. ▁ ▁First ▁seasons ▁( 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 8 ) ▁In ▁prepar ation ▁of ▁their ▁inaug ural ▁season , ▁Ste el ▁FC ▁built ▁a ▁ro ster ▁with ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁US L ▁veter ans ▁( M ic key ▁Dal y , ▁Ryan ▁Rich ter , ▁Bol u ▁Ak iny ode ), ▁Philadelphia ▁Union ▁draft ▁pick s ▁( J osh ▁Y aro , ▁Fab ian ▁Her bers ), ▁and ▁key ▁international ▁players ▁( James ▁Ch amb ers , ▁C ory ▁Bur ke ). ▁This ▁team ▁would ▁be ▁largely ▁supported ▁by ▁Union ▁players ▁on ▁short - term ▁lo ans ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁a cademy ▁players ▁from ▁Y SC ▁Academy . ▁The ▁team ' s ▁first ▁season ▁saw ▁g lim ps es ▁of ▁posit ives ▁but ▁ultimately ▁strugg led ▁down ▁the ▁stretch ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁going ▁win less ▁in ▁their ▁last ▁ 1 2 ▁matches . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Soccer ▁Federation ▁granted ▁US L ▁prov is ional ▁Division ▁II ▁status ; ▁making ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁season ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁Ste el ▁FC ▁would ▁comp ete ▁as ▁a ▁Division ▁II ▁team . ▁Ste el ▁built ▁on ▁their ▁inaug ural ▁season ▁continu ing ▁to ▁integrate ▁more ▁amateur ▁players ▁from ▁Y CS ▁Academy ▁and ▁other ▁young ▁players . ▁The ▁emer gence ▁of ▁Se ku ▁Con neh ▁and ▁C ory ▁Bur ke ▁as ▁reliable ▁scoring ▁thre ats ▁helped ▁Ste el ▁FC ▁double ▁their ▁previous ▁season ' s ▁win