Colby Quiñones Has Plenty to Prove Heading Into 2024

The fifth-year defender reflects on 2023 season and this past offseason while looking forward to 2024!

Photo By John McGloughlin

While Colby Quiñones is returning for season five with Revolution II, it almost didn’t happen. The 20-year-old told The Blazing Musket following 2023, he “wasn’t too sure” if he would return for 2024. Yet after some time and talks, Colby decided to return to Revs II.

“After a lot of talks, I decided it was best to stay here,” Quiñones said. “I feel I have a lot left to prove. The place where I’m at right now, I still love this club and this organization. I’ve been here so long, and I feel like if I left I’d be leaving so much on the table and I think I would have regretted the decision to leave.”

Quiñones and the team got their first taste of action on Saturday, February 10th, as they played to a 1-1 draw against fellow MLS NEXT Pro side Orlando City B. After spending the past few weeks playing amongst teammates, Quiñones said Saturday’s match was “fun to compete against someone that wasn’t our own teammates. Everyone was excited and ready for the challenge.”

The outside back said the group played well against Orlando’s second team.

“The work we’ve been putting in really showed, and it’s only the first preseason game we’ve had,” he added. “I’m confident that as the games go on, we’ll just continue to improve.” 

Quiñones will have a new head coach in 2024. Richie Williams took the role on January 17th after coaching stints with the United States youth system and the Revolution’s first team.

Quiñones says Williams’ presence with Revolution II has been great. He adds,

“The knowledge he (Williams) has and the experience that he has is tremendous.,” he said. “Of course with a new coach, it’s going to take some time for players to adjust.

"Everyone’s bought into what he’s saying and the philosophy that he’s trying to incorporate with this team,” the outside back concluded.

Throughout this offseason, we’ve seen a lot of changes in personnel and coaching. After a successful 2023 season that saw Revs II a win away from lifting a trophy, the second team will be looking to replicate that same success.

Even with a new head coach, Quiñones is confident that Revs II can continue to play to a high standard.

“I think because we did so well, we can use that as motivation to set high standards for ourselves,” he said. “The additions we’ve brought in, I think that those high standards we now have and the goals we’ve made are definitely achievable.”

When talking about the goal for 2024, the fifth-year defender says the club is “going to try and build on the progress we had from last season and try to get a just as good or even better record than last year.”

While Quiñones is entering year five, Revolution II lost some leadership in the locker room as fellow inaugural players Jake Rozhansky and Pierre Cayet departed the club. Quiñones and Rozhansky were roommates during the 2023 season.

“Us three really have been here for a good amount of time, so we spent a lot of time together,” he said. “Every day I’d pick his brain on different things soccer-related. I learned many of the leadership qualities that he has and the way he speaks with his teammates and staff members.”

Now that Rozhansky and Cayet are gone, Quiñones plans to be more of a leader in the locker room this upcoming season.

Revolution II has expanded into New Hampshire with the announcement of Revs II playing eight home games at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium in Manchester. It will be the first time that the second team plays its home games outside of Gillette Stadium.

The Bedford, New Hampshire native called the decision “exciting” since he has friends and family in the area.

“It’s going to be right at a college campus that I’m familiar with, and I’ve been to quite a few times,” he added. “So, the atmosphere is something I’ll be comfortable with. I’ll try to share that with my teammates, and it’s going to be a great time!”.

Quiñones and Revolution II continue their preseason friendlies tomorrow, February 13th, as they play game one of two against Rhode Island FC before kicking off their 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season on the road against Philadelphia Union II on March 24th.