Rochester Thunder
Encyclopedia
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 2008, the team played in 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...
(PDL), the fourth 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...
, in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference. The franchise folded at the end of the 2010 season and left the league thereafter.
The team was originally part of the official development system of the Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby...
former USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
franchise. They played their home games at RCTC Stadium on the campus of Rochester Community and Technical College. The team's colors were blue, white and silver.
History
The Thunder joined the PDL in 2009, and played their first ever game on May 9, 2009, away at Des Moines MenaceDes Moines Menace
Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at Valley...
. The Thunder lost game 2-1, with the first goal in franchise history being scored by Brian Pederson
Brian Pederson
Brian Pederson is an American soccer player who played for Rochester Thunder in the USL Premier Development League.-College and Amateur:...
.
The team was initially suspended from the USL PDL after their parent team, the Minnesota Thunder left the USL for the new North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League (2010)
The North American Soccer League is a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began league play on April 9, 2011. It has been provisionally sanctioned as the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer in the...
. However, the team was re-admitted to the PDL in 2010, and continues to compete.
Following the conclusion of the 2010 season the Thunder folded their operations. In a statement released on November 15, 2010 Thunder owner Dan Penz said "Due to unfortunate circumstances, the Rochester Thunder will no longer be able to continue. With the economy the way it is and only a handful of sponsors we could not make it work financially. This is a hard decision, but one that needed to be made".
Final roster
This list is a historical record of the final group of players on the last Thunder roster for their final game in August 2010. Source: http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2010/20204268.html#STATSNotable former players
- See also: All-time Rochester Thunder rosterAll-time Rochester Thunder rosterThis list comprises all players who participated in at least one league match for Rochester Thunder from the team's first season in the USL Premier Development League in 2009 until their last in 2010...
This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.
Teal Bunbury
Teal Bunbury
Teal Bunbury is a Canadian-born American soccer player who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer...
Paul Moran
Paul Moran (American soccer)
Paul Moran is an American soccer player who currently plays for Rochester Thunder in the USL Premier Development League.-Youth and College:...
Brian Pederson
Brian Pederson
Brian Pederson is an American soccer player who played for Rochester Thunder in the USL Premier Development League.-College and Amateur:...
Ben Sippola
Ben Sippola
Ben Sippola is an American soccer player who played for the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:Sippola attended Mahtomedi Senior High School in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, and then Shattuck-St...
Kentaro Takada
Kentaro Takada
is a Japanese footballer currently playing for NSC Minnesota Stars in the North American Soccer League.-Japan:Takada attended Hokkaido Sapporo Daiichi High School and Hokkaido University of Education...
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 4 | USL PDL | 5th, Heartland | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2010 | 4 | USL PDL | 2nd, Heartland | Conference Semifinals | Did not qualify |
Stadia
- Stadium at Rochester Community and Technical College; Rochester, MinnesotaRochester, MinnesotaRochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
(2009-2010)
Average attendance
Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.- 2009: 447
- 2010: 322