The USL Championship announced Tuesday that Charleston Battery midfielder Emilio Ycaza and Head Coach Ben Pirmann were named to the league’s Week 14/15 Team of the Week.
Both individual honors came after Charleston’s 2-2 midweek road draw against league leaders Tampa Rowdies and the 5-1 blasting of reigning Western Conference champions FC Tulsa.
Coach Pirmann earns his second Coach of the Week honor after his tactical tweaks during the space of four days enabled Charleston to secure four of six points from formidable opposition, both of which featured comeback efforts. The Battery’s five goals were the most scored on Tulsa this year, a feat made more impressive considering Tulsa had the second-fewest goals conceded per game average at 0.9.
Ycaza turned in an impressive two-way performance against Tulsa, highlighted by one goal and one assist. Defensively, the midfielder registered a match-high 10 duels won and nine recoveries, along with one clearance, one interception, and 90.2% passing accuracy.
The Battery have now earned 10 Team of the Week/Round selections in 2026.
Additionally, Jeremy Kelly earned an honorable mention to the Team of the Week Bench after notching an assist against Tulsa which put him into a tie for the lead in the Championship Golden Playmaker race.
Charleston hit the road for their next match, against the Sporting Club Jacksonville on June 20. The Battery’s next home game will be on Wed., June 24, against Loudoun United FC, which is Pups at the Pitch at Patriots Point. Tickets for the match are on sale now via SeatGeek.com, the club’s exclusive digital ticketing provider, and information on tickets specifically for fans and their canine companions can be found at www.charlestonbattery.com/dogs.
USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 14/15
GK – Antony Siaha, Hartford Athletic
D – Lasse Kelp, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
D – Nick Scardina, Rhode Island FC
D – Perrin Barnes, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
M – Emilio Ycaza, Charleston Battery
M – Kobe Hernández-Foster, Detroit City FC
M – Zach Duncan, Louisville City FC
M- Blaine Ferri, Lexington SC
F – JJ Williams, Rhode Island FC
F – Darren Smith, Detroit City FC
F – Marcus Epps, Lexington SC
Coach – Ben Pirmann, Charleston Battery
Bench – Danny Vitiello (SAC), Sebastian Anderson (HFD), Joel Garcia (MB), CJ Olney (BKN), Christian Pinzón (LV), Jeremy Kelly (CHS), Chris Hegardt (OC)
