
Charlotte, N.C. (January 24, 2025) – Charlotte Independence today announced defender Nick Spielman will return for the 2025 season. Spielman was named to the 2024 USL League One All-League Second Team anchoring the Jacks back line during a competitive season.
“I am excited to have Nick anchor the back line once again. His composure and ability to find the right passes from the back have been vital in our build,” shared Charlotte Independence Head Coach, Mike Jeffries. “Most importantly, he is a strong defender, very good in 1 v. 1 situations and reading plays to cut out attacks.”
Spielman led the league for the second consecutive year with 130 clearances, 76 headed clearances and 26 blocks. He added 84 completed long passes, 70 recoveries, 67 duels won, 24 interceptions, 10 chances created and four shots on target, all while completing 89.2% of his passes. Per American Soccer Analysis, Spielman led all players with a 51.49 passing score.
“I’m excited to come back to the Charlotte Independence as the city and fans are great,” expressed Spielman. “This season I’m looking forward to coming back and pushing for a trophy after a disappointing season last year where I believe we could have done better. Personally, I’m looking forward to improving my game and helping the team win its first ever trophy.”
In 2023, he recorded 176 clearances, helping the Jacks to 10 clean sheets. Spielman was one of six players to play in every game during the club’s best-ever season, adding two goals and leading all field players in minutes played (3,155).
A Florida native, Spielman played three seasons at East Tennessee State University before starting his professional career for NISA club Chattanooga FC. He appeared in a total of 52 matches accumulating 4,060 minutes played and scored one goal across three years with Chattanooga FC.
The 2025 USL League One Season begins on Saturday, March 15 for the Jacks as they host long-time rivals Richmond Kickers at American Legion Memorial Stadium. 2025 Season Ticket Deposits are available now for just $25 per seat. This year, the club also introduced a new Lil’ Jacks Kids Season Ticket which includes all 17 home games starting at just $100.
Visit CharlotteIndependence.com/SeasonTickets for more information.
About Charlotte Independence:
The Charlotte Independence is a Division III professional men’s soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The club, founded in 2014, currently competes in USL League One and plays all home games at American Legion Memorial Stadium. As part of the Queen City Soccer Club, our mission is to make Charlotte a better place to live through sports. For information on club news, season tickets and more, visit CharlotteIndependence.com.