Timeline
The club was founded by Amadu Meyers in 2016, coinciding with the announcement that it would be joining NPSL as an expansion team for the 2017 season. The club played their inaugural match on May 13, 2017 at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls against the Dakota Fusion FC. The first goal scored in team history came in the 6th minute when Houston Hoffman connected on a penalty kick. The Thunder would end up losing the match 3-1. The Thunder got their first win on May 30, 2017 against LC Aris FC by a score of 3-0. On March 1, 2018 the club announced that Mekonnen Afa would become the third head coach in franchise history. The Thunder would start the 2018 season strong by taking 4 points in the first 2 games. But after that they would struggle and lose 9 straight games. The Thunder would finally get on the winning side of things by winning 5-2 against Dakota Fusion FC. They would carry that momentum and they would eventually win their next two games to finish the season with a total of 4 wins. After the regular season concluded Nigel Nielsen, Thunder midfielder, was named to the North Conference XI team.
Season-by-Season Record
Year
|
NPSL Regular season
|
Position
|
Postseason
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2017
|
14 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
22 |
31 |
13
|
7th
|
19th
|
72nd
|
Did not qualify
|
Did not qualify
|
2018
|
14 |
4 |
9 |
1 |
25 |
33 |
13
|
7th
|
18th
|
73rd
|
Did not qualify
|
Did not qualify
|
2019
|
12 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
15 |
26 |
8
|
5th
|
15th
|
70th
|
Did not qualify
|
Did not qualify
|
2021
|
12 |
2 |
7 |
3 |
18 |
35 |
9
|
6th
|
13th
|
61st
|
Did not qualify
|
Did not qualify
|
2022
|
14 |
3 |
6 |
5 |
27 |
28 |
14
|
5th
|
11th
|
58th
|
Did not qualify
|
Did not qualify
|
2023
|
12
|
1
|
8
|
3
|
19
|
27
|
6
|
7th
|
|
82nd
|
Did not qualify
|
Did not qualify
|
All-Time Top Goalscorers
Leading Career Goal Scorers
#
|
Name
|
Career
|
Total
|
1
|
Tyler Limmer
|
2017, 2021–22
|
12
|
2
|
Brice Holiday
|
2017-19
|
8
|
3
|
Stevenson Storm
|
2019, 2021–22
|
6
|
T4
|
James Bolger
|
2022
|
5
|
T4
|
Michael Haight
|
2017-18
|
5
|
T4
|
Manny Rosas Quiroz
|
2018
|
5
|
T4
|
Lucas Trimble
|
2019
|
5
|
Bold Signifies a Current Thunder Player