After a five-month break, New England Revolution II gears up for its seventh season in operation, preparing for the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season.
If there is one word to describe the offseason, it would be rejuvenation. From changes on the field and along the touchline, Revs II enters 2026 with a revamped look, but is still poised to achieve its mission of developing young talent into first-team prospects.
Here is everything that transpired in the last couple of months.
2025 Recap
Before diving too deep into what transpired during the offseason, let’s look back on how the club entered the offseason.
After finishing the 2024 season with a 4-18-6 record with four shootout victories, head coach Richie Williams and 11 players from 2024’s roster returned.
Despite little change to the roster, 2025 saw Revolution II come out determined to prove 2024 was a fluke. After finishing the 2024 season at the bottom of the league table, Revs II finished 2025 with a staggering 54 points with a 14-7- 7 record with five shootout victories.
Their performance in the regular season saw the club finish in third place and secure its second-ever playoff appearance. However, it didn’t last long after being bounced in the first round following a 1-0 loss to Chicago Fire II.
Changing of the Guard
The biggest change for Revolution II this offseason didn’t come on the field, but rather along the touch line as Richie Williams’ tenure at the helm of Revolution II ended after two seasons as his contract with the club expired following the 2025 season and would not be renewed.
After spending five years as an assistant coach and serving briefly as an Interim head coach with the first team, Williams took the reins of Revolution II, becoming the club’s second-ever head coach on January 17, 2024.
Williams' two seasons with New England were filled with highs, lows, and everything in between. His tenure with Revolution II saw him amass an 18-26-13 record with nine shootout victories. His time also included Revolution II’s second-ever trip to the postseason in 2025.
Despite expressing his desire to continue coaching, Williams has yet to accept a coaching position as of writing.
With Williams departing the club, Revolution II entered a new era on December 3rd, 2025, as Pablo Moreira became the third Head Coach in Revolution II history.
Moreira takes his first head coaching role after serving in various roles at collegiate side Akron and MLS sides Portland Timbers, Columbus Crew, and New England Revolution. His time with Revolution began in January 2024 when he took an assistant coach position with the first team under Caleb Porter.
Despite this being Moreira’s first official head coaching role, he comes in with a bit of experience as he served as interim head coach for the first team following Porter’s dismissal. Moreira guided New England to a 1-2-1 record in the final four games of the 2025 MLS season.
Marcos Dias’ tenure with Revolution II ended after four seasons as his contract with the club expired following the 2025 season. The Formoso Do Araguaia, Brazil native’s time in New England saw him become the definition of a club legend as he racked up a club record 97 appearances, 34 goals, 22 assists, and 8,561 minutes played.
Dias’ final season with Revolution II saw him receive league recognition as he earned a spot on the MLS NEXT Pro Best XI and received the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Playmaker of the Year after tallying 10 goals and a single season league record 13 assists.
Unfortunately, Dias wasn’t the only big name to depart Revolution II this offseason. Forward Liam Butts’ tenure ended after two seasons with the club.
Following a five-year career at Penn State, Butts signed his first professional contract with Revolution II on February 21, 2024. While injuries hindered him at times, Butts was a tremendous force for New England when healthy as his time in New England saw him tally 18 goals and three assists in 36 appearances for the club.
2025 was a phenomenal year for Butts as his 13 goals set the club record for most goals in a single season, which led to him ranking second for most in club history. The Lawrenceville, Georgia native returned close to home on December 17, 2025, when he signed with fellow MLS NEXT Pro side Atlanta United 2.
The offseason also saw Gevork Diarbian depart the club after two seasons as his contract with the club expired following the 2025 season. The Cranson, Rhode Island native’s two seasons with Revolution II saw him tally 10 goals and six assists in 56 appearances.
Despite being a free agent, Diarbian did get another look with the first team during preseason as he traveled to Florida to take part in the preseason. Diarbian’s professional career continued on February 19th when he inked a deal to join USL Championship side Birmingham Legion FC.
