New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
Encyclopedia
New York Pancyprian-Freedoms is an American amateur soccer team based in Jamaica, New York
, United States
. Founded in 1974, the team plays in Region I of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
.
The team plays its home games at Belson Stadium
on the campus of at St. John's University. The team's colors are white and blue.
, a well-respected league which dates back to the 1920s and which is a member of the United States Adult Soccer Association Region I group of leagues, since that inaugural season. The Freedoms have won seven Cosmopolitan League titles in their history, in 1979, 1980, 1982, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2011.
The Pancyprian-Freedoms are also one of the all-time great Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
clubs, and have qualified, or have attempted to qualify, for the Open Cup every year of their existence. They won the cup three times in the all-amateur pre-Major League Soccer
era, in 1980, 1982 and 1983, and following their triumph in 1983 they reached the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup
in 1984, beating Mexican powerhouse Puebla on penalties, and overcoming Honduran champions Vida, before they and their semi-final opponents CD Guadalajara were disqualified after failing to agree on the dates of the matches.
The Pancyprian-Freedoms have qualified for the final stages of two US Open Cups in the professional era. They lost 3-2 in extra time to the Real Maryland Monarchs
in the first round in 2008
, and lost 2-0 in the first round to USL Premier Development League
team Long Island Rough Riders
in 2010
.
In addition to their CSL and USOC exploits, the Pancyprian-Freedoms won the 2008 US Open Amateur Cup, beating the Arizona Sahuaros
2-1 after extra time in the final in Seattle, Washington
. They also won the 2010 and 2011 US Open Cup besting the Detroit FC 3-0 in pk's following 2-2 tie after regulation and 2OT's in 2010. The team once again won the US Open Cup in 2011 in Bowling Green, KY crushing AAC Eagles (ILL) 6-0 in the semifinals and besting Doxa Italia (CA) 5-4 in Pk's after a 2-2 tie in regulation and overtime.
The current men's team is composed primarily of players that came up through the Eleftheria-Pancyprian Youth teams, the youth soccer division of the Pancyprian Association of New York. The majority of players have played NCAA Division I college soccer
, and are now young business professionals or attending graduate school in various fields of study.
- which joined the USL Premier Development League
in 1999. The Freedom won the Northeast Division title and advancing to the PDL national semifinals in their inaugural season, and qualified for the US Open Cup, where they upset the Cape Cod Crusaders
of the USL D3 Pro League in the first round and nearly eliminated the A-League’s Rochester Raging Rhinos
, eventually falling 2-1 in extra time to the eventual champions. The Freedoms left the USL in 2003.
Cinica Gogic Mickey Kydes
Mike Palacio
Mimis Papaioannou
(1978–1983) Nikos Exarhidis (1986–1988) Lambros Lambrou (1989–1994) Luka Lukovic (2005–present)
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 1974, the team plays in Region I of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
.
The team plays its home games at Belson Stadium
Belson Stadium
Belson Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium located in Jamaica, Queens, New York on the Queens campus of St. John's University.An interesting feature of the stadium is that it is built on top of a parking garage to save space in a crowded urban environment. The official capacity is listed as 2,600...
on the campus of at St. John's University. The team's colors are white and blue.
History
The Pancyprian-Freedoms were founded in 1974, and have competed in New York City’s Cosmopolitan Soccer LeagueCosmopolitan Soccer League
The Cosmopolitan Soccer League is an amateur soccer league consisting of clubs based in and around New York City. Established in 1923, it is one of the oldest soccer leagues in the United States and has contributed greatly to the nation's soccer history...
, a well-respected league which dates back to the 1920s and which is a member of the United States Adult Soccer Association Region I group of leagues, since that inaugural season. The Freedoms have won seven Cosmopolitan League titles in their history, in 1979, 1980, 1982, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2011.
The Pancyprian-Freedoms are also one of the all-time great Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
clubs, and have qualified, or have attempted to qualify, for the Open Cup every year of their existence. They won the cup three times in the all-amateur pre-Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
era, in 1980, 1982 and 1983, and following their triumph in 1983 they reached the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup
CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
in 1984, beating Mexican powerhouse Puebla on penalties, and overcoming Honduran champions Vida, before they and their semi-final opponents CD Guadalajara were disqualified after failing to agree on the dates of the matches.
The Pancyprian-Freedoms have qualified for the final stages of two US Open Cups in the professional era. They lost 3-2 in extra time to the Real Maryland Monarchs
Real Maryland Monarchs
Real Maryland F.C., commonly known as the Real Maryland Monarchs, is an American soccer team based in Rockville, Maryland, United States...
in the first round in 2008
2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:-----Second round:-----Third round:----...
