Tormenta FC’s Roster Begins to Take Shape Ahead of a Pivotal Season

After an electric second half of the season last year, Tormenta FC’s roster is slowly starting to come together, and fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about how this team is shaping up. As with any offseason, familiar faces are moving on to new opportunities, marking the end of an era for some fan favorites.

Departing Players

• Mason Tunbridge (CAM) → Miami FC

• Taylor Gray (LW) → FC Naples

• Austin Pack (GK) → Tampa Bay Rowdies

• Gabriel Cabral (CM) → Union Omaha

• Makel Rasheed (CB) → Indy Eleven

• Callum Stretch (CB/RB) → Sarasota Paradise

• Sebastian Vivas (ST) → Free Agent

• Oscar Jimenez (WB) → Free Agent

• Gabriel Alves (LB) → Free Agent

• Aaron Walker (CM) → Free Agent

• Thabo Nare (CB) → Free Agent

• Justin Malou (CB, loaned from North Carolina FC) → Free Agent

• Jackson Silva Kasanze (CB/RB) → Free Agent

• Joseph Perez (CB/LB) → Free Agent

• Handwalla Bwana (W) → Free Agent

• Jonathan Nyandjo (ST) → Free Agent

This is a LOT of roster turnover, most notably with the loss of Austin Pack in goal. The former USL1 Goalkeeper of the Year saved countless points for the Ibises and deserved his promotion to the USL Championship with the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Mason Tunbridge also deserved a promotion, being transferred to Miami FC after a 13 goal, 6 assist season. Sebastian Vivas (16 goals/assists in two seasons), a valuable starter or super sub up front, is expected to sign with another USL club. Add in Taylor Gray’s move to FC Naples, and nearly the entirety of Tormenta’s attack needs replacing.

For the rest of the lineup, the loss of Gabriel Cabral in the midfield is notable, along with starting left back Gabriel Alves and starting center back Jackson Silva Kasanze. Alves is expected to sign with a USL Championship club.

While saying goodbye to players the fans grew to know and love is never easy, continuity remains an important part of Tormenta’s identity. Leading that continuity is Mr. Statesboro himself, Sam Jones, who has been part of the Tormenta system for the past 10 years. He’s joined by Yaniv Bazini, captain Conor Doyle, Anatolie Prepelita—returning after missing most of last season due to an early knee injury—and Keaton Pray, who joined the squad in August.

Key Additions Bring a Ton of Experience

Tormenta has also made several eye-catching additions, including players arriving from the USL Championship and the reigning back-to-back Goalkeeper of the Year. These moves should give fans real optimism heading into another big season—especially with the attacking power coming into the squad.

Sean Lewis arrives as one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in the league. The 33-year-old Michigan native played college soccer at Oakland University before beginning a professional career that includes stops in the NASL and the USL Championship with FC Tulsa and Indy Eleven. He later joined One Knoxville in 2023, where he truly flourished.

• FC Tulsa: 11 clean sheets in 62 matches

• One Knoxville: 28 clean sheets in 79 matches

• Goals allowed per game: 0.96

Winning Goalkeeper of the Year in back-to-back seasons, Lewis immediately raises both the floor and ceiling of Tormenta’s defense.

Lucca Dourado, a 25-year-old Brazilian forward, joins after a productive loan spell with Forward Madison from Birmingham Legion. After finishing his college career at UCF—where he scored an impressive 43 goals in 69 matches—Dourado signed with Legion in January. He made limited appearances before moving to Madison, where he tallied 8 goals and 2 assists in 22 matches. His pace and finishing should pair well with Bazini and Niall Reid-Stephen, forming a dangerous attacking trio.

In midfield, Andrew Booth adds experience and bite. The 28-year-old Jamaican midfielder arrives from FC Tulsa, where he spent the past two seasons. Originally drafted by Minnesota United but unsigned, Booth has built a strong USL résumé with Greenville Triumph, Charleston Battery, Miami FC, and Tulsa. While he isn’t known for high goal totals, Booth excels at chance creation—and when he does pull the trigger, he brings serious power.

Defensively, Moses Mensah strengthens the back line. The 27-year-old Ghanaian began his career with WA All Stars in the Ghana Premier League, helping them win the league title in his second season. He later moved to the U.S. to attend Campbell University, earning All-Conference First Team honors in all four years as a defender. Drafted by Real Salt Lake in 2023 but unsigned, Mensah made his mark with Birmingham Legion, where his defensive work played a key role in their best-ever USL Championship season and a run to the US Open Cup quarterfinals.

Still Awaiting Decisions

There are still a few unanswered questions as the offseason continues. Chief among them is the status of Niall Reid-Stephen, Tormenta’s 2025 team goals leader. In his first season with the club, he recorded 16 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, making his return a priority.

Alon Drey, a defensive midfielder who joined last season, also remains undecided. Primarily used as a rotational player, he impressed with his ability to win duels and clear danger. Additionally, Shafer Gottlieb, a 19-year-old Tormenta Academy product, continues to develop after signing with the first team last year. Though he didn’t make an appearance, his work ethic and presence around the squad suggest his debut may not be far off if he returns.

Projected Lineup

Starting from the back, Lewis and Mensah will be shoe-in starters to replaces Pack and Alves. Prepelita started at LCB for the club early in the season before his injury, but future signings in the defense will determine if he starts or comes off the bench. Future signings are expected and desperately needed, with no clear starters at RCB and RB and no backups.

Club captain Conor Doyle is another shoe-in starter, but who will start next to him in midfield is still in the air. While Andrew Booth has vast USL experience, he did not make many appearances for FC Tulsa last season, so competition may be brought in to fill Gabriel Cabral’s vacancy.

In the attack, Dourado is expected to play on the left side with Bazini as the true #9. Reid-Stephen will be the team’s best player and lead the attack if he does return, but who would play on his right side is to be determined.

There’s still work to be done, and only time will tell how these pieces come together. But one thing is clear: Tormenta FC is moving in the right direction, with the depth, experience, and ambition needed to make another strong push toward the playoffs this season.

Greenville Triumph announced today the appointment of Dave Dixon as its third head coach in club history.

Dixon joins from Charlotte Independence, where he served as an assistant to Head Coach Mike Jeffries during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, as well as in 2024 and 2025. Dixon also served as the Director of Soccer for FC Carolina from 2021-2024.

He replaces Rick Wright, who departed the club in November after two seasons at the helm.

Greenville is in the middle of a roster rebuild after missing the playoffs for the first time in club history in 2025. While many defenders were re-signed, most of the offense departed with the exception of Leo Castro and offensive-contributing right back Conor Evans.

The club also announced the appointment of new General Manager and Sporting Director, Zach Prince earlier this week as it continues to rebuild the sporting organization ahead of the 2026 season. It is the first time in the club’s history that the roles are split, with Wright and previous Head Coach John Harkes taking on the dual role.

Greenville will move into its new soccer-specific stadium, GE Verona Park at BridgeWay Station in Mauldin, just outside of Greenville in 2026. Sources tell us the stadium is on track for completion by mid-May.

The USL released the format, groups and schedule for the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cub today.

