SEATTLE, Wash. — With the start of the new USL League 2 season quickly approaching, head coach Erik Oman and his staff have been hard at work preparing for another summer of soccer on SW Thistle Street. Oman and the Blues earned a mid-table finish during the 2024 season, and will look to build on last year’s successes, with their sights set on their first ever post-season playoff run.
“I’m very exited for the start of the 2025 season with our Junction FC team,” shared Oman when asked about his expectations of the team this season. “We are returning our entire coaching staff and 27 of our inaugural season players, so our retention has been tremendous. The coaching staff spent the fall going to games and watching players, and we have added some tremendous talent to this year’s team. We built this club with the mission of winning the Pacific Northwest Division and being a contender on the National stage and that is, I believe, within our grasp this season with the talent that we have.”
Junction FC will kick off the 2025 campaign on the road against the Tacoma Stars on May 17th, before returning to West Seattle for their home opener on May 23rd against Lane United.
Key Returners
Fans of Junction FC will see quite a few familiar faces on this year’s roster, with a core group of players returning from last season’s squad. “We wanted our core to return, and so we have about 20 players returning from last year who are going to set the standard,” shared general manager Cory Hinthorn.
Among those returning for Junction FC are Lucas Martin and Jacen Stein, who were two key figures for the Blues during the 2024 season.
Martin, a goalkeeper from Fort Lewis College, was Junction’s main man in goal last year, and will look to continue his goalkeeping heroics this season. Hinthorn is just one of those looking forward to Martin’s return, saying “his shot-stopping ability [is] incredible, his distribution is fantastic, and [we’re] looking forward to seeing how he continues to grow.”
Stein, who was Junction’s leading goalscorer last year with five goals, started and played in 11 contests for the Blues during their inaugural season. The forward led Bellevue Athletic FC to the UPSL National Playoffs, and was voted to be team captain alongside fellow returner, defender Jake Larson, at the end of the 2024 campaign.
Newcomers
Looking to fill a gap offensively for the Blues is Joschi Schelb, a midfielder from Rutgers University. Originally from Freiburg, Germany, Schelb will bring creativity and precision to the Junction attack. “He can score goals and create, and we really think that he can fill that gap for us this season,” shared Hinthorn.
Lining up ahead of Schelb in attack for the Blues will be forward Alex Mejia, someone who is familiar to the USL League 2 landscape after spending the past three seasons with cross-town rivals, Ballard FC. Mejia recently appeared for Ballard in their US Open Cup match against the Spokane Velocity, and will look to live up to his reputation as one of the NW Division’s most dangerous strikers.
“The 2025 Junction FC team will be exciting to watch and I think that the fans will see the progress that we are making,” shared Oman. “This club was built as a professional training ground for our players and I am confident that every player on the roster this year is committed to making the most of that opportunity.”
Must-See Matchups
This year’s 14-game regular season in the NW Division will be as competitive as ever, with a crucial road matchup against the Tacoma Stars in Week One, who finished in 3rd place ahead of Junction FC last year.
Fans should also mark June 20th on their calendar, where the Blues will head to Interbay Stadium to take on cross-town rivals Ballard FC. Junction’s last matchup against Ballard ended in a 2-0 loss, and will look to secure their first-ever win against the defending USL 2 NW Division Champions.
Other games that fans should make sure to keep an eye out for will be Junction FC’s matchups against Midlakes United, as well as the newest addition of the Seattle vs Portland rivalry when the Blues lineup against the Portland Bangers, who are one of three newcomers to the NW Division.
When asked which matches he was most looking forward to this season, Oman had this to say. “Obviously, we are looking forward to the Ballard match in June. There are a few new teams in the Division, including Snohomish FC, Bigfoot and Portland who will be interesting to see and as always, I expect the Tacoma games to be exciting.”
To view the full 2025 season schedule, click HERE.