Another big loss for Revolution II in the offseason was defender Victor Souza, whose contract expired following the 2025 season.
The former Boston College defender joined the New England Revolution organization on December 21, 2022, as the Revs selected him with the 39th overall pick before signing his first professional contract with Revolution II on February 22, 2023.
Souza’s time in New England saw him be a consistent presence in the Revs II backline as he tallied two goals and an assist in 70 appearances, the sixth-most in club history, while becoming just one of three players in club history to eclipse 6,000 minutes.
Souza’s professional career continued on January 16 as he signed with reigning USL Championship champions Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The move sees Souza reunite with former Revolution II goalkeeper Nico Campuzano.
Midfielder Alex Monis’ time with Revolution II ended after two seasons as his contract with the club expired following the 2025 season. After starting his career in the Chicago Fire organization, Monis joined Revolution II on January 8, 2024. His two years in New England saw him tally nine goals and five assists in 40 appearances for the club.
On top of success at the club level, Monis’ time with Revolution II led to him breaking through and becoming a consistent presence with the Philippines National Team. Since his June 6, 2024 debut, Monis has earned 16 caps with the nation. He also has four appearances with the U22s and three for the U23s. Monis didn’t travel far as January 17 saw him sign with regional rivals MLS NEXT Pro newcomers CT United FC.
Defender Hesron Barry’s tenure in New England ended after two seasons as his contract expired following the 2025 season. Following two seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Barry signed his first pro contract with Revolution II on February 1, 2024. His two seasons in New England saw him clock 3.096 minutes over 40 appearances.
Barry’s professional career continued on January 20 when he signed with USL Championship side Indy Eleven.
Forward Damorney Hutchinson’s time with Revolution II ended after one season as the club declined his contract option for 2026. The White Hall, Jamaica native arrived in New England on March 7, 2025 after stints with collegiate side Presbyterian College and Jamaican Premier League side Racing United FC.
Hutchinson’s lone season with Revs II was a productive one as he ended the year with four goals and three assists in 23 appearances. Hutchinson has yet to sign with a new club as of writing.
Forward Michael Tsicoulias’ second stint with Revolution II ended after one year as the club declined his option for the 2026 season. The Newton natives first tenure came in the 2020 and 2021 USL League One seasons where he tallied two goals in 14 appearances as a member of the Revolution Academy.
Following his time with the Revs Academy, Tsicoulias embarked on a collegiate career at UVA and UNH before returning to Revolution II on May 29, 2025.
The forward's return to New England saw him tally a goal and an assist in 11 appearances with the clubs. Tsicoulias has yet to sign with a new club as of writing.
Returning Players
While the offseason saw numerous names depart the club, 2026 will see six names return for another season in New England.
Defender Gabe Dahlin returns for a second year with Revs II following a strong debut campaign that saw the defender appear in 28 of 29 possible matches where he tallied three assists in 2,408 minutes.
After a successful campaign with Revs II in 2025, 2026 has seen the Swedish defender get a look with the first team as Dahlin traveled to Florida to participate in the Revolution’s preseason preparations at IMG Academy. Dahlin’s time in Florida saw him get playing time against Sarasota Paradise, FC Cincinnati, CF Montreal, and Hartford Athletic.
With Souza’s departure, expect Dahlin to keep up his consistent presence in the Revs II backline while growing into a leader for the club.
Forward Jayden Da returns for his second season after re-signing a one-year deal in the offseason. Da will look to make his Revs II debut following a challenging 2025.
After starting his career in the Columbus Crew organization, Da joined New England on December 5, 2024. During preseason, Da suffered a devastating ACL and meniscus injury that required him to undergo season-ending knee surgery on March 10, 2025.
While Da didn’t make an appearance for Revs II in 2025, he worked incredibly hard while rehabbing the injury and ended up making the bench as an unused substitute during New England’s playoff loss to Chicago Fire II. Despite not seeing the field, New England still believed in Da as the club re-signed him in the offseason.