Just like the 2025 version, then sponsored by Jägermeister, there will be a group stage, followed by a knockout tournament.

The seven groups have six clubs each, with the exception of group four, which has seven clubs. The clubs will play four group matches, two home, two away, drawn prior to the release of the schedule.

Clubs will advance to the knockout round by winning their respective group, along with one wild card advancing as a second-place team with the most points in group play. In the result of a points tie, the tiebreaker will be goals scored.

Play will begin on April 25th, continuing with one group stage round per month through July. The knockout round will begin on August 13th, followed by Semifinals on September 9th and the final tentatively scheduled for the weekend of October 2-4.

Hartford Athletic won last year’s tournament, defeating Sacramento Republic in the final. Greenville Triumph made it the furthest of the USL League One group, losing to Hartford in the semifinal.

Prinx Tires USL Cup Groups

Group 1

• Spokane Velocity FC

• Athletic Club Boise

• Sacramento Republic FC

• Oakland Roots SC

• Monterey Bay FC

• Las Vegas Lights FC

Group 2

• AV ALTA FC

• Orange County SC

• El Paso Locomotive FC

• Phoenix Rising FC

• New Mexico United

• Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Group 3

• One Knoxville SC

• Chattanooga Red Wolves SC

• Corpus Christi FC

• FC Tulsa

• San Antonio FC

• Birmingham Legion FC

Group 4

• Fort Wayne FC

• Forward Madison FC

• Union Omaha

• Detroit City FC

• Indy Eleven

• Louisville City FC

• Lexington SC

Group 5

• Portland Hearts of Pine

• Westchester SC

• New York Cosmos

• Hartford Athletic

• Rhode Island FC

• Brooklyn FC

Group 6

• Greenville Triumph SC

• Charlotte Independence

• Richmond Kickers

• Loudoun United FC

• Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

• Charleston Battery

Group 7

• FC Naples

• Sarasota Paradise

• South Georgia Tormenta FC

• Miami FC

• Sporting JAX

• Tampa Bay Rowdies

Sarasota Paradise signed its sixth player today, announcing the addition of USL veteran Chandler O’Dwyer.

The 26 year old midfielder joins from the Richmond Kickers, where he spent the last four seasons, and recently departed in free agency. With Richmond, O’Dwyer proved to be a dynamic and flexible presence in the midfield, playing anywhere from defensive midfielder to central, right and left midfield, even stepping in as striker on occasion.

He leaves Richmond with 15 goals and four assists across all competitions in four seasons, leading the team in regular season goals scored in 2024.

At Richmond, O’Dwyer played under then-assistant coach Mika Elovaara, now Head Coach and Sporting Director at Sarasota Paradise in the club’s first professional season. He was known as a fan favorite, especially after scoring the match winner at the death in a heated rivalry matchup against Forward Madison in 2024.

At Sarasota, O’Dwyer will join fellow USL veteran Garrett McLaughlin, along with three league newcomers from Finland and Norway, and a first-time professional signed from Sarasota’s 2025 USL League Two squad.

We’re tracking all USL League One transactions on our 2026 Transactions Tracker.

South Georgia Tormenta announced the transfer of midfielder Mason Tunbridge to Miami FC of USL Championship today.

While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, it’s believed to have been a fee transfer, as Tormenta held an option on Tunbridge for 2026.

The 24 year old had a breakout season in 2025, racking up 13 goals and seven assists across competitions, including nine goals in the regular season and one in the playoffs. He joined the club ahead of the 2024 season, signing a two-year deal with an option year as his first professional contract.

Tunbridge joins 2025 teammate Makel Rasheed in USL Championship, as the defender signed with Indy Eleven earlier this week. There have been five USL League One players announced for USL Championship teams so far this off-season.

Earlier today, Tormenta announced the signing of USL League One two-time Goalkeeper of the Year, Sean Lewis. With Niall Reid-Stephen the only player known to be under contract, we’re still waiting on returning player announcements from the club.

At Miami, Tunbridge will join former Tormenta defender Dalton Knutson, who departed the club just before Tunbridge joined.

We’re tracking all USL League One transactions on the 2026 Transactions Tracker.

South Georgia Tormenta announced this morning the signing of back-to-back and current Goalkeeper of the Year Sean Lewis in free agency.

Lewis not only won the prestigious league award in 2024 and 2025, but also led One Knoxville to its first Player’s Shield and win over Spokane in the league playoff final.

The 33 year old goaltender has been with Knoxville since its first professional season in 2023, and led the league in clean sheets in 2025 with 12. During Lewis’ time in Knoxville, the club conceded the fewest goals in regular season play all three seasons.

Lewis’ 2025 run was also notable for his having the highest save percentage among Golden Glove-eligible goalkeepers at 73.4 percent, with a -0.59 Goals Prevented mark in the regular season.

Per sources, Lewis was not offered a contract at One Knoxville, where the club appears ready to give Lewis’ backup Johan Garibay a shot at the number one spot. The last official word from the club was that it was in negotiations with Garibay to return, as both he and Lewis were out of contract following the 2025 season.

Meanwhile, last week Tormenta announced the departure of its own star goalkeeper Austin Pack after just one season. Pack remains a free agent.

Lewis will re-join Head Coach Mark McKeever, who led One Knoxville in 2023 and most of 2024 before departing in August of that season. He joined Tormenta as an assistant earlier in the 2025 season, and was thrust into the head job this Summer with the sudden departure of Ian Cameron.

McKeever expressed his excitement to work with Lewis, saying “he brings tremendous experience, and our views of the game are very aligned with what will fit into the club’s game model.”

McKeever also touted Lewis’ “wisdom and experience to the tactical perspective of the game,” saying that it aligns with the club’s identity.

Tormenta has yet to announce any returning players, with Lewis’ signing the first of the off-season for the club. While it has announced a large number of departures, the only player known to be under contract is 2025 Player of the Year nominee Niall Reid-Stephen. The club is believed to have options on Yaniv Bazini, Alon Drey, Anatolie Prepelita and Mason Tunbridge, none of whom have been annouced yet.

We are tracking all of the USL League One transactions on our 2026 Transactions Tracker.

It’s time to check in on the off-season progress for the USL League One clubs we cover at Southeast Soccer Report. We’ll examine roster moves, coaching changes, rumors and other significant developments ahead of the 2026 season.

Charlotte Independence finished the season in 8th place, earning the final seed of the playoffs by only a point, before losing to eventual champions One Knoxville in the first round.

The squad struggled to maintain its system following the departure of early season standouts Luis Álvarez (fee transfer to Tampa Bay) and Alfredo Midence (recalled to Lexington). After June, the club’s only regular season wins came against lower-ranked teams, Westchester, Richmond and AV Alta.

Charlotte Independence Departing Players

The club made an end-of-season roster announcement on November 20th that included only departing players who had their options declined.

This included goaltender and long time professional veteran Amal Knight, who had all but taken over the top spot in net by the end of the season. With Matt Levy under contract for another year, it seems confidence will be restored back to Levy heading into 2026.

It also included a long time fixture of the midfield, and two-time Young Player of the Year nominee Omar Ciss. At just 24, the central and defensive midfielder has four seasons of experience in USL League One, followed by two in USL Championship with Austin Bold. We’d expect to see him land somewhere for 2026.

