USL League Two season set to get underway with new look

Former Yale player Nicky Downs, now with Hartford Athletic, while with Black Rock FC last summer. (Black Rock FC)

To say that Black Rock FC hit the ground running in its inaugural Premier Development League season last year would be an understatement.

Running its program as a full-time residential academy, Black Rock surged to the top of the Northeast Division table with a 9-3-3 record. It was eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals, but its performance earned it a spot in this year’s U.S. Open Cup.

“(The Open Cup) is obviously a big deal for us,” Black Rock coach Jon Moodey said. “It’s something we’re really excited about.”