With just under two months to go until the season starts, 13 players from the 2023 USL Championship season have signed on with seven USL League One sides.
In 2023, we saw the impact of several notable transfers from USL Championship, including: Lalo Delgado (Phoenix to Northern Colorado), Ates Diouf (San Antonio to Lexington), Steevan Dos Santos (Tampa Bay to Omaha), Avionne Flanagan (Charleston to Charlotte), Joel Johnson (Hartford to Charlotte), Angelo Kelly-Rosales (Pittsburgh to Knoxville), Isidro Martinez (Rio Grande Valley to Madison), Noah Powder (Tulsa to Northern Colorado), among several others.
While a move from the higher level does not automatically guarantee success, many of these players bring important experience and training to their new squads. Some might even be familiar faces from USL League One seasons past.
Which one of these players stands to make the biggest impact on their new side in 2024?
Here’s a quick profile on each of the 13 announced inbound transfers from USL Championship so far.
Ebenezer Ackon (CB)
San Diego Loyal ➡️ Lexington SC
A career of ups and downs is slated to turn back up in 2024 as the 27-year-old center back joins Lexington SC. He’ll re-join coach Darren Powell, under whom Ackon made 33 starts in 2019 at San Antonio FC. Ackon joined San Diego as a late-season addition in 2022, and seemed to have his career back on track, finishing with three starts in four appearances. He won the starting job in 2023 before an unfortunate season-ending injury.
He’ll look to bounce back with Lexington, and boost a backline that will include league veteran Kaelon Fox, second-year pro Erick Ceja Gonzalez and fellow USL Championship addition Modesto Méndez. After conceding 57 goals in 2023, the team will rely on this experience and hunger to clamp down and make a serious run at the playoffs.
READ MORE: Player Profile – Ebenezer “Eby” Ackon (Crane Kicks Lex)
Carlos Anguiano (MF)
Phoenix Rising FC ➡️ Greenville Triumph
The 24-year-old midfielder brings considerable experience at the second tier, having played in the USL Championship since 2017 for Portland Timbers 2, Tacoma Defiance and the last two seasons for defending champions Phoenix Rising FC. He saw his minutes significantly reduced with Phoenix, and with age still in his favor, should be looking for an opportunity to re-gain significant playing time. With Greenville rebuilding its midfield after the loss of multiple veterans, he’ll likely get it.
Rich Ballard (MF)
Detroit City ➡️ One Knoxville
One Knox already has a solid defense on lockdown for 2024 after giving up the fewest goals in 2023. While we can expect more of the same there, it’s the offense that caused concern down the stretch as the team struggled to convert and missed out on the playoffs after a few too many low-score losses and draws. Their 36 goals was tied for worst in the league.
Enter Rich Ballard, a 29-year-old versatile winger with 88 appearances in USL Championship since 2019. Last season with Detroit City, Ballard spent time in and out of the starting 11, and provided two assists from left midfield. He’ll certainly be looking for an opportunity in USL League One to feed a few more, and can play from either side and the middle. While questions remain as to who he’ll be feeding chances to, he and fellow newcomer Kingsford Adjei set up an important start to rebuild an offense that wasn’t very offensive in 2023.
Abel Caputo (MF)
Tampa Bay Rowdies ➡️ Lexington SC
The 23-year-old defensive midfielder spent the back half of 2023 with Tampa Bay where he made two appearances. Prior to that, he spent multiple seasons at Inter Miami II/Fort Lauderdale CF, making the jump from USL League One to MLS NextPro with the club. He captained his side for a good bit of 2023 before the mid-season transfer to Tampa Bay. With Lexington, he’ll be an option to replace outbound defensive midfielders Don Smart and Phila Dlamini.
READ MORE: Player Profile – Abel Caputo (Crane Kicks Lex)
Michael Chilaka (CB)
San Diego Loyal ➡️ Forward Madison
The 23-year-old center back made 10 appearances for San Diego Loyal in 2023, after already logging some impressive minutes in the Israeli second division while loaned out from storied top division club Maccabi Tel Aviv. He’ll compete for minutes with Mitch Osmond, Jacob Crull, and Timmy Mehl, providing depth on one of the league’s stronger back lines.
READ MORE: Mingos shore up backline with Michael Chilaka (Talkin’ Flock)
Josh Dolling (FW)
New Mexico United ➡️ Spokane Velocity
The 26-year-old English forward split 2023 between New Mexico United and then a loan to Las Vegas Lights. He provided four assists in 27 total appearances between the two USL Championship sides, with three coming in one match, a 3-1 New Mexico victory over Orange County in April. But for a preview on how he might perform at the USL League One level, look to his time with St. Louis City 2 in 2022, where he scored 8 goals in 22 appearances in 2022. With Spokane building its roster from scratch, he represents a good start for the offense.