Another surprising departure was Rafael Jauregui, a 2025 Young Player of the Year nominee. The 20 year old winger made 26 starts before appearing to fall out of favor by the final three matches of the season. He scored four goals across competitions, along with three assists.

2025’s lead goal-scorer Christian Chaney also departed after just one season, his second stint with Charlotte. Chaney had a career-high 13 regular season goals, and at 31 years old, should still find another opportunity.

Other departures included Nathan Gray, Juan David Moreno, Paolo Alcocer, Tumi Moshobane, Djibril Faye, Mike DeShields and Tresor Mbuyu.

In addition, Anton Sorenson departed in free agency, and was quickly announced for Chattanooga FC in MLS NextPro. And while it hasn’t been confirmed by the club, but center back Nick Spielman publicly stated on social media that he is a free agent and not likely to return to Charlotte.

Charlotte Independence: Who Might Return?

This leaves a small core of options, including Jon Bakero, Christopher Jaime, Souaibou Marou, Fabrice Ngah, and Javen Romero.

Bakero in particular seemed to hold things together for the squad following the departure of Álvarez and Midence. The 29 year old veteran finished the season with three goals and a team-leading nine assists, second highest in the league. It would be prudent for Charlotte to lock down his services for another season.

Marou finished the season with nine goals, seven of which came off the bench as a backup option for Chaney. This included one hat trick, where all three goals came in the second half after subbing in at the half. At 25 years old, he’d likely make a good option to replace Chaney if able to play more minutes this season.

Ngah is another standout who should be prioritized, finishing the season with a career high in goals with five. The 29 year old left back competed for minutes with Sorenson, but if he remains in shape, should lock down the spot in 2026.

Notable free agents include long time right back and team captain Clay Dimick, and midfielder Bachir Ndiaye.

While out of contract, we’ve heard at least Dimick was in negotiations to return. However, we have no news out of the Charlotte front office just yet. The 31 year old has played every single minute for the club over the last two seasons, and has been with the team since 2019.

Off Season Needs

We’ve heard Charlotte, like a lot of USL League One clubs this off season, is looking to get younger with its new signings.

If Ngah and Dimick return, Head Coach Mike Jeffries will need to concentrate on the center back position, while bringing in serviceable backups on the sides. Javen Romero fits the bill, a 19 year old who made 21 starts in the role across the 2025 regular season. If his option is exercised, they’d need two or three others to compete for the spot.

In the midfield, Jeffries will need to find a replacement for Ciss, a reliable presence at defensive midfielder and central midfielder in 2025. Ciss made 27 of 30 starts, mostly alongside Ndiaye. Look for the club to bring in someone from the outside in replacement.

The wings, right midfield and left midfield are also points of contention heading into the off-season. After dropping in productivity following the loss of Álvarez and Midence, the Jacks went through a rotating cast, with Bakero the notable returnee. We’ll look for Charlotte to find some younger players to back and play alongside Bakero.

Up front, we’ll look for Charlotte to identify someone to compete with Marou. After the rise of several young stars on other teams in the league, including Yaniv Bazini at South Georgia Tormenta and Karsen Henderlong at FC Naples, perhaps Charlotte will dig into the NCAA or second-year professional talent pool as well.

Finally, look for Matt Levy to regain his top spot in goal. The question remains, will he be backed by a young keeper, or another veteran ready to step in at any time?

We’re tracking all USL League One signings and movements in our 2026 Transfer Tracker.

When fans talk about a “roller coaster season,” it will be hard for anyone to top what South Georgia Tormenta FC delivered this year. From a lightning-fast start, to summer turbulence, to a surge that felt almost destined—Tormenta’s 2025 campaign was unforgettable. Three wins in the first four matches set the tone, but inconsistency crept in through the early summer months. Then came the spark: an incredible six-game winning streak late in the season that punched Tormenta’s ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2023.

And of course—how could anyone forget the goalie goal? Austin Pack’s dramatic late header against Greenville in August will live forever in club lore.

New Faces, Big Moments

This year’s roster featured many new arrivals, and they wasted no time shaping the team’s identity.

• Niall Reid-Stephen (Player of the Year finalist) and Yaniv Bazini formed one of the most electric duos in the league, combining for 24 goals and 11 assists—a staggering 62% of Tormenta’s total scoring output.

• Mason Tunbridge, in his second year with the club, took a massive leap forward. Cool as ice from the spot, he converted all six of his penalty attempts and finished the season with 10 goals and 7 assists, cementing himself as a midfield force.

A Defense That Found Its Identity

While the early-season defensive performances were uneven, the back line matured into a disciplined, resilient unit.

• Makel Rasheed,

• Jackson “Simba” Kasanzu (Young Player of the Year finalist), and

• Gabriel Alves

all played pivotal roles in Tormenta’s defensive resurgence. But it wasn’t just the defenders—goalkeeper Austin Pack elevated his game as well. After the midseason reset, Tormenta allowed only 14 goals in their final 12 matches, transforming into one of the toughest teams to break down in the closing stretch.

A Coaching Change That Flipped the Script

Perhaps the most dramatic turning point came off the pitch. After a road loss to Naples in August, long-time head coach Ian Cameron stepped down, leaving fans full of questions about the club’s direction.

What followed was the spark the season needed. Interim coach Mark McKeever took the reins and led Tormenta on a remarkable 9–1–2 run, propelling the club back into the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

The turnaround was so strong that McKeever was officially named the permanent head coach on September 24th.

Looking Ahead to 2026

What will the 2026 season hold for South Georgia Tormenta FC? That remains anyone’s guess. But one thing is undeniable: this year was a massive step forward. With momentum restored, belief rebuilt, and a core group of rising stars, Tormenta enters the offseason with optimism and ambition.

Key questions remain—Who will stay? Who will move on? And what new talent will join the journey?—but the foundation is strong, and the direction is clear.

Until next time…
Vamos Tormenta!

FC Naples announced its first 2026 roster addition this morning, striker Gio Miglietti.

The 26 year old joins after a season with Huntsville City in MLS NextPro, where he made 15 appearances, including 10 starts. While he did not score any goals there, his time at Tacoma Defiance in 2023 and 2024 was much more productive.

At Tacoma, Miglietti scored five goals in 2024, a season in which he missed significant time due to injury, and scored seven goals with three assists in 2023.

Before turning pro, Miglietti spent four seasons with the University of Washington, scoring 19 goals in 79 appearances. He was also part of the Seattle Sounders academy, earning minutes with Tacoma (then Seattle Sounders 2).

FC Naples cited Miglietti’s “power, composure, and a forward’s instinct” as attributes they hope he brings to the club in 2026.

“Gio brings a tenacity and determination that is essential to our style of play both defensively and offensively,” said Head Coach Matt Poland in the team’s release, “his movements in the box and his ability to score on offensive set pieces will make him a valuable asset to us.”

Where Miglietti Fits in at Naples

With the off-season transfer of breakout star striker Karsen Henderlong to Tampa Bay Rowdies of USL Championship, and the apparent departure of Jayden Onen, Naples has a need for a top striker. Miglietti should compete for the spot with returning striker Dominick Bachstein, who joined the squad in August following Justin Weiss’ sudden mid-season retirement.