Defender Chris Mbaï-Assem returns for his first full season in New England after joining Revolution II on August 23, 2025. After arriving from RC Strasbourg B, Mbaï-Assem went on to clock 115 minutes in five appearances with the club.
With some departures on the backline, expect Mbaï-Assem to see a bump in minutes this season.
Goalkeeper Max Weinstein returns for his fifth season with the club after signing a one-year deal with Revolution II on January 5. Weinstein returns to New England after spending the second half of 2025 on loan with Estonian side Kalev Tallin, where he started 16 games. The Montpelier, Vermont native’s time with Revs II has seen him make 101 saves and six clean sheets in 27 appearances
Midfielder Joe Buck’s second stint with Revolution II continues after the club exercised a one-year club option for 2026. Buck’s time with the club began in 2021 when the then-Revolution Academy prospect clocked 93 minutes in two appearances.
After spending three seasons at Georgetown University, Buck returned home to ink his first professional contract with Revolution II on January 3, 2025. Buck’s return season saw him clock 531 minutes in 18 appearances.
Forward Sharod George returns for his first full season in New England after signing with the club on July 17, 2025. His debut season with Revs II saw George clock 206 minutes in eight appearances.
Signings
On top of the seven returning players, the offseason saw Revolution II welcome four new faces to the fold while elevating an Academy prospect to the next level in the Revolution’s Pro Player Pathway.
After spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the club as a Revolution Academy prospect, Javaun Mussenden returned to Revolution II after inking his first professional contract through the 2026 season on December 9, 2025. Mussenden’s first two seasons with Revs II saw him tally a goal and two assists in 27 appearances.
After a breakthrough season in 2025, Mussenden received recognition from the organization as he was named the 2024-25 Revolution Academy Player of the Year. On top of signing his first professional contract, the offseason saw Mussenden head to the international stage as he received a call-up to the United States Under-19 National Team for January’s training camp.
Considering some of the big departures Revolution II’s midfield has seen this offseason, I’d expect Mussenden to have another breakout season with the club as he continues developing as a player.
December 17, 2025 saw the club add to its midfield with the signing of Myles Morgan through the 2026 season. Morgan arrived as a free agent after his former club, Canadian Premier League side Valour FC, disbanded. His lone season in the CPL saw Morgan notch a team-high seven goals and three assists in 28 appearances across all competitions.
The Pickering, Ontario native does have a decent amount of MLS NEXT Pro experience under his belt. His time as a Toronto FC Academy prospect saw him tally two goals in nine appearances with TFC II in 2023.
Following his time in Toronto, Morgan got even more MLS NEXT Pro experience when he transitioned to the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy. 2024 saw Morgan tally two goals and an assist in 22 appearances for Whitecaps 2.
With several departures in the midfield, expect Morgan to come in and contribute for Revs II in 2026.
January 5 saw Revolution II bolster its defense with the addition of Jake Shannon. Shannon, 22, signed his first professional contract with Revolution II after spending four seasons at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the former home of now UNCW Hall of Famer and Revolution II goalkeeper coach Brad Knighton.
The Apex, North Carolina native's time with the Seahawks saw him tally four goals and four assists in 69 appearances for the program. He also secured three consecutive Coastal Athletic Association Third-Team Honors (2022, 2023, and 2024), 2022 CAA All-Rookie, 2025 CAA Co-Defender of the Year, 2025 CAA First-Team, and 2025 United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region First-Team honors. 2025 also saw his career take an interesting turn as he joined Drip FC for the viral TST Tournament.
After finishing second in Group C, Shannon and Drip FC advanced to the knockout stage. After securing a 6-2 win over Wrexham and a 3-2 win over City Soccer FC, Shannon and Drip FC's run in TST ended following a 2-1 loss to Bumpy Pitch FC in the Quarterfinals.
January 29 saw the club make two signings as they welcomed defender Schinieder Mimy and goalkeeper Matthew Tibbetts.
