Former Union II assistant gets first win in USL Championship on a late goal from a Penn grad

A soccer game played Wednesday night 2,000 miles away had a healthy dose of local significance.

The game in El Paso, Texas between the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and El Paso Locomotives marked the head coaching debut of Stephen Hogan. Hogan is a former Philadelphia Union II assistant and Reading United player and head coach who took the helm after former Union II head coach Brendan Burke was hired as an assistant to Ben Olsen with the Houston Dynamo.

Hogan’s starting XI featured West Chester native and Villanova grad Zach Zandi, former Temple standout Matt Maloney, Lancaster native Drew Skundrich and Yardley native Jimmy Ockford. Former Union forward Aaron Wheeler and Penn graduate Duke Lacroix both came off the bench.

Lacroix, who also played for Ocean City Nor’easters, finished off a counter attack sprung by Wheeler to win the game in second half stoppage time.

Duke at the death! 💪@dbeckford10 threaded a pass into the path of @MDukeLacroix, and the substitute buried the chance to put @switchbacksfc in front!#ELPvCOS pic.twitter.com/e2i2drPNzY

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) March 16, 2023

Lacroix, a native of New Egypt, N.J., joined Colorado Springs in the off-season, his sixth USL Championship team in his ninth season as a pro.

Former Bethlehem Steel star James Chambers and former Reading United and Ocean City Nor’easters coach Alan McCann are also on Hogan’s staff.