Miglietti joins an already announced core of returnees from the 2025 season, including Bachstein, Ian Cerro, Julian Cisneros, Lalo Delgado, Andrés Ferrín, Max Glasser, Kevin O’Connor and Marc Torellas.

Naples also appears to be rebuilding its defense, led in 2025 by all-league center backs Jake Dengler and Brecc Evans, along with USL veteran defensive midfielder Chris Heckenberg. Dengler indicated his departure from the team, while Evans signed with Portland Hearts of Pine for 2026. Heckenberg was also not included on the list of returnees. All had been on one year contracts with Naples.

Dengler and Evans were backed by Gustavo Fernandes and Rodolfo Sulia, both of whom were also not renewed for 2026, leaving Naples with no center backs heading into the off season.

We’re tracking all USL League One signings and movements in our 2026 Transfer Tracker.

Fort Lauderdale announced today that the club will not be fielding a men’s professional side in USL League One as planned in 2026.

The club framed the delay as a move to ensure “long-term success and sustainability” for the club. According to the club’s news release, the delay will also allow for “additional time to reinforce its foundation across player development, facilities, and community programming.”

The club has not yet announced the hiring of technical staff on the men’s side. Currently, it operates a professional women’s side in the top-level USL Gainbridge SuperLeague.

Season ticket deposits remain on sale, and have been deferred to the 2027 season. The club will play at Beyond Bancard Field, where the SuperLeague side currently plays.

Sporting Cascades is expected to make a similar announcement in the coming days. While that club has hired front office executives, started filling in support positions, and has hired a coaching staff, progress was not far enough along to ensure a successful first season.

The league’s schedule is being finalized and should be announced by the first week of December. The final schedule will include 18 clubs, allowing for a balanced regular season, where each team will play home and away.

Additionally, it is expected that the Jägermeister Cup will keep its existing format of including a group stage, followed by a knockout tournament. USL Championship will be fully involved in the tournament, won by Hartford Athletic in 2025.

This will guarantee 19 home matches for USL League One clubs.

The scheduling process for 2026 has been delayed several times due to the loss of Texoma FC, and the delay in entry of Fort Lauderdale and Sporting Cascades.

Other expansion clubs, including AC Boise, Corpus Christi FC, Fort Wayne FC, New York Cosmos, Sarasota Paradise are slated to join as scheduled. All have head coaches in place, and Sarasota has announced the signing of three players, with the Cosmos announcing one. Sources tell us that the other clubs are actively recruiting and have also made unannounced signings.

More signing announcements from all 2026 USL League One clubs started today, with 2025 contracts expiring over the weekend.

This story cross-posted and slightly modified from an original version that appeared on our sister publication Beyond the 90.

Following the conclusion of the 2025 USL Championship season, Birmingham Legion announced their first batch of roster moves.

In a press release sent out at 11 a.m. CT this morning, the Three Sparks named twelve players who would not be returning for the 2026 season. The list was split into three groups: those with contract options that were not taken up, those who did not have an option and became free agents, and loanees returning to parent clubs.

The list is as follows:

• Option declined: Ethan Kos, Edwin Laszo, Erik Centeno, Kameron Lacey, Lucca Dourado and Moses Mensah.

• Free agents: Maliek Howell, Stephen Turnbull and Preston Tabort Etaka

• Loanee departures: Jackson Travis and Tiago Suárez

• Additionally, Trevor Spangenberg’s retirement has finally been confirmed. The goalkeeper called quits on his career midway through the season due to a persistent back injury but no announcement was made until now.

Anybody not listed here is currently in discussion with the club and may yet leave should those negotiations fall through. The only guaranteed returners at this point are Phanuel Kavita, Tyler Pasher and Enzo Martínez, who all signed multi-year deals last December.

Analysis

A few things quickly jump out from this announcement.

The first is that loan players were included, but only two of the Legion’s five loanees are announced as returning to their parent club. This would suggest that the club is attempting to bring Samuel Shashoua, Amir Daley and Ronaldo Damus back to the club for 2026, whether permanently or extending their loans.

Damus had an option to purchase in his contract, so it’s only about agreeing personal terms, while the other two could be slightly more complicated to sign. Mark Briggs made it clear at the end of the season that he wanted both to stick around though, so it’s good to see the front office trying to give him what he wants.

Of the departing players, most were expected, though some will still sadden the Legion faithful.

Moses Mensah and Preston Tabort Etaka both joined the club in 2023 and endeared themselves to the fans but will now set off on a new adventure. In my roster review article earlier this month, I explained why both would likely be headed out the door. Their presences will be missed, but it’s probably best for both their careers and the club’s future to part ways at this junction.

The two biggest surprises are likely Stephen Turnbull and Lucca Dourado. From what I’ve been told, the club had an interested in extending Turnbull’s stay in the Magic City, and it was the player’s choice to move on. For Dourado, while he was out on loan this season, I thought his performances had merited getting a shot in preseason at the very least. It will be interesting to see if he takes the step up to the Championship with another club or remains in League One.

The remaining names are pretty straightforward, though pretty damning on Legion’s recruitment. Of the five remaining players who weren’t in on loan, four joined the club after Mark Briggs. Edwin Laszo, Maliek Howell, Kameron Lacey and Erik Centeno were all brought in for the Englishman and did not have the desired impact at the club.

Trevor McMullen, Peter-Lee Vassell and Sebastián Saucedo are the only Briggs-era signings that could still stick around, a measly 43% success rate (though permanent deals for Daley and Shashoua would bring it up to a perfect 50% retention when factoring in loan deals.)

Recruitment this offseason will need to be much better if this club is to have any ambitions of returning to the playoffs.

Returning players

With this first wave of announcements, Birmingham Legion have 18 players presumed to return in 2026, should contract negotiations be successful. That isn’t to say all 18 will line up for the Three Sparks in the next season though, as some might be retained because of their perceived value to trade or sell for a fee.

The list is as follows:

• Matt van Oekel

• Phanuel Kavita

• Ramiz Hamouda

• Sam McIllhatton

• Ronaldo Damus (requires signing from parent club)

• Dawson McCartney

• Trevor McMullen

• Jake Rufe

• Samuel Shashoua (requires signing from parent club)

• Tyler Pasher

• Peter-Lee Vassell

• Enzo Martínez

• AJ Paterson

• Sebastian Tregarthen

• Sebastián Saucedo

• Amir Daley (requires signing from parent club)

• Temi Ereku

• Fernando Delgado

The most surprising name currently being retained is probably Temi Ereku, who spent most of the season on loan with Forward Madison. Unlike Dourado, Ereku found minutes hard to come by in League One, so it is unclear what future the club sees for him. A second loan could be likely.

The rest of the list are all worth keeping around, and most of them were actually players I suggested hanging on to in my end-of-year review. Enzo Martínez is the only player here that I had suggested moving on, and his stay might well only have been because he already had a contract. He’s one that could still be traded elsewhere, but if not he can certainly still add something to this team, even if only as a locker room presence.

What next?

