South Jersey Barons, D-3 Pro League (1996–2002) The club was founded in 1996 as the
South Jersey Barons and joined the
United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues (USISL) as a professional franchise, competing in the
USISL D-3 Pro League (now the
United Soccer League). In 1998, in only their second year in existence, the Barons won the Mid-Atlantic Division title. The next year, they followed that up with a second straight playoff appearance and a run to the USISL D-3 national championship game. On September 11, 1999, the Barons, playing the title game on the road, lost 2–1 to the
Western Mass Pioneers. The Barons made a third straight playoff appearance in 2000, but would struggle for the next three years, never finishing above fourth place in the division. ===
USL League Two (2003–present)=== In 2003, the Barons moved to the
USL Premier Development League, and after finishing in fourth place in their inaugural season, they made history in their second season in the PDL. In 2004, they became the fifth team in league history to go through the regular season with an unbeaten record (14–0–4). In the 2013 2nd Round they defeated
USL Pro side the
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1–0 at Carey Stadium marking the team's fifth win over a professional team. However, they were beaten by the
Philadelphia Union of MLS in the next round by the score of 2–1, after the Union scored a goal in second half stoppage time. In 2017, the Nor'easters hosted Junior Lone Star FC of the Philadelphia Premier Soccer League in the opening round. After a 3–1 win, they advance to Round 2 where they hosted the
Harrisburg City Islanders in a rematch of the
2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. After 120 minutes of scoreless soccer, Harrisburg won the penalty kick shootout 6–5. For Ocean City, it was the sixth shutout of a professional team, more than any amateur team in the Modern Era. In 2018, the Nor'easters had to play all of their games on the road, starting with a 3–0 win in
Ypsilanti, Michigan over
NPSL power
AFC Ann Arbor. Next, they traveled to North Carolina to take on the
Charlotte Independence of the
USL and they won the game 3–1 to earn their sixth win over a professional team in the competition. It was the first time they had upset a professional team away from home and it was the first time they did so while allowing a goal (the previous five were all shutouts). They would return to North Carolina where their US Open Cup run would come to an end with a 4–1 loss to
North Carolina FC of the
USL. As a
USL League Two team in the Lamar Hunt
U.S. Open Cup, Ocean City have six wins with five of them being upsets of professional clubs. Only two amateur teams have more wins and upsets in the tournament (
Michigan Bucks and
Des Moines Menace)
U.S. Open Cup Results ==Players==