Emilio Ycaza earns Team of the Week honor after three-goal contribution

Emilio Ycaza scored once and had two assists in Charleston Battery’s 4-1 win over Loudoun United FC, earning USL Championship Team of the Week recognition on July 7. The Battery captain’s latest outing at Patriots Point produced three goal contributions from midfield.

He assisted the first two goals and scored the third. His first assist sent Maalique Foster in for the 14th-minute opener, and his second helped Colton Swan score in the 41st. After Charleston won a penalty, Ycaza finished from the spot in the 51st minute, and Jeremy Kelly added the fourth goal as the Battery put Loudoun away in Week 17 of the regular season. The win was Charleston’s third straight in league play and extended its regular-season home unbeaten run to 21 matches.

Ycaza created a match-high four chances, completed 92 percent of his passes and finished perfect on long balls. He also logged six defensive actions, third-most on the team. His two assists made him the first Battery player to post a multi-assist game this year.

Ycaza was named to the Week 17/18 Team of the Week. Colorado Springs’ Adrien Pérez was named Player of the Week after a two-goal, one-assist display, and Ycaza earned his third Team of the Week honor of the 2026 season.

Ycaza is in his fourth season with the Battery and has played 96 matches across all competitions since arriving in 2023, second on the active roster in experience. He has also been part of back-to-back Eastern Conference Final runs, and his latest recognition followed earlier league honors in Week 3, after a comeback win over Birmingham Legion FC, and again in Week 14/15 after Charleston’s draw at Tampa Bay and 5-1 win over FC Tulsa.

The Battery were set to host Charlotte Independence on July 11 in Prinx Tires USL Cup play.