Birmingham Legion can field a fully coherent lineup with the 18 players currently in-line to stay, but that doesn’t meant there isn’t plenty of work to be done.

Whether Briggs reverts to his preferred 3-4-3 or keeps the 3-5-2 he used at the end of the year, centerback is definitely going to be an area in need of an upgrade. With four players for three spots, that defense is one injury away from a real problem, and 3/4 of the CBs spent a good chunk of time this season on the treatment table.

Briggs will also certainly be looking to add a starting left wing-back that fits his system, as he’s made it very clear that the wing-back role is crucial to how he wants to play. The potential return of Amir Daley will go a long way to ensuring the right flank is taken care of, though a backup will still be needed should Sebastian Tregarthen’s future be further upfield.

The depth chart looks decent in midfield, but I still contend the team needs a proper eight to come in regardless of whether it’s a two-man pivot or a three-man midfield. Ereku is likely not ready for serious minutes, while Martínez is at the other end of the spectrum and will be phased out if he sticks around. Expect several signings in this area as a result.

Finally, a proper out-and-out striker to compete with Damus is a must. The Haitian carried the team’s goalscoring last season and should not be asked to do the same in 2026. If Briggs sticks with a 3-5-2, you probably want to bring in two number nines. If he reverts to a 3-4-3 an additional winger is probably a bigger priority in addition to the first striker. A hybrid player who can cover both spots might be a good idea if available.

The other positions look okay for now, though hopefully the club will still look to upgrade several of those players. While fine to keep around, a lot of them would ideally be backups, not starters, as the Three Sparks look to bounce back from a disappointing season.

The offseason is sure to be a busy one, and there will be plenty of interesting names on the market. North Carolina FC’s entire roster is up for grabs after they folded (hello Finn Sundstrom), and plenty more proven USL Championship players have left their respective clubs. The USL Show’s John Morrisey keeps a tracker of all roster decisions right here.

Let me know who you think Birmingham Legion should sign ahead of the 2026 season, and make sure to follow me on Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook or Bluesky to stay up to date on all my Legion coverage as we head into a busy offseason.

Rodeo SC, the newest expansion team announced for the 2027 USL1 season, seems to be righting the wrong of their now USL2 affiliate, Texoma FC. Texoma Seriously lacked in community outreach events early, electing a strong social media appearance and working heavily with the local youth instead.

During my conversation with Rodeo SC/Texoma FC President Ben Watson, he noted that events of this kind were largely missing during the club’s early stage. The ownership is hoping to grow the fanbase and raise excitement more than a year before their debut season in 2027.

The Texoma Fan Perspective

After speaking with multiple Texoma FC fans and supporters’ group members, the overall feeling seems ambivalent. One supporters’ group member expressed concern that Texoma could end up as the “Red-Headed Stepchild.”

It does seem that they are focusing more heavily on building Rodeo SC than Texoma. Had they invested this time and money into continuing to build Texoma as a USL1 side instead of launching a new team, the fanbase and overall excitement around Texoma might have grown much more. Right now, the atmosphere in Texoma does feel a bit deflated.

The USL League One final is set for Sunday evening in Knoxville at Covenant Health Park. Top seeded One Knoxville will host third seed Spokane Velocity for the title.

It’s the second year in a row Spokane is the visiting side in the playoff final, having fallen to Union Omaha last year. Meanwhile, it’s Knoxville’s first time there, after having won the Player’s Shield this season.

The stadium is officially “multi-use” but in reality is a baseball stadium. As such, it has come with some of the headaches of converting back and forth, with a lot of turf issues through the regular season.

But with baseball over for the year, the turf should be in decent shape by Sunday. In addition, the club announced Wednesday that they were removing the protective netting around the stands to allow for a clear view by fans both in the stadium and watching on television.

At the time of this writing, the club has announced the sale of over 6,450 tickets, and seating areas are completely sold out. An additional 1,000 standing room tickets were made available to meet the extra demand. But even at the last announced number, the club will break the all-time USL League One attendance record on Sunday.

What to Expect from One Knoxville

The hosts finished the season top of the table on a three match win streak. They also had few issues taking down Charlotte Independence in the opening round, and edged by FC Naples in the semi-final.

One Knoxville has also never lost at Covenant Park, the home in which they moved this season. Since the beginning of the season, fans have called it the fortress, something that increasingly rang true as the season went on.

Knoxville led the regular season in goal differential, clean sheets and had the fewest goals conceded. It’s a testament to the incredible work rate of Goalkeeper of the Year Sean Lewis and Defender of the Year Jordan Skelton, and their team of fellow defenders.

However, this isn’t much of a change from the last two seasons, where Knoxville also conceded the fewest goals. What changed was goal scoring.

Under Mark McKeever’s system over the last two seasons, Knoxville finished dead last in goals scored. It was good enough to make the playoffs last season, where they were quickly dispatched in the opening round at Greenville. But this season, under Ian Fuller, the team found its scoring touches and hasn’t looked back.

The difference maker up front has been Babacar Diene, who successfully took the pressure off of Kempes Tekiela and Stavros Zarokostas, and lead the team with ten goals. The 29 year old joined from Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and found his scoring touches at the professional level, which in turn allowed Tekiela and Zarokostas to thrive in support roles.

Tekiela scored eight and provided five assists playing alongside or behind Diene, and Zarokostas provided six assists, and another three goals from the wing.

But Knoxville’s offense went considerably deeper than that, relying on two of the best two-way wingbacks in the league in Stuart Ritchie and Jaheim Brown to move the ball, and a surprising amount of production from Nico Rosamillia on the left. Rosamillia stepped into a top role after expected winger Mark Doyle suffered injuries.

What to Expect from Spokane Velocity

It wouldn’t be fair to say the pre-season favorites struggled down the stretch, because they still finished third and hosted the first two rounds of the playoffs. Going into the final two weeks, they still had a chance to win the Player’s Shield, but had a brutal road trip to end the season. They picked up a win at Naples, but lost badly a few days later in Portland, and ended the season with a draw at Omaha.

They also took both of their playoff matches into extra time and penalty kicks, taking down South Georgia Tormenta, and then exercising the demons by defeating Portland. Goalkeeper Carlos Merancio was a force in net, whether it was regular time, extra time or when saving penalty kicks.

The defense is led by David Garcia, a finalist for Defender of the Year and a First Team All-League selection alongside Knoxville’s Skelton. With Merancio and Garcia, Spokane conceded 35 goals (34 if you discount the three from the forfeit handed to the team against Westchester and only count the two scored in that match), fourth fewest in the league.

Similar to One Knoxville, there wasn’t a player on the team competing for the Golden Boot this year. Instead, it was a team effort up front, with Anuar Peláez leading the squad with ten, followed by his midfield backer, Luis Gil with eight.

It’s Spokane’s depth that makes things especially dangerous in playoff scenarios. Head Coach Leigh Veidman understands the nature of playoff soccer, and uses his depth wisely. Nico Brett has been getting the start up front, despite scoring fewer goals than Peláez.

