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39-828: Fresno Fuego FC made their debut in PDL competition in 2003, having picked up the franchise rights in 2002 by then partners Jaime Marquez Sr., J. Francisco Alvarez, J. Antonio Alvarez & Jaime Marquez Jr. from the former PDL champions, the Central Coast Roadrunners from San Luis Obispo . Playing on the campus of San Joaquin Memorial High School , Fresno made a blistering start to their first campaign, scoring eight goals in back-to-back wins over Nevada Wonders , California Gold and Orange County Blue Star , with standout striker Orlando Ramirez . Fresno's impressive early season form also saw them qualify for

78-657: A 0–0 tie in regulation time. Herculez Gomez was by far the Gauchos best player, scoring 14 goals for the season. Despite the better on-field performances, during the 2004 off-season the team's management made the decision to self-relegate themselves to the USL Premier Development League for 2005. The Gauchos had a torrid time in the PDL in 2005. They won just one game all season – a 3–0 victory over Nevada Wonders in July ;– and then had

117-597: A 10–7–3 record, second in the Western Conference behind Utah Blitzz , and into the post season at the first attempt. The Gauchos also made a brief foray into the US Open Cup , beating USASA amateur side Mexico SC 2–0 in the first round before losing heavily to A-League mainstays Minnesota Thunder 6–1 in the second round. The Gauchos defeated the Arizona Sahuaros 3–0 in the first round of

156-455: A 2–1 deficit to beat Los Angeles Azul Legends , 3–2, in early July, in a game which saw the Legends reduced to 8 men in the second half, and wiped the floor with Lancaster on the final day of the regular season with a 7–0 victory in which second-half substitute Gabriel Gonzalez hit a hat trick. Unfortunately for Fresno their early season form proved to be their undoing, and despite rising from

195-533: A 3–0 win over the Los Angeles Legends , and played Lancaster Rattlers to an astonishing 5–5 tie at the end of May where they were 4–0 down at half time, fought back to lead, 5–4, only to concede a last minute equalizer. The season's high point was the 5–1 hammering of Orange County Blue Star in June in which Santiago Aguilera Navarro his a brace; the low point was the 7–1 annihilation they suffered at

234-589: A hat trick from OC's striker Amani Walker . Things began to change in mid-June thanks to an impressive 4–1 away win over the Lancaster Rattlers ; following this victory, Fuego embarked on a marvellous 8-game unbeaten streak to the end of the season, comprising 6 wins and 2 ties. Milton Blanco scored a 90th-minute winner in a seesaw 4–3 victory over the Southern California Seahorses which saw three red cards. They came back from

273-438: A mid-season slump saw them drop points against the Southern California Seahorses , California Gold and BYU Cougars . As a result, the gap between them and the divisional leaders – Blue Star and Seahorses – was too great, and despite winning 5 of their last 6 games – and scoring 15 goals in the process – they eventually finished third in the table. Veteran Edgardo Contreras and new signing Amaury Nunes were

312-506: A new logo, and building on their new 3,000-strong fan base and their relationship with the Fresno Grizzlies at Chukchansi Park . On-field, the team stuttered slightly in the opening month of the season, winning just one of their first three games, 2–1, away at Southern California Seahorses . By mid-season, however, Fuego were burning up their opposition, with striker Pablo Campos continuing his free-scoring ways. He scored two in

351-598: A replacement marksman. Campos's send-off was a disappointing one, with Fresno losing, 4–1, at home to Ventura County Fusion in his farewell game, and it was almost as though Campos' impending departure was affecting Fuego. They suffered another 4–1 home loss in July, this time to the San Fernando Valley Quakes , and by the time the season finale came down, Fuego's lead had been whittled away. The final regular season game, away at San Fernando Valley Quakes ,

390-599: The Fresno FC , parent of Fresno FC U-23 places the team on hiatus until the club has its own facility. 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. Central Coast Roadrunners Central Coast Roadrunners were an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team

429-474: The San Diego Gauchos , and nine-goal haul over 2 games against California Gold . Orlando Ramirez , Edgardo Contreras , Jose Luis Espindola and Milton Blanco continued their free-scoring exploits, and by the end of the 18-game season they finished just four points behind divisional champs Orange County Blue Star , and for the second year in a row made the playoffs. This time, however, Fuego took

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468-460: The Southern California Seahorses . They were also involved in two consecutive 3–3 ties with California Gold and Bakersfield Brigade , the latter of which saw the Gauchos concede a demoralizing 87th-minute equalizer. Dustin Hammond was the Gauchos top scorer for the season, with 5 goals, while Oscar Espinoza contributed 2 assists 2006 saw a general improvement in the Gauchos' play. They began

507-475: The US Open Cup , where they made it all the way to the fourth round with victories over Chico Rooks , Utah Blitzz and El Paso Patriots , before they finally fell, 3–1, to Los Angeles Galaxy . Fresno's home form was superb during their first season, losing just one game – a 3–2 turnaround to California Gold  – the entire year. Fuego's Latin American connection, led by Ramirez and Fabricio Codeceira

