WINDSOR, Colo. – Winger Marky Hernández, a human highlight reel who came up through the ranks with Chivas USA and has played for USL League One rivals Chattanooga Red Wolves SC since 2020, has signed with Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, pending league and federation approval.
“I first saw Marky play for Chattanooga Red Wolves in a friendly against Atlanta United, and I knew instantly that he was different,” said Hailstorm FC head coach Éamon Zayed. “He’s obsessed with soccer, and is the first one on and last one off the training field. He’s like a street player, brave and not afraid to try something different, and he backs that up with real production.
“He’s a fantastic crosser of the ball, and he knows where the back of the net is. I believe he’s only shown 60 percent of his ability over the last few years, and it’s up to me and the rest of the staff to get him to fulfil his potential. He will undoubtedly become a fan favorite, and the Hailstorm fans are in for a treat.”
In 2021, Hernández made 24 appearances for the Red Wolves, where the fan favorite scored five goals and added three assists. His strikes included the matchwinner against North Carolina FC on October 9, and a 90th minute match-tying goal against eventual USL League One champions Union Omaha on July 3. The 5-5 Hernández was a particularly large thorn in North Carolina’s side, as four of his five goals in 2021 came against the club Hailstorm FC will face in its 2022 home opener on June 8.
Hernández’s 2021 exploits followed a 2020 campaign in which he found the back of the net four times in 12 appearances for Chattanooga, good for joint ninth in the league in the COVID-shortened season. He added a further four assists in that campaign, tied for the fourth-best mark in USL League One. On September 1, 2020, he was named USL League One Player of the Week after scoring a pair of goals in a 4-0 win over New England Revolution II.
A crafty winger who excels in 1 v 1 situations, Hernández spent the 2019 season, his first as a professional, with former USL Championship side Reno 1868, and played in the team’s US Open Cup match against Sacramento Republic FC.
Hernández attended Golden West College for two years before transferring to Cal State Fullerton prior to the 2017 season. In 2018, Hernández scored two goals and four assists for the Titans, before adding another two goals and two assists during his senior season. He pulled double duty in 2018 and 2019, playing for Premier Development League club Orange County SC U-23 (2018) and USL League Two club FC Golden State Force (2019) while working on his degree.
Hernández, who grew up in Anaheim, Calif., played for the Chivas USA reserve team from 2013–14, training with the former MLS side’s first team and making a number of appearances for the reserves.
“I’m excited to join Hailstorm,” said Hernández. “With the familiar faces I feel like we’re going to create a challenging team. We have a good chance of winning this year’s title, and I’m very excited for that. We’ll be a very competitive team.”
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC will make its USL League One debut on April 9 with a match against Richmond Kickers. Due to construction at the Future Legends Complex, the club’s first home match will be almost two months later, when they host North Carolina FC on June 8.
Hailstorm FC will play its home matches in the 6,500-seat main stadium of the Future Legends Complex, the premier destination for sports and events in Northern Colorado. Opening in 2022, the 118-acre complex will feature a professional stadium, multiple baseball diamonds and multi-purpose fields, an indoor sports arena, lodging, and retail; and will host guests for major sports tournaments, events, leagues, and more.