Anthony Hernandez’s style of play isn’t necessarily flashy, but it sure is effective.
“Honestly, it’s keeping the ball and playing simple,” the 22-year-old Fort Wayne FC defender said. “And then it’s working hard defensively, tracking back when I have to.”
Hernandez has been an integral part of Fort Wayne FC’s success this season; the club is atop the Valley Division with a 6-0-1 record – with a plus-12 goal differential – heading into Wednesday’s 7 p.m. match at Bishop D’Arcy Stadium against second-place Lexington SC (5-0-2).
“(The season) is going well,” Hernandez said. “I feel good, mentally and physically. The team’s doing well – we haven’t lost yet – so it feels good, yeah.”
Wednesday will be Youth Soccer Night – kids wearing their youth team jerseys get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket – and they’ll get a lesson in tenacity from Hernandez, who is only 5-foot-5.
Asked if his height is a hindrance or a help, Hernandez said: “Probably both. It definitely affects me defensively, especially when the ball is in the air, but other than that, when the ball is on the ground and I’m moving it, I feel good and I can’t complain.”
Hernandez played 13 matches last season for Fort Wayne FC, which won its second straight Valley Division championship, and then played 19 matches for Bowling Green State University – where the style of play was different than what he’s experienced in USL League Two.
“It’s more athletic (in college) and you’ve got to be faster, you’ve got to think faster, and it’s always back and forth – long balls – and you’ve got to think ahead,” he said. “Here, it’s more technical, moving the ball, and more possession.”
Something Hernandez values in particular about playing for Fort Wayne FC is the way the defensive players communicate when they’re on the pitch, and that’s been evidenced in the club holding opponents scoreless in 4 of 7 matches.
“Communication is important,” said Hernandez, a native of Pickerington, Ohio. “Even with the goalie, you’ve got to communicate every time, on and off the ball.”
With only one team from the Valley Division qualifying for the postseason, Wednesday’s match is shaping up to be particularly important. The first 1,000 fans in attendance at Bishop D’Arcy Stadium will get a free team poster, presented by Más+.
On Saturday, Fort Wayne FC will host West Virginia United, 7 p.m. at Bishop D’Arcy Stadium.
About Fort Wayne FC
Fort Wayne FC, founded in 2019, is currently a pre-professional club in USL League Two’s Valley Division in the Central Conference. The club won Valley Division championships in 2023 and 2024. Fort Wayne FC is moving to the professional ranks of USL League One in 2026 at a new state-of-the-art stadium. www.fortwaynefc.com
About United Soccer League
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes four men’s leagues: the newly announced, top-tier professional Division I league, the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.