546-603: The United Soccer League 's Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid . The team played its home games at Torero Stadium . In 2006, the team was sold to new owners, and the franchise was disbanded. San Diego joined the USL D-3 Pro League as an expansion franchise in 2002 and enjoyed a very successful first year in competition, finishing the regular season with

585-502: The 4–3 win over Orange County Blue Star , a hat trick in the 4–0 home win against Bakersfield Brigade , two more in the 4–1 demolition at Lancaster Rattlers , and another hat trick in the 6–2 annihilation of Los Angeles Legends in late June. By this time, Campos had been spotted by international scouts, and before the end of the month he was off to GAIS in Gothenburg, Sweden, to begin his professional career, leaving Fresno to find

624-523: The Gauchos' whipping boys in 06, with the San Diego team winning 2–0 and 6–0 in their other encounters, the latter of which featured a Dustin Guerrero hat trick and a brace from Dagoberto Nogales-Gallegos . Unfortunately for the Gauchos, the run down the home stretch saw them suffer five straight defeats, including an astonishing 7–4 loss at home to the San Fernando Valley Quakes . The Gauchos finished

663-534: The Western Conference. Their only wins came over California Gold , 3–2 on the opening day of the season; Nevada Wonders , a sluggish 1–0 home victory in June; and over Gold again, a 2–0 win in mid-July off goals from Kristofer Larsen and Akbar Zareh-Mendez . The majority of the rest of the season was a struggle; they lost often to non-conference opponents, and even found makeup games against lower-division teams trying. They lost 3–0 to Fresno Fuego at home in mid May, were hammered 4–0 by Utah Blitzz , received five of

702-414: The best from Western Mass Pioneers on the road in June, and received a 5–1 shellacking from an Orange County Blue Star team that boasted Jürgen Klinsmann and future MLS star Robbie Rogers in their starting eleven. The Gauchos rallied considerably in 2004, finishing the year in second place, with a much-improved 9–9–2 record, and into the post-season for the second time. They won their opening game of

741-447: The bottom of the table, eventually finished fourth in the division, and out of the playoffs. Veteran Fuego midfielder Fabricio Codeceira was the team's top performer, with 10 goals and 7 assists on the season. In 2017, Fresno Fuego FC were acquired by Fresno FC . Fresno Fuego FC were renamed Fresno FC U-23 on February 8, 2018. Also announced that day is the team will wear the colors of their parent club Fresno FC . On February 1, 2019

780-406: The city – to Golden West High School and Central High School amongst others – in search of a pitch on which to play. Secondly, even more expansion in the division raised the level of competition considerably. Fresno stuttered inconsistently through their opening games, beating San Diego Gauchos 5–2, then losing, 4–0, to Los Angeles Storm , thrashing San Diego, 4–0, then losing, 4–1, to

819-500: The conference title after wins over Cascade Surge and Blue Star. However, progress on the national stage eluded them, a 3–0 defeat to central conference champs Boulder Rapids Reserve ending their dreams of the PDL title. Nevertheless, two straight trips to the playoffs was impressive for a 2-year franchise. 2005 saw expansion in the Southwest, and Fresno suffered a little. Despite opening strongly with 3 wins in their first 4 games,

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858-462: The expansion San Francisco Seals . Fabricio Codeceira and Amaury Nunes remained potent in front of goal, netting 18 times between them, but their spotty form was their downfall, and by the end of the season head coach Jaime Ramirez 's men were a distant fifth behind league leaders Orange County Blue Star and Southern California Seahorses . 2007 saw a huge change in fortunes for the Fuego. Before

897-514: The hands of the Legends at home a week later. A middling run through the middle part of the season left Fuego playing catchup as July began, and despite winning three of their final five games – including a 3–0 victory over local rivals Bakersfield Brigade and a 3–1 final day victory over divisional champions Hollywood, they finished the season in fifth place, out of the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. Tyler Reinhart and Paul Islas were Fresno's top scorers, with 5 goals each. 2010

936-474: The hunt for the playoffs, and their impressive home form meant that, by the end of the year, they were one of the four teams battling for the two playoff spots. A final-day 3–1 victory over the San Francisco Seals gave them the divisional title over the San Fernando Valley Quakes on goal difference; prolific Brazilian striker Pablo Campos scored two of his 18 goals, and cemented his position as

975-558: The ignominy of having points deducted by the league for fielding an ineligible player, meaning they finished the season dead last in the West with just 2 points, 12 points behind the next-worst team, California Gold . Some of the Gaucho's defeats were blowouts: they lost 4–0 to BYU Cougars in May, lost 6–2 at home to the all-conquering Orange County Blue Star in June, and dropped 3 on the road at

1014-429: The league-leading goalscorer. The playoffs, which were hosted by Fresno at Chukchansi, saw them demolish Tacoma Tide , 4–1, and then knock off Northwest champs BYU Cougars to take their second conference title; but once again their national challenge saw them fall at the first hurdle, losing, 1–0, to eventual PDL national champions Laredo Heat . 2008 was a year of continued growth for Fuego in business terms, unveiling