, and lost 2-0 in the first round to USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
team Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders is an American soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its...
in 2010
2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 97th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October.The tournament proper featured teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
In addition to their CSL and USOC exploits, the Pancyprian-Freedoms won the 2008 US Open Amateur Cup, beating the Arizona Sahuaros
Arizona Sahuaros
Arizona Sahuaros is an American soccer team based in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1989, the team is member of the National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
2-1 after extra time in the final in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. They also won the 2010 and 2011 US Open Cup besting the Detroit FC 3-0 in pk's following 2-2 tie after regulation and 2OT's in 2010. The team once again won the US Open Cup in 2011 in Bowling Green, KY crushing AAC Eagles (ILL) 6-0 in the semifinals and besting Doxa Italia (CA) 5-4 in Pk's after a 2-2 tie in regulation and overtime.
The current men's team is composed primarily of players that came up through the Eleftheria-Pancyprian Youth teams, the youth soccer division of the Pancyprian Association of New York. The majority of players have played NCAA Division I college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
, and are now young business professionals or attending graduate school in various fields of study.
New York Freedom
After years of competing in the Cosmopolitan League and the US Open Cup, the Freedoms branched out and created a second team - called the New York FreedomNew York Freedom
The New York Freedom are a defunct American soccer club based in New York, New York.-Year-by-year:...
- which joined the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in 1999. The Freedom won the Northeast Division title and advancing to the PDL national semifinals in their inaugural season, and qualified for the US Open Cup, where they upset the Cape Cod Crusaders
Cape Cod Crusaders
Cape Cod Crusaders were an American soccer team based in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1994, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team...
of the USL D3 Pro League in the first round and nearly eliminated the A-League’s Rochester Raging Rhinos
Rochester Raging Rhinos
The Rochester Rhinos are an American professional soccer team based in Rochester, New York, United States. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having self-relegated from the USSF D2 Pro League...
, eventually falling 2-1 in extra time to the eventual champions. The Freedoms left the USL in 2003.
2010 USOC roster
Notable former players
Evagoras Christofi Andreas ChronisAndreas Chronis
Andreas Chronis is a Greek-American football player, who currently plays for Panachaiki G.C..-Career:...
Cinica Gogic Mickey Kydes
Mickey Kydes
Mickey Kydes is a retired American soccer midfielder who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, USISL and Major League Soccer. He also spent three seasons in Greece and several in the semi-professional Cosmopolitan Soccer League.-Youth:Kydes played soccer at Norwalk High School...
Mike Palacio
Mike Palacio
Michael "Mike" Palacio is an American soccer player currently playing for Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the North American Soccer League.-Youth and college:...
Mimis Papaioannou
Mimis Papaioannou
Dimitris "Mimis" Papaioannou was one of the star football players of AEK Athens FC. He was born in 1942 and began his career at Nea Genea in the town of Nea Nikomedia , Imathia Prefecture. He joined AEK in time for the 1963 season for the paltry sum of 140,000 drachmas...
2011 CSL Reserve Roster
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 5 | USASA | Champions | ||
| 1980 | 5 | USASA | Champions | ||
| 1982 | 5 | USASA | Champions | ||
| 1993 | 5 | USASA | Quarter Finals | ||
| 2008 | 5 | USASA | 1st Round | ||
| 2009 | 5 | USASA | Did not qualify | ||
| 2010 | 5 | USASA | 1st Round | ||
| 2011 | 5 | USASA | 2nd Round |
Head coaches
Mimis PapaioannouMimis Papaioannou
Dimitris "Mimis" Papaioannou was one of the star football players of AEK Athens FC. He was born in 1942 and began his career at Nea Genea in the town of Nea Nikomedia , Imathia Prefecture. He joined AEK in time for the 1963 season for the paltry sum of 140,000 drachmas...
(1978–1983) Nikos Exarhidis (1986–1988) Lambros Lambrou (1989–1994) Luka Lukovic (2005–present)
Stadium
- Belson StadiumBelson StadiumBelson Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium located in Jamaica, Queens, New York on the Queens campus of St. John's University.An interesting feature of the stadium is that it is built on top of a parking garage to save space in a crowded urban environment. The official capacity is listed as 2,600...
at St. John's University; Jamaica, New YorkJamaica, QueensJamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
(2005–present)