Hill City

Anthony Catalano grew up in Lynchburg, went on to play professionally, and later founded a club of his own, Apotheos FC. He brought in Michael "Hitch" Hitchcock, who had spent more than 12 years in Major League Soccer with DC United, Colorado Rapids, LA Galaxy and FC Dallas. Together they launched Hill City in August 2025. The name is the city's own nickname, and the club has no other.

The team entered USL League Two, a semi-professional league, for the 2026 season. The first player signed was goalkeeper Tyler Beck, a Lynchburg native who plays for Liberty University. That fitted the founders' aim of a team with roots in the city. The head coach was Lucas Paulini, who also works as an assistant with the men's team at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The fans chose the home shirt. It is purple with yellow trim on the sleeves and collar, and it carries yellow and light blue vertical pinstripes. The main supporter group is called River Watch, after the James River that runs through the city. Home games are played at City Stadium, where the club puts capacity at 9,000, well below the 15,000 usually quoted for the ground.

The first season began without a defeat, and the team beat Patuxent Football Athletics 6–1. It ended level, with seven wins and seven losses, and Hill City missed the playoffs.