HERRIMAN, UT (Tuesday, January 31, 2023) – Real Monarchs have unveiled the Team’s 2023 preseason roster ahead of its sophomore season in MLS NEXT Pro. Under the leadership of Head Coach Jamison Olave, the team finished the season with an eight-game unbeaten run at home, empowered by the league’s youngest roster (by average age) in the entire league.
Several starters from last year’s roster will return, including the 2022 Real Monarchs Golden Boot winner, MF Tyrone Mondi, who scored eight goals in his MLS NEXT Pro rookie season. Former RSL Academy FW Terron Williams will also return for his third year with the team. This past year Terron netted his first professional goal against Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Other returning players include: RSL Academy alumni GK Fernando Delgado and DF Bobby Pierre, as well as Uruguayan forward Benjamin Rodriguez, Panamanian defender Omar Alba and Italian-American midfielder Gennaro Nigro. Delgado will miss the first month of preseason as he is currently training with the U-17 Mexico Youth National Team, looking to emerge from CONCACAF qualification for the upcoming U-17 FIFA World Cup.
Two new additions from the RSL Academy - MF Zavier Gozo and MF Luca Moisa - are set to participate in their first professional preseasons, as both players signed their first professional contracts with Real Monarchs this past winter.
Current RSL Academy players, DFs Marcus Vazquez and Marcelo Mondragon, former Univ. of Maryland Terrapin MF Griffin Dillon and FW Seth Powder have been invited to train with the Real Monarchs once again this preseason. All have previously played minutes for the Monarchs under Olave’s leadership, with Vazquez contributing two assists in seven appearances.
Additionally, the Real Monarchs have invited six trialists to participate in preseason training. MFs Dominic Briggs from Creighton University and Adam Davie from Loyola Marymount University, along with a pair of 18-year-olds from California - Ian Mai from San Diego Loyal and Brady Treinen from California United Strikers FC - will all make the trip to Herriman, Utah, to participate in preseason training sessions.
GK Derrek Chan will arrive on the Wasatch front as a trialist from New York Red Bulls II, and current Stanford University commit Duncan Jarvie will also serve as a trialist option for the Real Monarchs coaching staff.
Eight players from the 2022 roster will not return for 2023, including DFs Aziz Kayondo (loan expiration), Golden Mafwenta (loan expiration), as well as MF Christian Nydegger (religious mission). DF Pierre Reedy, MF Pedro Fonseca, MF Leo Torres, FW Jack Imperato and FW Yekeson Subah will all pursue other opportunities for the 2023 season.
Real Monarchs Preseason Roster
Goalkeepers: Fernando Delgado (NYR), Derrek Chan (NRI)
Defenders: Bobby Pierre, Omar Alba, Marcus Vazquez (RSLA), Marcelo Mondragon (RSLA)
Midfielders: Tyrone Mondi, Gennaro Nigro, Griffin Dillon (RSLA), Luca Moisa, Dominic Briggs (NRI), Adam Davie (NRI)
Forwards: Terron Williams, Benjamin Rodriguez, Zavier Gozo, Seth Powder (RSLA), Duncan Jarvie (NRI)
NYR - Not Yet Reported
NRI - Non-roster invitee
RSLA - RSL Academy
Real Monarchs are in preparation for their second season in MLS NEXT Pro, having finished the 2022 season with a five-match undefeated streak in league play and an eight-match home unbeaten streak across all competitions. The Club’s move to MLS NEXT Pro came after seven seasons in the USL Championship, during which the team won the 2019 USL Championship Cup, the 2017 USL Regular Season Shield and the Western Conference Title in both 2017 and 2019, while also qualifying for the postseason in 2018.
Tickets for Real Monarchs can be purchased by calling 844.Real.Tix or visiting www.RSL.com/tickets.
