Louisville City FC's Danny Cruz Voted 2025 USL Championship Coach of the Year
USL Louisville City FC

Louisville City FC's Danny Cruz Voted 2025 USL Championship Coach of the Year

Published on November 19, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


The USL Championship announced today that Louisville City FC's Danny Cruz had been voted the 2025 USL Championship Coach of the Year after leading the club to its second consecutive USL Championship Players' Shield in historic fashion, losing just once in the regular season.

Cruz completed his fifth season at the helm having led the side to one of the great regular season campaigns in the USL Championship's 15-season history, becoming only the second Head Coach to win the award in consecutive years after former Orlando City SC manager Adrian Heath in 2011-12.

"This award is a testament to the work that our staff and players put in every single day. I am grateful for the relationships that we have built and the dedication that every person has displayed this season," Cruz said. "I want to thank my wife Brittany, my kids - Santi and Bella, Deb, Nick, and my entire family for their sacrifice, as it has allowed me to put in so much time into trying to be a better coach. While we accomplished so many incredible things this year, I also recognize that we fell short of our ultimate goal. I am dedicated to working relentlessly every day to prepare for an even better 2026."

A year after setting a USL Championship single-season record with 16 home victories in the regular season behind a high-powered attack, Cruz's side delivered one of the top defensive campaigns in the Championship era. LouCity allowed a league-fewest 19 goals and led the league with a 25.65 Expected Goals Against mark, becoming the first team in a decade to allow fewer than 20 goals in a full regular season campaign.

Behind that performance, Louisville produced a dominant regular season, becoming only the fourth team in league history to end a full campaign with only one defeat as the side won the Players' Shield for a second consecutive season. Earning 73 points in 30 games, the side posted a single-season record 2.43 points-per-game mark, surpassing the 2012 mark of 2.38ppg set by Orlando City SC.

In doing so, Cruz set individual landmarks in his own coaching career. In September, the 35-year-old became the youngest Head Coach to reach 100 wins in the USL Championship across the regular season and playoffs, and reached the mark in 169 games, the fewest games of any manager.

"Everyone knows how great of a coach Danny is, and I think his accolades speak for themselves," said LouCity captain Kyle Adams. "He pushes the group daily to hold the highest standard both on and off the field and it's a privilege to get to train and play for him."

Cruz earned the Coach of the Year award with 45 percent of the ballot, voted on by club management and a league-wide media panel that included representation from every USL market following the conclusion of the 2025 USL Championship regular season. FC Tulsa's Luke Spencer finished second with 29 percent of the ballot, while Hartford Athletic's Brendan Burke finished third with seven percent of the ballot.

Ten coaches received votes in the overall ballot.

USL Championship Coach of the Year Award Winners

2025 - Danny Cruz, Louisville City FC

2024 - Danny Cruz, Louisville City FC

2023 - Bob Lilley, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

2022 - Ben Pirmann, Memphis 901 FC

2021 - Neill Collins, Tampa Bay Rowdies

2020 - Troy Lesesne, New Mexico United & Ian Russell, Reno 1868 FC

2019 - Rick Schantz, Phoenix Rising FC

2018 - Alan Koch, FC Cincinnati

2017 - Mark Briggs, Real Monarchs SLC

2016 - John Wolyniec, New York Red Bulls II

2015 - Bob Lilley, Rochester Rhinos

2014 - Preki, Sacramento Republic FC

2013 - Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers

2012 - Adrian Heath, Orlando City SC

2011 - Adrian Heath, Orlando City SC

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from November 19, 2025


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