Ljubljana Silverhawks
 | |
| Founded | April 2002[1] |
|---|---|
| Based in | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| Colors | Cobalt Blue, Metallic Silver, and White |
| Championships | SFL: 2009–10, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 CEFL Bowl: 2012 |
The Ljubljana Silverhawks were an American football team based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, founded in 2002 by a group of football fans from the Slovenian capital. The team won the Slovenian Football League a record six times (2009–10, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2017). They also won the Central European Football League in 2012.
Before the 2019 season, Ljubljana Silverhawks merged with Domžale Tigers.[2]
History[edit]
The Ljubljana Silverhawks were established in April 2002, becoming the first American football team based in Slovenia.[1] Initially, the Silverhawks were not affiliated with any league.[3]
In 2006, the Silverhawks were one of the founding members of the Central European Football League (CEFL). In 2009, together with three other teams, the Silverhawks competed in the first-ever edition of the Slovenian Football League. On 26 June 2010, the Silverhawks defeated the Alp Devils 41–0 and thus became the first champions of Slovenia.[4]
The Silverhawks retained the Slovenian Football League title in 2011, after defeating the Croatian team Zagreb Thunder, which competed as the guest team.[5] The Silverhawks won the CEFL title in 2012, and then also won the Slovenian League title in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
In 2016, the Silverhawks joined the Austrian Football League (AFL)[6] and reached the wild card playoffs three times in a row. After the 2018 season, the Silverhawks left the AFL due to financial problems.[7]
Honours[edit]
- Champions (6): 2009–10, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017
- Champions (1): 2012
- Runners-up (2): 2010, 2014
Season statistics[edit]
Slovenian Bowl appearances[edit]
| Bowl | Season | Champions | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slovenian Bowl I | 2009–10 | Ljubljana Silverhawks | Alp Devils | 41–0 |
| Slovenian Bowl II | 2011 | Ljubljana Silverhawks | Zagreb Thunder | 29–19 |
| Slovenian Bowl III | 2012 | Ljubljana Silverhawks | Maribor Generals | 23–10 |
| Slovenian Bowl IV | 2013 | Ljubljana Silverhawks | Maribor Generals | 45–0 |
| Slovenian Bowl V | 2016 | Ljubljana Silverhawks | Alp Devils | 55–6 |
| Slovenian Bowl VI | 2017 | Ljubljana Silverhawks | Alp Devils | 47–0 |
CEFL Bowl appearances[edit]
| Bowl | Season | Champions | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEFL Bowl V | 2010 | Vukovi Beograd | Ljubljana Silverhawks | 42–20 |
| CEFL Bowl VII | 2012 | Ljubljana Silverhawks | Vukovi Beograd | 34–21 |
| CEFL Bowl IX | 2014 | Vukovi Beograd | Ljubljana Silverhawks | 27–17 |
Austrian Football League[edit]
| Year | Finish | Pct. | Games | W | D | L | PF | PA | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 4th | 0.400 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 237 | 272 | Won WC: Mödling Rangers (65–18) Lost SF: Tirol Raiders (30–63) |
| 2017 | 3rd | 0.600 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 383 | 358 | Won WC: Mödling Rangers (49–20) Lost SF: Tirol Raiders (27–45) |
| 2018 | 6th | 0.500 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 298 | 362 | Lost WC: Graz Giants (21–28) |
- WC = Wild card
- SF = Semi-final
References[edit]
- ^ a b "STA: Olimpijske novice OKS številka 13". sta.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian Press Agency. 19 April 2002. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Pomlad je tu in tekmovalna sezona 2019 je pred vrati" (in Slovenian). Domžale Tigers. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Zgodovina in dosežki kluba" [History and achievements] (in Slovenian). Ljubljana Silverhawks. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ "DP 2009/10 – SLO BOWL I" (in Slovenian). Maribor Generals. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- ^ "DP 2012 – SLO BOWL II" (in Slovenian). Maribor Generals. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- ^ "Tekmovanja" [Competitions] (in Slovenian). Ljubljana Silverhawks. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ "AFL 2019 mit acht Teams". football-austria.com (in German). 22 January 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2020.