The USL veteran is still an ever present threat, but with a stout defense able to keep things close, Veidman has been subbing in Peláez in the second half for a fresh threat. If Brett scores - it’s a bonus; if he doesn’t? Veidman has the likes of Peláez, Nil Vinyals and Marky Hernández ready to come in.

In the opening round against Tormenta, it was Peláez with the equalizing penalty late in extra time to send the match to penalties, where Merancio took care of the rest. Against Portland, it was Vinyals at the death, assisted by Hernández.

One Knoxville may have the stronger starting 11 this season, but it’s difficult for any squad to match the depth of Spokane.

Head to Head

The teams met twice this season, drawing 2-2 in March at Spokane and with Knoxville taking their home match 1-0 in August.

In many ways, this is one of the highly probable matchups based on early season expectations. Chattanooga may have shocked everyone with its second place finish, but after being knocked out in the first round, the playoffs found order.

How to Watch

If you aren’t one of the lucky 7,500 people to get in the gates (like me), the match will be available on CBS Golazo, available streaming on Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

Kickoff: 5:00 PM ET

This story cross-posted with Beyond the 90.

Sarasota Paradise announced the club’s first signing today, 28 year old league veteran Garrett McLaughlin.

The striker spent 2025 and part of 2024 with Forward Madison after a mid-season transfer from USL Championship side North Carolina FC. McLaughlin scored a bulk of his 34 goals with NCFC while that club was in USL League One in 2022 and 2023. He also played for Toronto FC II in 2021, scoring eight in that campaign, after starting his career with USL Championship side RGV FC Toros in 2020.

McLaughlin’s time at Madison did not live up to expectations, missing six matches in the early part of 2025 due to injury. He was rotated in and out of the starting eleven, and scored three goals as his team struggled and would ultimately miss the playoffs.

Still, McLaughlin remains third all time in USL League One regular season goals scored with 34, and at the age of 28, has the potential to re-emerge as one of the league’s prominent scoring threats. He adds experience and leadership to a new squad that will begin play in 2026, bringing a league title that he earned with NCFC in 2023.

Sarasota Head Coach Mika Elovaara said in the team’s press release that McGlaughlin was one of the first players he wanted to target from the free agent pool.

“He is a modern striker,” said Elovaara, “a proven goal-scorer on every level he has played at.”

Elovaara also highlighted McLaughlin’s professionalism, chance creation, work rate in transition, and said his “values are aligned with the culture we are building.”

McLaughlin is the first signing announced from the class of 2026 expansion clubs. The league continues to finalize the 2026 schedule, where it is expected we will see anywhere from five to seven new sides join the league.

We’re tracking this and all USL League One transactions on the 2026 Transactions Tracker.

Greenville Triumph announced the departure of Head Coach Rick Wright and his coaching staff today after missing the playoffs for the first time in club history.

Led by Head Coach Rick Wright for the last two seasons, the staff also included assistants Mark Ward, Ryan McKie and Juan Villegas. Wright took over as Head Coach following the departure of John Harkes following the 2023 season, under whom he had served as assistant since 2019.

Per sources close to the situation, the staff departure was on Friday, just two weeks after Triumph finished in 11th place, five points out of qualification, with a record of 8-14-8.

The club officially announced it as a retirement, and did not mention the assistant coaching staff except to say that a search for “the club’s next head coach and coaching staff will begin immediately.”

The club is undergoing massive changes ahead of the 2026 season, with a new ownership group entering the picture, led by Wallace Cheves and Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho. In September, the club announced that founder and President Joe Erwin would be stepping down from operational duties, replaced by Cheves.

Greenville Triumph will move into a new, soccer-specific stadium in 2026, currently under construction in Mauldin. The planned capacity of the stadium is listed at 6,300, revised down from a previous estimate of 10,000. The club has previously played at Furman University’s Paladin Stadium and a stadium at Legacy Early College.

Sources also indicate that there will be a massive change in the roster this off-season. With the departure of the technical staff, contract matters were placed on hold.

Greenville’s 2025 roster was a mix of long-time veterans and younger newcomers. Evan Lee, Brandon Fricke and Tyler Polak are first, second and fourth respectively in all-time USL League One appearances, while 36 year old Leo Castro and 34 year old Sebastián Velásquez are among the oldest players in the league. The 33 year old Fricke led the squad in regular season minutes during the 2025 season.

Greenville is the second club to lose its coaching staff this off-season, after last-place Westchester announced the departure of Dave Carton and his assistants last week. Other non-playoff clubs AV Alta, Madison and Richmond are not expected to make any changes to head coaching staff, although Richmond assistant Mika Elovaara departed to lead 2026 expansion side Sarasota Paradise.

There is no word yet on a replacement technical staff for Greenville at this time, but sources tell us interviews are well underway.

Two southeastern USL League One clubs will face off in the semi-final round this weekend: One Knoxville and FC Naples.

How They Got Here

One Knoxville won the Player’s Shield with the highest number of points in the regular season, earning the top seed in the playoffs. In the first round, they dispatched of eighth-seeded Charlotte Independence by a score of 2-1 on goals from Sivert Haugli and Stavros Zarokostas.

FC Naples finished as the fourth seed after beating Charlotte in the last match of the season, then prevailed over defending champions Union Omaha in penalties in the first round of the playoffs.

Eyes on the Defense

Both squads finished the regular season in the top three fewest goals conceded. Knoxville was first with only 27, while Naples was third with 32.

Knoxville is led by captain and center back Jordan Skelton, a 2025 All-League first team selection, and arguably the top defender in the league. Skelton has been playing alongside Haugli, and with the backing of All-League first team and Golden Glove runner-up goalkeeper Sean Lewis.

FC Naples saw its center back pairing of Jake Dengler and Brecc Evans named to the All-League second team, and have the backing of star goalkeeper Lalo Delgado, who put up ten clean sheets this season.

Breaking Through

With strong defenses, the match will rely on both teams’ explosive offensive weapons to break through. For Knoxville, this has been a dangerous team effort, led by Babacar Diene, with plenty of support from Kempes Tekiela, Zarokostas and wingbacks Jaheim Brown and Stuart Ritchie. Nico Rosamilla has also stepped in to replace the injured Mark Doyle, contributing two goals and three assists.

Naples’ offense is led by Golden Boot runner up and All League first-teamer Karsen Henderlong, who scored a brace in the final match of the season. He’s been supported by a diverse cast including Jayden Onen, Kevin O’Connor, Julian Cisneros and Andrés Ferrín.

Knoxville’s Home Advantage

One Knoxville is undefeated at Covenant Health Park this season, while Naples has struggled away from home with a 4-7-4 record.

Teams of Champions

Knoxville joined the league in 2023, and clinched its first playoff berth in 2024, falling to Greenville in the opening round that season. The 2025 Player’s Shield is the club’s first trophy, and with seven remaining on roster from the inaugural season, has the experience and cohesion to make things difficult for opponents this season.

FC Naples put together an impressive squad and run this season, never dropping lower than fifth in the table. The squad is full of players who have been here before, including Dengler and Chris Heckenberg (2022 champions with South Georgia Tormenta, plus Evans’ 2019 title with North Texas), Evans and Delgado (2024 Jägermeister Cup winners with Northern Colorado), Gustavo Fernandes (2023 champion with North Carolina FC). O’Connor also brings several titles from his time in Ireland.

