Lubbock Matadors SC
| Full name | Lubbock Matadors Soccer Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | December 2021 | ||
| Stadium | Lowery Field Lubbock, TX | ||
| Capacity | 8471 | ||
| Owners | Michael Hitchcock Brent McCarty David Joyner Eric Cunningham Lance Patton | ||
| General Manager | Dustin McCorkle | ||
| Head coach | David Ormiston | ||
| League | National Premier Soccer League | ||
| Lone Star Conference | 1st | ||
| Website | https://www.lubbockmatadors.com | ||
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Lubbock Matadors SC is an American soccer club in Lubbock, Texas. It currently competes in the Lonestar Conference of the National Premier Soccer League, considered the fourth tier of the United States soccer league system.
The team's home field is returning to Lowery Field in Lubbock after spending their second season at Lubbock-Cooper High School's Pirate Stadium due to renovations to their typical home pitch.
History
On December 14, 2021, the National Premier Soccer League announced a new expansion team would be placed in Lubbock for the 2022 season.[1] The ownership effort was led by former DC United and FC Dallas front office member Michael Hitchcock, along with Texas Tech alumni Brent McCarty, David Joyner, Eric Cunningham, and Lance Patton.[2]
The Matadors announced Paul Gilbert as the team's first head coach on December 20.[3]
The team's first game was an NPSL matchup against Fort Worth Vaqueros FC on Monday, May 9 at Lowery Field. Their first game of the season ended in a 3–1 loss drawing in 4,239 fans for the first NPSL game in Lubbock.[4]
On Friday May 30, 2025, the Matadors set a franchise record attendance with 6,223 fans in attendance for their home opener of the 2025 season.
Lubbock qualified for its first U.S. Open Cup in 2024 based on its league results from the previous season.[5][6]
Stadiums
| Stadium | Capacity | Location | Year(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowery Field | 8,471 | Lubbock, Texas | 2022, 2024-2025 | |
| Lubbock-Cooper Pirate Stadium | 5,619 | 2023 | ||
| LCU Soccer & Track Facility | 2,000 | 2024 | Hosted the First and Second Round of the 109th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup |
Players and staff
Head coaches
| Name | Nationality | Tenure | G | W | L | T | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Gilbert | United States | December 21, 2021 – April 16, 2024 | 27 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 66.6 |
| Brandon Misuraca | United States | April 17, 2024 – August 16, 2024 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 50.0 |
| David Ormiston | England | February 18, 2025 - Present | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 87.5 |
Staff
Current squad
- As of 23 May 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club culture
Mascot
The Mascot of the Lubbock Matadors is a bull named Notorious. He was officially unveiled on February 25, 2023 at the Two Docs Brewing Company, the main kit sponsor for the Matadors. Notorious has since been a key part of the marketing efforts for the Matadors both at games and at different events throughout the community.
Supporters
The Lubbock Matadors' officially recognized supporters group is the Mozos. The group consists of fans that play different instruments, have chants and songs prepared for throughout the game, and smoke bombs that go off following a Matadors Goal.
Rivalries
The Lubbock Matadors' main rivalry is with West Texas FC in El Dustico. The two teams compete for the Golden Tumbleweed, symbolic of the two teams - who are separated by just 118 miles. On February 18, 2025 the rivalry grew more intense as the Matadors signed manager David Ormiston away from West Texas F.C. following their Lone Star Conference Championship.
Record
Year-by-year
| Season | League | Position | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Conference | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Conf. | Overall | |||
| 2022 | NPSL | Lone Star | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 15 | +10 | 20 | 1.66 | 6th | 36th | DNQ | DNE |
| 2023 | NPSL | Lone Star | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 8 | +28 | 30 | 2.72 | 1st | 3rd | Conference Finals | DNE |
| 2024 | NPSL | Lone Star | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 19 | +3 | 16 | 1.60 | 5th | 41st | DNQ | Third Round |
| 2025 | NPSL | Lone Star | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 28 | 9 | +19 | 22 | 2.20 | 2nd | 13th | Region Semifinals | DNE |
| Total | 43 | 28 | 11 | 4 | 111 | 51 | +60 | 88 | 2.05 | ||||||
Top all-time goalscorers
- As of 19 June 2025
- Active player name(s) in bold
| # | Name | Career | NPSL | NPSL Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pablo Diez | 2022–2024 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 2 | Ethan Giwa-McNeil | 2023 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| Luke Jones | 2022-2023 | 9 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 4 | Evan Howard | 2024–2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 5 | Jack Thomas | 2025-Present | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Momo Diop | 2025-Present | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 7 | Markus Krogstad | 2023 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Mitar Mitrovic | 2023 | 5 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 9 | Francesco Pettinaroli | 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Saad Faiz | 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Honors
NPSL
- Lone Star Conference Regular Season Champions: 2023
References
- ^ "Lubbock Matadors Join the NPSL for the 2022 Season". Lubbock Matadors SC. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ "OWNERSHIP". Lubbock Matadors SC. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ "Lubbock Coaching Staff to Lead Matadors in Inaugural Season". Lubbock Matadors SC. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ "Matadors Fall Short In Historic Home Opener". Lubbock Matadors SC. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ "Full Slate of 32 Open Division Underdogs Set for 2024 Open Cup | U.S. Soccer Official Website". www.ussoccer.com. December 11, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
- ^ Soliz, Brandon (December 12, 2023). "Lubbock Matadors selected to play in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament". KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock. Retrieved February 15, 2024.