Kickers notebook

USL-2 salutes Kickers organization

The season ended more than two months ago, but honors continue to arrive for the Richmond Kickers professional soccer team.

The Kickers, champions of the United Soccer Leagues second division for the second time in four years, were cited earlier this week as the organization of the year in USL-2. The announcement was made at Monday's postseason awards banquet in Tampa.

Richmond, widely regarded as a model of efficiency and community involvement, has earned the organization of the year award five times overall and three times in the past four seasons.

Other banquet highlights included the induction of Kickers coach Leigh Cowlishaw into the USL-2 Hall of Fame. Cowlishaw's record in 10 seasons on the Kickers' sideline includes 164 victories, two USL-2 titles and four appearances in the league championship match.

Brown earns ticket to World Cup 2010

Former Kickers midfielder Tim Brown will compete in next year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa as a member of New Zealand's national team. New Zealand advanced last week by earning a 1-0 victory in the second leg of its qualifying series with Bahrain. The opening leg produced a scoreless draw.

Brown started and played nearly all of the decisive contest for New Zealand, which qualified for only the second time. It last reached the sport's grandest stage in 1982.

The former University of Cincinnati standout helped the Kickers reach the USL First Division championship match in 2005.

Bumbut joins Blast for MISL season

The Kickers have loaned midfielder Adrian Bumbut to the Baltimore Blast for the 2009-10 Major Indoor Soccer League season.

Bumbut, from Zalau, Romania, has appeared in 37 matches for the Kickers during the past two seasons. His harvest includes six goals and four assists. He scored three times during Richmond's run to the 2009 USL-2 title.

Kickers General Manager Shelley Sowers said she expects Bumbut, a former standout performer at Liberty University, to return to Richmond for the start of the 2010 USL-2 season. -- Vic Dorr Jr.