2025 NPSL Coach of the Season Rubio and Hickory FC Ride Experience and Community to NPSL National Semifinals
By William Engels/NPSL.com
Newly named 2025 NPSL Coach of the Season Carlos Rubio and his coaching staff at Hickory FC did not see the award in their future entering the 2025 NPSL season.
“When we started the season, we thought of the things we wanted to achieve. That was not one of the things that came in our planning, but we’re super proud as a coaching staff to represent the club that we represent.”
In addition to Rubio being awarded the Coach of the Season, forward Antonio Pineda was named the Select 2025 NPSL Golden Ball, on top of a Capelli Sport 2025 NPSL Conference MVP title for the Southeast Conference, adding to the club’s growing trophy case.
“At the end of the day, when [you win] individual awards like MVP, Golden Ball, the coaching staff of the year, that means that the team is doing well, it means the club is doing well. I guess it’s a reward for hard work from [the] top down.”
After a successful inaugural 2024 season that saw Hickory FC clinch the Southeast Conference title en route to a regional semifinals appearance, Rubio saw the campaign as an opportunity to learn for planning the team’s future.
“Last year, I think we were the new kids on the block. You’re trying to bring the experience that you had when we played on summer league teams – what things we enjoyed from that experience, what we didn’t – and try to implement the culture that we want to have within our club.”
“The lessons that we took from that is the importance of having a roster that is committed to be here for the summer. That’s not something we thought about last year. This year, we were really intentional about recruitment from the start of the season, knowing who we will have for the entirety of the season, which players might get called back to schools for preseason or the professional game, and midyear what we need to bring to strengthen our roster.”
After an undefeated regular season (9W-1D-0L) that saw Hickory FC top the Southeast Conference, a 1-0 added extra time victory over Appalachian FC clinched the Southeast Conference for the side in front of 5,758 raucous fans at Moretz Field.
After a bye in the regional semifinals, Hickory FC defeated Lubbock Matadors 1-0 in the South Region Final on July 19 to advance to the club’s first national semifinals appearance. Nearly 5,000 fans showed up to Moretz Field to support the Trees, giving the side the boost needed to advance. Rubio sees the local involvement as a major accomplishment for the team.
“It means the world. The kids that I’ve seen every single year at our camps during the summer are now wearing the jersey on matchday.”
Rubio, the head coach of the men’s soccer program at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, has noticed the rise in soccer’s popularity in the region through his successes with Hickory FC.
“One of the things I’m most proud of as a coach and community member, and someone who loves the sport in Hickory, is going on a Sunday morning to grab brunch with my family and seeing kids wearing the jersey. When I see that, it makes me really proud, and it shows me that the love for the sport is growing and continuing to grow in America, and especially in our region and community. It means a lot. At the end of the day, we’re no one without our community. Seeing the support, for us, gives it that little extra push.”
Saturday’s NPSL National Semifinals matchup against East Region champion Ristozi FC could prove challenging for Hickory FC. The first year Mid-Atlantic Conference side defeated Keystone West Conference champion West Chester United SC in the East Region Final last weekend.
“They’re a heavily competitive team,” Rubio said of Ristozi FC. “Big congratulations to them. They’ve done really good things. There are only four teams out of 75 playing at this stage of the year. They have done a lot of things right to be in this position.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s NPSL National Semifinals, Rubio said, “What we tell the guys is that we, as Hickory FC, and Ristozi [FC], neither team woke up on a national semifinal. We’ve done a lot of good things; they’ve done a lot of good things. Both teams just have to be at this stage, and it’s going to be an extremely competitive team. We’re excited to see them play, we’re excited to play against them and compete. I know it’s going to be a really tough match, and it’s one that everyone watching will be really excited. At the end of the day, we’re representing the NPSL at the biggest stage, so we’re excited to do so.”
Photo Credit: Jackson Shoe/Hickory FC and Allie Howard/Hickory FC
