While several coaches and players facing off in the 2024 USL League One Final this Sunday have already been able to claim a league title at one point in their respective careers, there are still some key figures who are chasing their first. Here's who you should root for to win their first league title and why.

HC - Dominic Casciato (OMA)

The reigning USL League One Coach of the Year has led the Owls to their second consecutive USL League One Players' Shield in just his second season as a professional head coach. The former First-Team All-Conference defender at NCAA Division II Limestone University has spent the majority of his young coaching career within the technical staffs or front offices of the Brooklyn Italians, RCD Espanyol, New York Cosmos, El Paso Locomotive FC and FC Midtjylland, among others, as he chases his first league title as a head coach.

M - Luis Gil (SPK)

The former United States Men's National Team midfielder and inaugural captain for Velocity FC is enjoying the most productive season of his 15-year professional career with 11 goals and five assists across all competitions. Despite winning Copa MX in Apertura 2016 with Querétaro FC, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2018 with Houston Dynamo FC and the USL League One Players' Shield with Union Omaha just a season ago, Gil is still chasing his first league title. Now, he'll have a chance to get his first on Sunday, and it would come against his former team.

F - Aarón Gómez (OMA)

Reuniting with former El Paso Locomotive FC assistant and current Omaha head coach Dominic Casciato over the offseason, Gómez has been integral to Omaha's postseason success, recording a goal and an assist in the Owls' come-from-behind Semifinal victory against Greenville last week. Before joining the Owls over the offseason, the Durango, Mexico native had spent the entirety of his professional career in the Borderplex region with FC Juárez and El Paso Locomotive FC, becoming the latter's all-time appearances leader after five seasons with the USL Championship side.

D - Ish Jome (SPK)

The 30-year-old Gambia international has spent his entire career within the United States, spending time in USL League Two, the NASL, MLS, USL Championship, MLS NEXT Pro, and now, USL League One. Jome began his professional career with Minnesota United FC and spent time with the Loons in both the NASL and MLS. Since leaving St. Paul in 2017, Jome has played with seven different clubs and is a win away from claiming his first league title.

M - Zeiko Lewis (OMA)

After starring collegiately at Boston College and finding success at the USL League Two level with Bermuda Hogges and Real Boston Rams, Lewis was selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls. Lewis began his professional career in the USL Championship with New York Red Bulls II before trying his luck overseas in Iceland. Lewis returned to the United States in 2019 where he spent five seasons combined with USL Championship powers Charleston Battery and Sacramento Republic FC. Chasing his first league title, the 30-year-old Bermuda international has enjoyed a standout season for club and country, totaling four goal contributions in his last three matches for Bermuda and three goal contributions in his last four matches for Omaha.

M - Nortei Nortey (OMA)

A graduate of the Chelsea FC academy in his native London, Nortey has found sustained success in USL League One after spending the majority of his career in England's National League. Following a brief stint with Scottish second-division side Queen of the South FC in 2020-21, Nortey made the move to the United States where he joined Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC ahead of its inaugural 2022 season. Through a combined three seasons with USL League One sides - Northern Colorado from 2022-23 and Omaha in 2024 - the 30-year-old Nortey has amassed 92 appearances and six goal contributions across all competitions for the pair.

HC - Leigh Veidman (SPK)

Veidman has coached in the USL ecosystem since 2016 and is in his first full season as a head coach. The 36-year-old's upward trajectory has seen him go from an assistant coach in USL League Two to finding success as a coach at the USL Championship level. After briefly leading OKC Energy FC as its head coach, Veidman served as an assistant coach for the Charleston Battery a season ago. After the Battery's heartbreaking loss in a penalty kick shootout against Phoenix Rising FC in the 2023 USL Championship Final, Veidman made the move to the Pacific Northwest where he was tabbed as Spokane's first head coach. After sneaking into the playoffs and subsequently constructing an incredible postseason run, Veidman is just one win away from locking up his first league title as a head coach - and it would come in a city he's quite familiar with. Veidman played collegiately in the area with NAIA Bellevue University and kicked off his coaching career at an Omaha-area high school.

D - Derek Waldeck (SPK)

The two-time NCAA Men's College Cup winner with Stanford University in 2016 and 2017 is chasing the first trophy of his five-year professional career. Drafted with the 66th overall selection in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas, Waldeck thrived with Dallas' then-USL League One affiliate, North Texas SC. The 26-year-old is the sixth player in league history to suit up for four different League One teams (North Texas SC, Greenville Triumph SC, One Knoxville SC, Spokane Velocity FC), and of those six players, Waldeck is the only one yet to claim a League One title.