Mimy, a 25-year-old left back, arrives in New England after the club selected him with the 38th overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft after stints at the collegiate level with Daytona State, Oral Roberts, and UCLA. The North Miami, Florida native starts his professional career after assisting UCLA secure its first Big Ten title. Mimy also clocked 110 minutes in UCLA’s opening round loss to Grand Canyon University.
Tibbets, a former Revolution Academy prospect, returns to the organization after spending four seasons at American University, where he tallied 189 saves and nine shutouts in 56 appearances for the Eagles. The Westborough native’s time with the Revolution Academy saw him feature on 2022’s U-19 side that captured the Revolution’s first of two-consecutive MLS NEXT U19 titles.
Revolution II bolstered its midfield on February 23 as the club announced the signing of attacking midfielder Carlos Zambrano. The 21-year-old arrived in New England after spending four seasons at the collegiate level with Dayton State College and Syracuse University. After tallying 13 goals and 16 assists in 32 appearances at Dayton, Zambrano joined Syracuse, where he went on to tally six goals and three assists in 32 appearances for the Orange.
Zambrano might be a familiar name to readers as he spent time with USL League Two side Vermont Green FC during the 2024 season.
Academy Prospects
Whether it was Clint Peay, Richie Williams, or now Pablo Moreira, the number one goal of Revolution II is to grow Academy prospects into potential first team players.
It’s something we saw with names like Esmir Bajraktarevic, Peyton Miller, Cristiano Oliveira, Noel Buck, and many more. Here are a few Academy prospects who we could see continuing their development with Revs II in 2026
Defender Eli Ackerman returns for another year with the Revolution Academy after clocking 109 minutes in four appearances with Revs II in 2025. Ackerman has committed to Notre Dame, but he could get some more experience with Revs II before departing.
Defender Aarin Prajipati returns after clocking 34 minutes in four appearances in 2025. Considering the lack of depth at outside back, I think the Academy prospect could see a boost in minutes in 2026.
Defender Levi Katsell returns after clocking 59 minutes in one appearance in 2026. On top of experience with the Academy and Revs II, Katsell also has international experience with the Czech Republic Youth National Team.
Forward Ivan Villalobos Lopez returns after clocking 24 minutes in one appearance in 2026. Considering the depth Revolution II has at attack, it might be harder for Villalobos to break through, but expect him to get some spot appearances throughout the season.
Forward Makai Wells returns after clocking 16 minutes in two appearances in 2025. Wells is a highly touted prospect in the Revs Academy, who should see a boost in appearances in 2026.
Midfielder Judah Siqueira returns after netting a goal in his 227 minutes played with Revolution II last season.
Forward Grant Emerhi returns for another season after clocking 178 minutes in nine appearances over the last two seasons. January 28th’s preseason victory over Rhode Island saw Emerhi play a big role in the result as he assisted on two of New England’s five goals on the day.
Venues
2026 will see a change of scenery for New England Revolution II will play 13 of 14 home games at Bryant University’s Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, Rhode Island. New England soccer fans might be familiar with the venue as it served as the home of USL Championship side Rhode Island FC during the club’s inaugural season in 2024.
It marks the second time in Revolution II’s history the club has played an alternative venue outside of Gillette Stadium as 2024 saw them play seven games at Southern New Hampshire University’s Mark A. Ouellette Stadium.
July 23rd will see Revolution II return to GIllette Stadium for one game as they host NYCFC II.
Schedule
Opening day sees Revs II kick off a five-game homestand at Beirne Stadium as Liam Butts and Atlanta United 2 at 8 PM.
2026 will see Revolution II square off against MLS NEXT Pro newcomers and regional rivals CT United FC three times. The inaugural meeting will occur on March 22 when CT travels to Beirne Stadium for a 2 PM kickoff. Revs II hit the road for the second meeting on May 3 at 6 PM and third on August 8 at 7 PM. Venues for the two road meetings against CT United FC have not been revealed.
June 21 sees New England look for revenge when they host Chicago Fire II at 7 PM. Fire II ended Revs II’s playoff run just as it started after picking up a 1-0 win at Gillette on October 19, 2025.