While a win by FC Naples would see an expansion side in the title match for the second year in a row, One Knox would love to use its longer time together to put a stop to that story.

A Knoxville win would secure hosting rights for the playoff final next weekend. Should FC Naples win, they would have to wait until the results of Spokane vs. Portland on Sunday. A Spokane win would have Naples traveling there, while a Portland win would have Naples hosting the final.

Match Details

One Knoxville SC vs. FC Naples
Covenant Health Park, Knoxville, TN
Saturday, November 8th, 7:00 PM ET

Broadcast: ESPN+

Rodeo Soccer Club, based out of Celina, Texas, will be joining USL League One in 2027. Led by the founder and ownership of Texoma FC, the club will be Texoma’s professional affiliate, creating a direct youth-to-pro pathway.

The club will initially play home matches at the 6,500 capacity Bobcat Stadium. Built in 2018, it includes a press box, indoor practice facility, locker/weight/meeting rooms, and coaches offices.

“Rodeo SC represents an exciting new chapter for the future of soccer in North Texas,” said Justin Papadakis, USL Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer. “Celina is undergoing significant growth, with the infrastructure, corporate presence, and population needed to support a professional club for years to come. Bringing both professional and pre-professional teams under one ecosystem creates a seamless player pathway and a strong foundation for soccer across the region.”

Celina has a population just under 55,000 and is projected to have around 127,000 residents by 2030. It is located half an hour south of Sherman, 20-30 minutes north from Frisco and McKinney, and 45 minutes north of Dallas.

“Celina’s history is full of champions and memorable sports moments. We welcome Rodeo Soccer Club to Celina and look forward to the excitement they will bring to our community,” said Celina Mayor Ryan Tubbs.

Rodeo SC will reveal their official crest and full brand in the new year, with a fan activation event kicking off the team’s community outreach at the Celina Troubadour Festival on November 15. The name “Rodeo” was selected to reflect the area’s Western heritage; the press release states it symbolizes “resilience, pride, and the competitive spirit that define Texas and the City of Celina.”

“Rodeo Soccer Club represents the heart of our family and the spirit of Celina. For my father Bobby, my brother Gabriel, and me, this isn’t just about soccer, it’s about legacy,” said principal owner Jacob West. “We’re building something to endure that reflects the strength, pride, andunity of Celina. With the incredible support of the City, Rodeo SC will stand as a symbol of community and opportunity for years to come.”

“Rodeo Soccer Club is the embodiment of true Texan heritage meeting the beautiful game,” said founder Ben Watson. “Rodeo SC is built on the foundation of bringing Western culture and a universal language spoken through sport together under one common identity. Rodeo SC will bring the community together through the world’s game, create player pathways from youth to pro, and deliver a distinctly unique, fan-friendly, Texan experience.”

The club is on X/Twitter under the username @RodeoSC_, and they are on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook under @Rodeo_SC. Fans can go to RodeoSC.pro to sign up for updates and learn more about the club.

EDITOR’S NOTE: this is a breaking story, and we will provide updates as we receive them.

Per numerous sources close to the situation, North Carolina FC informed its players via the USL Player’s Association last night that the club will cease operations of the USL Championship team following the conclusion of the current playoff run.

The Athletic confirmed the story this morning and broke the news. The team is set to host a playoff match on Saturday against Rhode Island FC after finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference and winning in the opening round against Loudoun United.

All players will become free agents when the playoff run is over. Neither the club nor the league has commented on the news.

Founded as the Carolina Railhawks in 2006, the club played in the USL top division from 2007 through 2009 before pursuing a move to the North American Soccer League. They competed in the USSF division two league in 2010 before moving to NASL in 2011, where they remained until 2017. At that time, they re-joined USL’s second division, but self-relegated to USL League One in 2021. They competed in the third division for three seasons, finishing in last place its first two seasons before reversing course and winning the league title in 2023.

NCFC moved back to USL Championship for 2024 and 2025.

The club has been owned by Steve Malik since 2015. Malik’s time as owner and chairman was marked by a rebranding and an MLS bid in 2016, which ultimately fell short.

This leaves the Eastern Conference one short of expected teams, with Brooklyn FC and Sporting Jax set to join in 2026. However, with 13 teams in the east and 12 in the west, there will likely not be a realignment as was expected.

UPDATE 1: Per Tom Bogert at The Athletic, NCFC has applied for membership in USL’s new top flight league, set to start in 2028.

If accepted, it would appear the plan is to go on hiatus for 2026 and 2027. However, there’s no guarantee that USL accepts the application.

UPDATE 2: the team has informed 2026 season ticket holders of the news, and offered to transfer their tickets over to the North Carolina Courage at the same cost.

In addition, the league will be making a statement at 11:00 AM ET.

UPDATE 3: NCFC and the league confirmed the news, with the team confirming that they’ve applied to join the upcoming USL top division, set to begin in 2028. Notably, the statement said that this would be “supported by a long-term stadium plan.”

The move coincides with NCFC’s USL franchise agreement expiring at the end of the 2025 season.

Per the league’s statement, “the USL believes Raleigh has strong potential as a future Division One market if it meets the league’s professional standards, including a minimum 15,000-seat, purpose-built soccer stadium that will serve as an anchor for real estate development.

This story cross-posted from Beyond the 90

EAST RIDGE, Tn. — A 55th minute Ollie Wright goal was ultimately the difference as Portland Hearts of Pine scored a massive, smash-and-grab win in Tennessee on Saturday evening, to advance to the USL League One Playoff Semi-Final.

The game saw a man-of-the-match performance from Hearts’ 27-year-old goalkeeper who made nine saves including an outstanding diving stop on 23 minutes to deny Greyson Mercer. He saved Portland’s bacon right at the death too, saving from Matthew Bentley six minutes into added time.

On a night when Chattanooga, unusually, dominated chances (15 to 6) and shots on target (9 to 2), it was the visitors who would score the only goal when Englishman Wright dashed into the middle of the pitch, played a one-two with veteran Jake Keegan, and curled a delicious shot into the bottom corner past Ricardo Jérez in the Red Wolves’ goal.

While Chattanooga pushed desperately for an equalizer as the second half ticked on, they were left frustrated by some excellent defending from Nathan Messer, Séga Coulibaly, and Mo Mohamed in the Hearts’ defense. Behind them, Morse was a brick wall. The Red Wolves had 11 shot attempts in the second half, including six on target, none closer than Matthew Bentley’s header on 96 minutes that was pushed aside by Morse.

The result was a sweet one for the mass of Heart’s fans who had made the 1,200 mile journey from Maine to Tennessee to see their team in its maiden playoff game. The dedication of these 100-200 fans is a credit to their club and USL as a whole. One supporter I spoke to, Eric, told me how he had flown from Portland to DC to Chicago to get to Chattanooga. I’m sure Eric felt the expense and effort was absolutely worth it. If only all nights were like this.

