Meet Carolina Ascent Stars at Summit Coffee on The Plaza this Sunday at 8 AM
Also: Laundry Project Continues with help from Mint City Collective; Read Sam's First article in a Two-Part Series on Charlotte FC's playoff run in Queen City Nerve
Carolina Ascent FC players will be available for autographs and a meet and greet tomorrow, Sunday December 8th from 8 AM to 10 AM at Summit Coffee on The Plaza (2501 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205).
Davidson, N.C.-based Summit Coffee is one of the official partners of the Ascent.
The team has a lot to celebrate this holiday season; after their first 13 matches, they sit second on the USL Super League table in the league’s inaugural season, with one match to go (away in Fort Lauderdale on December 14) before the league’s winter break.
Additionally, Ascent co-captain Vicky Bruce was named to the USL Super League Team of the Month for November despite the Ascent suffering their first and only two losses of the season last month. The Ascent currently have 21 points from 5 wins and 6 draws and can still finish the half season in first place, though both first place Brooklyn FC (23 points) and third place Dallas Trinity FC (20 points) have a game in hand over the Ascent.
Mint City Collective Contributes Sweat Equity to the Laundry Project
Yet again, the Charlotte soccer community has partnered with the Laundry Project to empower local communities and help families across the city.
According to their website, “the Laundry Project assists lower-income families with meeting a basic need – washing clothes and linens, by turning laundromats into community centers of hope. Laundry fees are paid for while volunteers assist with laundry services, entertain children, and create a caring space at the laundromat.”
With the help of Charlotte FC goalkeeper George Marks, the Laundry Project has become a popular outlet for local supporters groups and professional players alike to give back to the community.
Today, volunteers with Mint City Collective helped 32 families with 236 loads of laundry at LaundroLab on Beatties Ford Road in West Charlotte. In addition, Laundry Project volunteers from the local soccer community helped 27 families with 348 loads laundry at Wash World in East Charlotte - a total of 584 loads of laundry for 59 families today.
Patrick Agyemang Named Best Sports Figure in Charlotte by Queen City Nerve
I’ve had a lot to write about Big Pat’s meteoric 2024, so I’ll let Nerve do the talking with their 2024 Critics’ Pick for Best Sports Figure:
At the start of the 2024 season, Nerve profiled Agyemang as a Charlotte FC player to watch. Though we expected big things from Big Pat’s second year, none of us could have guessed he would become the team’s starting striker and top goalscorer as the club’s designated players came and went (or returned, in the case of prodigal Polish striker Karol Świderski).
As of this writing, Agyemang is still on a “rookie contract” for Charlotte FC, which means he’s getting paid a salary of just under $72,000 — or $5,500 per goal contribution in 2024. Compare that to Lionel Messi, who got paid a whopping $568,000 per goal or assist before exiting the playoffs on the same day as Charlotte.
While Nerve’s sources have assured us a much-deserved new contract is on the way for Pat, we’re not worried fame or fortune will go to his head. The humble, driven first-round MLS SuperDraft pick worked his way up from Connecticut clubs to Division III to Division I college soccer, and has no intention of stopping now.
David Tepper: give this man a new contract!
Part One of the Story of Charlotte FC’s 2024 Playoff Series
Also at Queen City Nerve, you can find my first of a two-part series on Charlotte FC’s 2024 playoff series.
Charlotte FC finished its third season with 51 points from 14 wins and nine draws, sending them into the playoffs as the fifth seed, the team’s highest ever following a play-in berth in 2023. Fourth seed Orlando City SC finished just one point ahead of Charlotte in the 34-match MLS regular season, giving them home field advantage in a three-match series.
After a lackluster first match in Orlando that ended in a 2-0 loss and a Pep Biel red card, Charlotte held on at home to take their second match in the best-of-three series to penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw in regulation. Thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, as well as perfect form from the outfield players, the team notched its first playoff win in the club’s short history on Nov. 1.
While (spoiler!) Charlotte eventually lost the playoff series two matches to one, and tonight’s MLS Cup Final is the last game of the season, there’s still a lot Charlotte FC news - and soccer news in general - before 2025. We’ll be wrapping up the year for the teams in the Carolinas, sharing more Footy Awards news, and covering another MLS expansion draft that could take a player away from Charlotte.
Thanks for reading!