 at home and away), instead of the 28 matches featured in the 2021 League One regular season. At the end of the regular season, Union Omaha claimed fifth place, which was enough for them to qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive season. While en route to that 5th-place finish, the Owls were 6-6-3, earning 24 points at home (6th in the league) and went 4-7-4 on the road while earning 19 points (tied for 4th in the league). As the season progressed, the season had to be rearranged in order to accommodate Union Omaha’s Cinderella run in the US Open Cup.
Union Omaha finally had their opportunity to compete in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and wasted no time in making a lasting impression. After defeating USL League Two powerhouse Des Moines Menace, the Owls managed a magical victory at Soldier Field against Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire. The next round of the tournament saw the Owls hosting fellow League One club Northern Colorado Hailstorm, who was narrowly defeated after the final whistle. Union Omaha then took to the road again to take on another Major League Soccer club, Minnesota United, and remained victorious yet again. It wasn’t until the Quarterfinal showdown against Sporting Kansas City that the Cinderella run finally came to an end. Union Omaha was the first club from Nebraska to make the Quarterfinals of the US Open Cup, the first club from Nebraska to host a match in the tournament, and became the first club from the third division of the US Soccer pyramid to make it to the Quarterfinals in nearly a decade. The performances garnered plenty of hype and excitement in the soccer world, as well as repeated publicity as the club was mentioned on ESPNFC on multiple occasions.
Once the Open Cup run was over, the club set its focus back on the remaining matches in the season. The players battled hard, despite a condensed schedule and a series of unfortunate injuries. A lot of adjustments had to be made as the club continued to battle week in and week out. When it was all said and done, Union Omaha was in fifth place and tasked with traveling to Chattanooga for a difficult first-round playoff game. The match went scoreless in regulation time, but Chattanooga was able to prevail in extra time. The Owls showed grit and tenacity, but ultimately fell short to the eventual league playoff runner-up.
As the season dwindled, there were extra bits of good news along the way, as multiple Union Omaha players were recognized for their play. Here’s a breakdown of that recognition:
Awards:
USL League One Goalkeeper of the Year: Rashid Nuhu
USL League One Golden Glove: Rashid Nuhu
USL League One Newcomer Award Finalist: Ryen Jiba
USL League One All-League First Team: Rashid Nuhu
USL League One All-League First Team: JP Scearce
Goal of the Month (July): Chavany Willis
Goal of the Month (August): Kevin Piedrahita
Save of the Month (August & September): Kevin Piedrahita
Coach of the Month (August): Jay Mims
Player of the Week (Week 21): Noe Meza
Goal of the Week (Week 10): Joe Brito
Goal of the Week (Week 18): Chavany Willis
Goal of the Week (Week 21): Kevin Piedrahita
Save of the Week (Weeks 4, 15, & 17): Rashid Nuhu
Save of the Week (Weeks 21 & 26): Kevin Piedrahita
Team of the Week (Week 3): Rashid Nuhu
Team of the Week (Week 4): Rashid Nuhu, Daltyn Knutson, JP Scearce, Hugo Kametani
Team of the Week (Week 5): Noe Meza
Team of the Week (Week 7): Ryen Jiba
Team of the Week (Week 10): Joe Brito
Team of the Week (Week 11): Isaac Bawa
Team of the Week (Week 13): JP Scearce
Team of the Week (Week 15): Ryen Jiba
Team of the Week (Week 17): Alex Touche
Team of the Week (Week 19): JP Scearce
Team of the Week (Week 20): Noe Meza
Team of the Week (Week 21): Kevin Piedrahita, Ryen Jiba, Conor Doyle, Noe Meza
Team of the Week (Week 23): Rashid Nuhu, Dion Acoff, Daltyn Knutson,
Team of the Week (Week 24): JP Scearce
Team of the Week (Week 25): JP Scearce, Corey Hertzog
Team of the Week (Week 28): Conor Doyle
Team of the Week (Week 29): JP Scearce
There’s a lot to be proud of when thinking of the 2022 Union Omaha season, so don’t hesitate to reach out to the club, players, and staff to express your praise. The 2023 season is already shaping up quickly, with roster announcements and a jersey manufacturer being announced recently, so keep checking back with Who Gives A Hoot for all of the latest announcements, articles, and banter on the podcast. As always…¡Viva Búhos!
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