Grayson Dupont (MF)
Birmingham Legion ➡️ Spokane Velocity
The 25-year-old spent the last two seasons with Birmingham Legion, lost in the midfield depth on those squads. At one point in 2023, he found himself loaned to Cincinnati 2 of MLS NextPro where he made a single start at attacking midfield. He’ll likely find himself gaining minutes with Spokane, alongside fellow USL Championship veteran Morgan Hackworth.
Jonathan Filipe (MF)
Hartford Athletic ➡️ Chattanooga Red Wolves
The midfielder is technically an inbound transfer, having made his 13 appearances with Chattanooga in 2023 on loan from Hartford Athletic. While there, he put up an impressive 2 goals and 7 assists, providing a glimmer of hope for a team that struggled all season. When his contract ended at Hartford, Chattanooga scooped him up on a permanent basis for 2024. He’ll continue to back some serious offensive firepower in Chevone Marsh, Ropapa Mensah and Mayele Malango who combined for 27 goals in 2023. He’ll also enjoy playing alongside newcomers Lucas Coutinhio and Stefan Lukic for added support. Things are going to be different in Chattanooga this season.
Juan Galindrez (FW)
Rio Grande Valley Toros FC ➡️ Forward Madison
Does this name sound familiar? It should, after the 29-year-old Colombian striker led Chattanooga Red Wolves in goals in 2021 and 2022 before departing for a season with RGV Toros in the USL Championship. After a season in which he contributed 3 goals and 2 assists, he returns to USL League One to play alongside Christian Chaney in Madison. While Chaney scored ten in 2023, this is a team that desperately needs more goals, having finished the season with the third fewest in the league. Galindrez should fit that need and then some.
READ MORE: Mingos add Forward Firepower in Juan Galindrez (Talking’ Flock)
Morgan Hackworth (MF)
San Diego Loyal ➡️ Spokane Velocity
Another attacking midfield option for Spokane, Hackworth will likely move from bench depth to starting minutes as he joins the expansion side from San Diego Loyal. He’ll bring five years’ experience at the second division, looking to get his shot in a consistent starting 11.
Modesto Méndez (CB)
Hartford Athletic ➡️ Lexington SC
As mentioned in Ackon’s profile above, Lexington gave up 57 goals in 2023, third-worst in the league. As they look to make a turnaround in 2024, they’ve also added Modesto Méndez, a 26-year-old Cuban National Team centerback from Hartford Athletic. He joined Hartford in August, making five appearances at center back, all starts. Prior to this, he spent 2021, 2022 and the first half of 2023 with Inter Miami II, with a brief loan transfer to Charleston in 2021. He’ll join Ebenezer Ackon, Erick Ceja Gonzalez, and Kaelon Fox as they try to lock down the defense this season.
READ MORE: Player Profile – Modesto Méndez (Crane Kicks Lex)
Carlos Merancio (GK)
RGV Toros FC ➡️ Spokane Velocity
If there’s one group that found great deal of success in 2023, it was USL Championship backup goalkeepers. All three nominees for 2023 Goalkeeper of the Year came from this pool: Lalo Delgado (Phoenix Rising FC), Sean Lewis (Indy Eleven), and Austin Pack (Hartford Athletic). Carlos Merancio will attempt to add himself to this conversation after making just six starts with Rio Grande Valley last season. He does bring plenty of USL League One experience though, having started all but one match for FC Tucson in 2022. Unless Spokane signs another big name, he’ll likely start pre-season as the favorite for the number one there.
Ford Parker (GK)
New Mexico United ➡️ Tormenta FC
Another USL Championship backup keeper looking for minutes, Ford Parker joins Tormenta FC as the South Georgia side begins 2024 with a fresh start in net for the first time since 2018. The 27-year-old has just six regular appearances in four seasons, having served as a backup with Birmingham and then New Mexico.
We’re expecting more inbound transfers as the season gets closer and USL Championship rosters become largely complete. Last year, 22 players made the jump from USL Championship to USL League One. We’ll profile the next batch as they are announced! Stay tuned.
Editor’s note: a previous version of this story incorrectly named Erick Ceja Gonzalez as a USL Championship veteran. It has since been corrected. Cheers to Tyler Crane for the tip.