U.S Soccer announced that 92 teams are eligible to participate in the qualifying rounds of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The San Antonio Runners are one of the teams named to the tournament.
The San Antonio Runners are one of six teams from Texas in hopes of making it into the later rounds of the US Open Cup. Athletic Katy FC and Houston Hotshots – GPFC also join the Runners from the National Soccer League (NSL).
The First round of Qualifying will take place September 18 and 19 and match ups will be announced on August 25th.
Owner and Head Coach of the San Antonio Runners, Mason Rankin shared with Soy SAF his thoughts on the first round qualifying round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup:
“We are super excited to be back in the Open Cup Qualifiers, as one of only 6 amateur clubs in Texas this year. With our roster having the most home grown San Antonio local legends we ever have had, we are hoping 3rd time is the charm as we chase the opportunity to play San Antonio FC at Toyota Field for standing in May!”
My guess is first round both Dallas teams will play each other, both Houston teams play each other, and they will make us go to El Paso. Hopefully Southwest comes to play us here at Soccer Central instead.
If that’s not how it turns out then they will have us play Athletic Katy first since we both represent the NSL and then only one Texas NSL team goes forward.
Since we don’t have to face Celtic Cowboys this time I believe we will make it farther than we have ever before in the competition.”
The San Antonio Runners have been participated in US Open Cup qualifying twice, and recorded their first ever US Open Cup win in 2019 versus the Coyotes in Temple.
Three teams participating in the first round of qualifying have won the US Open Cup, accounting for 10 trophies in total, four-time Open Cup champions Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals (1960-61, 1963, 1966) and New York Greek American SC (1967-69, 1974) as well as three-time champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms (1980, 1982-83). The last semi-professional team to win the US Open Cup was Greek-American SC from San Francisco in 1994. The last non-MLS team to win the US Open Cup was the Rochester Rhinos in 1999 when they defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-0. The last non-MLS team to make it to the US Open Cup Final was the Charleston Battery in 2008, falling to DC United 2-1. Maccabee Los Angeles have won the most trophies, winning 5 in 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981.
Complete information on the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Qualifying:
Soy San Antonio Fútbol 