Midway through the 2016 USL regular season, Wilmington Hammerheads looked in good position to make a return to the postseason, sitting with 26 points off a 6-5-5 record. The Hammerheads came up short, however, as a run of only eight points in their final 14 games of the season – including victory in their season finale – left them one point short of Orlando City B.

There were positives from the season. Wilmington’s run to the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was impressive, as was a performance that saw them fall on the road in a penalty shootout against Real Salt Lake. As a playoff berth sat waiting to be claimed, though, dropped points against Bethlehem, Pittsburgh and Montreal left the Hammerheads on the outside.