Box Score

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC - Portland Hearts of Pine

USL League One

Venue: CHI Memorial Stadium | East Ridge, TN

Attendance: 2,203

Final Score: Chattanooga 0-1 Portland

Referee: Muhammad Hassan

Scoring Summary:

55’: O. Wright (PHP)

Discipline:

26’: K. Green (PHP) - foul, yellow
53’: J. Keegan (PHP) - foul, yellow

Man of the Match: Hunter Morse (PHP)

Line-ups:

Chattanooga Red Wolves (4-4-2): Ricardo Jérez; Yanis Lelin, Eric Kinzner, Declan Watters, Jordan Ayimbila; Omar Hernández, Ualefi (C), Matt Acosta, Aaron Lombardi; Pedro Hernández, Greyson Mercer

Substitutes not used: Jason Smith, Kimball Jackson, Tobi Jnohope, Joshua Ramos, Zahir Vazquez, Omar Gómez, Alhassan Alhassan, Matt Bentley

Head Coach: Scott Mackenzie

Portland Hearts of Pine (4-2-3-1): Hunter Morse; Nathan Messer, Kemali Green, Séga Coulibaly, Mo Mohamed; Mikey Lopez (C) (Patrick Langlois 64’), Michel Poon-Angeron; Ollie Wright, Jake Keegan (Azaad Liadi 64’), Nathaniel James; Titus Washington,

Substitutes not used: Kashope Oladapo, Sean Vinberg, Shandon Wright, Jay Tee Kamara, Evan Southern

Head Coach: Bobby Murphy

Match: Chattanooga Red Wolves SC v Portland Hearts of Pine

Date: Saturday, November 1st, 2025. 19:00 (Eastern)

Venue: CHI Memorial Stadium, East Ridge, TN. Capacity: 2,500

How to watch: ESPN+

Tickets: Red Wolves Website

Expansion side Portland Hearts of Pine will make their post-season debut tomorrow evening in Tennessee when they visit the Chattanooga Red Wolves at CHI Memorial Stadium. The game is the opener of the USL League One Quarter Finals and kicks off at 7pm (Eastern).

Chattanooga (W15 D10 L5 GF:42 GA:30 GD:+12 in the league regular season) were the surprise package of the regular season. After being tipped by many to struggle due to their threadbare squad back in March; Head Coach Scott Mackenzie engineered a stellar season through clever tactics, blistering counterattacking, and tough defending. This saw them go on a sterling 14 game unbeaten run between July 5 and September 27. They’ve won over half their home games (9/15) this season and have only lost once at CHI Memorial Stadium.

Portland (W11 D12 L7 GF:48 GA:38 GD:+10) have some talented players but have struggled for consistency on the field. However, an eight-game unbeaten that included six wins in midseason pushed them into playoff contention at the first time of asking. After clinching their inaugural playoff spot, Hearts scored a team-record six goals in their penultimate match of the season against Spokane. With four wins and six draws, they picked up points in 10 of their 15 away games this year.

The game will be officiated by Muhammad Hassan (Mississippi) and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The history

Chattanooga: P:2 W:1 D:1 L:0 GF:3 GA:2 GD:+1
Portland P:2 W:0 D:1 L:1 GF:1 GA:2 GD:-1

Given this is Portland’s first ever campaign, tonight will be just the third time these sides have met. after coming together twice during the regular season. Their first meeting, on June 7, ended in a 2-1 win to the Red Wolves thanks to goals from Declan Watters and Pedro Hernández that cancelled out an early Azaad Liadi strike. On September 13, at Fitzpatrick Stadium, a Hernández penalty put Chattanooga ahead before Kemali Green equalized for the hosts.

Probable lineups

Chattanooga

Last weekend’s 2-1 win at home to bottom club Westchester saw the Red Wolves close out their season on a high, but miss out on the League One Players’ Shield after Knoxville’s win against Greenville on the same night. Pedro Hernández continued his blistering goalscoring form with an opportunistic strike early in the game. Substitute Matt Bentley then sealed then win after a Westchester equalizer. It was fitting that the club’s two top goalscorers Hernández (10 goals) and Bentley (7 goals) were the ones to seal the win on the night.

Undoubtedly Chattanooga’s player-to-watch tomorrow night is Pedro Hernández. The 26-year-old forward has become the side’s talisman this season, having scored 10 goals and assisting in a further seven. He, along with his namesake Omar, are the key to the Red Wolves’ attack.

Omar Hernández and South African Wynand Wessels have the joint most assists in this side, with four in 2025. Goalkeeper Jason Smith has 11 clean sheets, the most of any goalkeeper in the league. Smith recently earned the league’s Golden Glove award as the 22-year-old also recorded 43 saves and a save percentage of 67.2 percent.

International experience in this Red Wolves squad is with Guatemala (Ricardo Jérez, 63 caps) and the US Virgin Islands (Joshua Ramos, 18 caps).

Portland

Hearts finished their inaugural regular season with four points form their last two games, clinching their playoff berth. This included a ruthless 6-1 over Spokane Velocity with two goals from Nathaniel James and a goal apiece from Ollie Wright (penalty), Nathan Messer, Titus Washington, and Jay Tee Kamara. The match also saw the club break the USL League One attendance record, when 6,440 fans came to Fitzpatrick Stadium. Bobby Murphy’s men then rounded out their season with a 2-2 tie against AV Alta through goals from Messer and Masashi Wada.

Defender Nathan Messer, midfielder Ollie Wright, and forward Jay Tee Kamara were all named to the USL League One Team of the Week last week (Week 34). Messer recorded two goals and one assist across two appearances in the week, helping Hearts to that club-record 6-1 win against Spokane Velocity, while also winning 10 of 18 duels and completing 57 of 81 passes. He has completed a league leading 221 crosses in 2025. Kamara registered a goal and assist in the victory against Spokane while recording three shots, completing 7 of 10 dribbles and winning 9 of 16 ground duels.

Wright recorded a goal and assist and logged 10 chances created across two games while completing 80 of 98 passes. It was the Englishman’s second Team of Week berth in succession and his 11th honor of the season, having previously been named to the Team of the Week for weeks 12, 15, 16, 19, 25, 26, 29, and 30. He was the league’s Player of the Week in Week 12, and Player of the Month for August. He’s my player to watch for Portland, and has scored nine goals and provided eight assists, including three game-winning goals. His 17 goal contributions is the most of any player in the squad and the 61 chances he’s created is the second most in the league.

Another player with nine league goals is Japanese midfielder Masashi Wada, who is suspended for tomorrow’s match. Goalkeeper Hunter Morse has made 83 saves in league player this year, the most of any keeper in the league.

Captain Mikey Lopez has a number of years MLS experience with Sporting KC and NYCFC as does center-back Séga Coulibaly with LA Galaxy, as well as almost a decade in the French league system.

Midfielders Michel Poon-Angeron and Nathaniel James are both Trinidad and Tobago internationals with 19 caps each while defender Colby Quiñónes has 11 caps with Puerto Rico. Sub goalie Kash Oladapo, Lopez, Wada, and Coulibaly are former youth internationals with the US, Japan, and France respectively.

Analysis and Predictions

This will be a tight game, but Chattanooga might have a slight edge. They’re at home and are more defensively solid. I think they will win narrowly (1–0 or 2–1), but a draw isn’t out of the question.