The Hailstorm were founded in 2022 and spent three seasons in USL League One. The club improved from a 7th place finish in its inaugural season to making the playoffs in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons in USL League One. The Hailstorm has also had solid runs in the U.S. Open Cup, winning five matches in three years, securing cupsets over the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC of USL Championship and Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer. The Hailstorm also won its first trophy in club history last season, defeating Forward Madison FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup.

“We could not be more excited for The Hailstorm to participate in this thrilling tournament and beyond,” said Hailstorm Co-Owner Casey Katofsky. Our goal is provide the best development and opportunities for our players and this will allow us to continue to branch out into worthwhile and prospective opportunities.”

Some other notable accolades during the Hailstorm's time in USL League One include former defender Bruno Rendon being named 2024 USL League One Defender of the Year. The club also had four former players, Ethan Hoard, Bruno Rendon, Lalo Delgado, and David Garcia, who were named to the 2024 USL League One All-League Team. Technical Director and Head Coach Éamon Zayed received a Coach of the Year nomination from USL League One last year. The Hailstorm recently made its debut in The League for Clubs this summer.

NISA will announce more participating clubs for the 2025 NISA Pro Cup in the coming days and weeks. Fans can stay up to date and learn more about the club by following the Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC on its social media pages or by visiting their website below.

Follow Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC: Facebook: @NorthernColoradoHailstormFC | Instagram: @nocohailstormfc | X/Twitter: @nocohailstormfc | hailstormfc.com

About NISA
The National Independent Soccer Association was founded in 2017 with a mission to bring professional soccer to every city in the United States. A pro league member of U.S. Soccer, NISA focuses on a model based on independent clubs owning their intellectual property, all without the barrier of territorial rights. A member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, NISA also runs the Independent Cup, open to independent professional and amateur clubs alike, and NISA Nation, an incubator league for amateur clubs interested in going pro. For more information about NISA visit NISASoccer.com or contact Josh
Taylor at joshtaylor@nisasoccer.com. Follow NISA on X/Twitter @NISALeague and on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @NISASoccer.