1053-409: The playoffs, before falling 1–0 to Utah in the quarter finals. Nevertheless, it was a very promising first season; future MLS star Herculez Gomez was the Gauchos' top scorer, with 17 goals, while goalkeeper Daniel Sirota posted an impressive 1.36 GAA average. Despite having finished 2002 on a high, 2003 was a difficult season for the Gauchos, who slumped to a 3–13–1 record, and finished dead last in

1092-494: The receiving end of a large scoreline: they lost 5–2 to Fresno Fuego in their second regular season game, were battered 6–2 by Utah Blitzz at home in May, and surprisingly lost 5–1 to the Seahorses in the return fixture of their cross-league makeup series. The Gauchos also made their second trip to the US Open Cup this year, but unexpectedly lost to PDL side Boulder Rapids Reserve in the second round 5–4 on penalties after

1131-470: The season began the team signed a partnership with the AAA baseball franchise, the Fresno Grizzlies , resulting in cross-promotion, publicity, and a new home: Chukchansi Park in the heart of downtown Fresno. Buoyed by fan support which reached 3,000 spectators at home games, Fuego were resurgent: impressive early-season wins over the Southern California Seahorses and the San Fernando Valley Quakes kept them in

1170-454: The season, 2–1 over BYU Cougars , and recorded an astonishing 3–2 victory over Orange County Blue Star in June, coming back from 2 goals down to take the win on a Herculez Gomez hat trick, despite both teams having been reduced to nine men by full-time! In the same vein, they also won a heart-stopping 3–2 classic against the Southern California Seahorses , with Herculez scoring in injury time. The Gauchos still occasionally found themselves on

1209-408: The top marksmen, knocking in 8 goals each, while Brazilian Fabricio Codeceira was a midfield dynamo, registering 7 assists for the season. Once again, Fresno's playoff campaign was a short one, falling to Orange County Blue Star in the first game. 2006 was more difficult still for Fuego. First of all, they found themselves without a permanent home stadium, and instead were forced to travel all over

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1248-552: The year 8th in the Southwest Division, 20 points behind divisional champions Southern California Seahorses . Dustin Guerrero was the Gauchos' top scorer, with 5 goals. Following the conclusion of the 2007 season the Gauchos were sold to new owners, who decided to dispense with the men's soccer team, and concentrate their efforts on their USL W-League franchise, the San Diego Gauchos Women , which

1287-421: The year disappointingly, with three straight heavy defeats, conceding five goals to Fresno Fuego on the opening day, and conceding another four when Fresno came down for the return fixture two weeks later. However, they enjoyed a brief run of form in late May and early July, rattling off two wins and a tie, including a satisfying 3–1 win over California Gold that included an Isaias Bardales hat trick. Gold were

1326-661: Was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid , until 2002, after which the team left the league and the franchise rights were transferred to the newly formed Fresno Fuego . The Roadrunners were one of the most successful PDL franchises in California, winning the national championship in 1996 and 1997. Their chairman, Larry Smyth ,

1365-591: Was a season of two halves for Fresno. The first half of the season was generally poor. They lost their opening game of the season, 3–0, to the Hollywood United Hitmen , bounced back to beat the Ogden Outlaws , 4–0, but then were annihilated, 7–2, by Orange County Blue Star . The season's nadir came in the return game against Orange County in early June when the Fuego, 3–0 up after 52 minutes, fell apart and somehow managed to lose, 4–3, thanks to

1404-456: Was a winner-take-all game for the divisional title. The Quakes won it, 2–1, to take the championship, but Fresno made it through to the post-season to host the Western Conference championship for the second year in succession. Their first-round game was a rematch against Northwest Conference champions Tacoma Tide ; however, without Campos's firepower, Fresno were toothless in attack, and eventually fell, 3–0. Despite leaving mid-season, Pablo Campos

1443-853: Was inducted into the USL Hall of Fame in 2004, and was the first person to be inducted into the USL Hall of Fame via vote in the Builder category, which has an automatic induction for owners and executives who have served 10 years in the USL. They played their home games in Mustang Stadium on the grounds of California Polytechnic State University just outside San Luis Obispo, California . The team's colors were blue and white. San Diego Gauchos The San Diego Gauchos were an American soccer team based in San Diego, California , that competed in

1482-465: Was influential and by the end of their debut year they were sitting proudly atop the Southwest table, ahead of Orange County Blue Star on goal difference. The playoffs were a disappointment; after defeating Northwest champions Spokane Shadow , Fresno fell to Blue Star in the conference final. 2004 saw the Fuego move to a new home at Fresno Pacific University , but the change did not affect their on-field performances, which included two 5–1 thrashings of

1521-500: Was still Fuego's top scorer with 14 goals, while the ever-dependable Fabricio Codeceira contributed 13 assists. Fresno suffered one of their worst seasons in several years in 2009. A general lack of firepower – the result of losing Pablo Campos and Amaury Nunes to the professional ranks – and a frustrating tendency to inconsistency kept the Fuego on the back from their opening game, which they lost, 1–0, to divisional new boys Hollywood United Hitmen . Fuego bounced back with

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