Project 51O

Project 51O
Full name	Project 51O
Founded	2019
Stadium	UCSF Benioff Training Facility
Head Coach	Zak Gordon
League	USL League Two and UPSL
Website	http://www.project51o.com/
Home colors	Away colors

Project 51O is a soccer club from Oakland, California competing in USL League Two and United Premier Soccer League. They are the reserve club of USL Championship club Oakland Roots SC. The name 51O is partly inspired by Oakland's 510 area code, although features the letter O in place of the number 0 to stand for "Oakland".

History

Oakland Roots SC launched their reserve club on December 9, 2019.^[1] The concept of Project 51O was based on Nike's Project 40, which ran from 1997 to 2005 and sought to develop the U.S. national team player pool.^[2] Project 51O will mirror parts of that development program, but with a community-based twist.^[3]

Originally set to compete in the National Premier Soccer League for the 2020 season, the team only played one match, a win over Napa Valley 1839 FC,^[4] before the season was halted and eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[5]

On September 17, 2020, the team announced it would compete in USL League Two beginning with the 2021 season.^[6] They later announced they would go on hiatus for that season along with the rest of the Southwest Division and begin League Two play in 2022.^[7] For the Fall 2021 season, they added a team in the United Premier Soccer League to allow for year-round development, while still remaining part of USL League Two.^[8]

Players and staff

Current roster

2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	USA	Edwin Rodriguez
—	DF	FRA	Thomas Camier
—	MF	USA	Kieran Bracken
—	FW	USA	Javier Bedolla-Vera
—	FW	USA	Luis Saldaña
—	DF	USA	Ilya Alekseev

Year-by-year

Year	Division	League	Regular Season	Playoffs	Open Cup
2020	4	NPSL	N/A, 1-0-0, Season cancelled to COVID-19 pandemic
2021	4	USL2	Did not play due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Fall	5	UPSL	3rd, 7-1-2, Wild West Conference	Round 1	N/A
2022	4	USL2	1st, 8-2-2, Southwest Division	Round 1	N/A
2022 Fall	5	UPSL	1st, 8-0-2, NorCal Conference	NorCal Finals	N/A
2023 Spring	5	UPSL	2nd, 7-2-1, NorCal South Conference	Round 1	N/A
2023	4	USL2	3rd, 5-0-7, NorCal Division	Did Not Qualify	Round 1
2023 Fall	5	UPSL	2nd, 7-2-1, NorCal South Conference	National Round of 32	N/A
2024 Spring	5	UPSL	4th, 6-1-3, NorCal South Conference	Round 2	N/A
2024	4	USL2	2nd, 9-1-4, NorCal Division	Conference Finals	N/A
2024 Fall	5	UPSL	1st, 9-1-0, NorCal South Conference	National Round of 32	N/A
2025 Spring	5	UPSL	NorCal South Conference		N/A
2025	4	USL2	NorCal Division		N/A

Honors

League

USL League Two
- Southwest Division Champions: 2022
UPSL
- NorCal Regular Season Conference Champions: Fall 2022
- NorCal South Regular Season Conference Champions: Fall 2024
- NorCal South Playoff Conference Champions: Fall 2023, Fall 2024

Cups

Street Soccer USA
- SSUSA Oakland Cup: Dia de los Muertos 2023

References

^ "Oakland Roots Launch NPSL Team Project 51O". National Premier Soccer League. December 9, 2019.
^ "Project 51O Joins USL League Two ahead of 2021 season". Oakland Roots SC. September 17, 2020.
^ Chazaro, Alan (October 22, 2020). "Are the Oakland Roots the most civic-minded team in pro sports?". SF Gate.
^ "Napa Valley 1839 FC Drops Home Opener 2-1 to Newcomer Project 51O". National Premier Soccer League. March 11, 2020.
^ Prince-Wright, Joe (March 26, 2020). "2020 NPSL season cancelled". ProSoccerTalk.
^ Staff, USLLeagueTwo com (September 17, 2020). "USL League Two Welcomes Project 51O For 2021 Season". USL League Two.
^ "USL League Two's Southwest Division to Forgo the 2021 Season". Breakers FC. April 6, 2021.
^ "Oakland Roots and Project 51O Launch UPSL Side to Continue Year-Round Development". Oakland Roots SC. August 12, 2021.

[1] "Oakland Roots Launch NPSL Team Project 51O". National Premier Soccer League. December 9, 2019.

[2] "Project 51O Joins USL League Two ahead of 2021 season". Oakland Roots SC. September 17, 2020.

[3] Chazaro, Alan (October 22, 2020). "Are the Oakland Roots the most civic-minded team in pro sports?". SF Gate.

[4] "Napa Valley 1839 FC Drops Home Opener 2-1 to Newcomer Project 51O". National Premier Soccer League. March 11, 2020.

[5] Prince-Wright, Joe (March 26, 2020). "2020 NPSL season cancelled". ProSoccerTalk.

[6] Staff, USLLeagueTwo com (September 17, 2020). "USL League Two Welcomes Project 51O For 2021 Season". USL League Two.

[7] "USL League Two's Southwest Division to Forgo the 2021 Season". Breakers FC. April 6, 2021.

[8] "Oakland Roots and Project 51O Launch UPSL Side to Continue Year-Round Development". Oakland Roots SC. August 12, 2021.

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