The MLSNEXTPro.com editorial team, several league personnel, announcers, and clubs voted on the top performers across the league during July to declare a Team, Coach, Goalkeeper, Rising Star, and Player of the Month.
The voting process entailed performances taken from MLS NEXT Pro league matches from July 1 to July 31.
Here are the winners:
MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Month: NYCFC II
Heading into August with a 10-match unbeaten streak, New York City FC II stands out as a contender in the Eastern Conference. The club hit its stride in July, taking 11 points from four games, including impressive results against top opponents in a shootout win over FC Cincinnati 2 and a 2-1 win over Philadelphia Union II.
Several standout players have emerged as new contributors in 2024, with 22-year-old striker Taylor Calheira leading the team with nine goals. Jonathan Shore and Jonathan Jimenez are strong returning players who have added six and four goals, respectively. Midfielder Piero Elias pulls the strings in the middle, contrasting well with fellow midfield linchpin Samuel Owusu's work rate.
NYCFC II's July results have been excellent offensively and defensively, with two clean sheets in the month and no games with multiple goals allowed.
MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Month: Diego Gonzalez
Houston Dynamo 2 move forward from an excellent July run on a five-game unbeaten streak. Much of the offensive production has come from the creativity of Diego Gonzalez in the midfield.
Gonzalez produced six assists in three games in July, helping lift Dynamo 2 to its current three-game winning streak. Gonzalez had two assists in a 2-0 win over Austin FC II, then impressed even further in a 4-0 over another in-state rival in North Texas SC.
A year after Gonzalez shined with Dynamo Dos with 11 goals and six assists in the 2023 season, he is creating similar attacking momentum in 2024. This season, Gonzalez has two goals and eight assists, enabling attacking talent such as Gabriel Segal, Stephen Annor, and Ousmane Sylla to thrive.
MLS NEXT Pro Coach of the Month: Matt Pilkington
The early going of the 2024 season included an incredible U.S. Open Cup run for New York City FC II. However, after exiting the cup in the Round of 16, the pressure was on to catch up with several games in hand on the MLS NEXT Pro table.
Matt Pilkington's leadership has ensured the club seized those opportunities, and there is plenty left to prove for NYCFC II. NYCFC II currently rides a 10-match unbeaten streak, lying fourth in the Eastern Conference standings. The team capped off an excellent July with a late winning goal on the road in a 1-0 win over Carolina Core FC.
Pilkington oversaw plenty of roster turnover heading into the 2024 season, with plenty of young talent and newcomers earning opportunities. Players such as Taylor Calheira, Maximo Carrizo, and Jake Rozhansky have bedded into the team as new contributors.
MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Month: David Sweeney
David Sweeney entered MLS NEXT Pro this month, and has already performed among the top goalkeepers in the league. Sweeney, signed July 12, has only started three games for The Town FC, but in those games he earned two clean sheets and a shootout win.
"David has played a significant part in helping the team in the last couple of games," said The Town FC goalkeeper coach Jeremy Clark. "He has had some crucial plays in big moments of those games. He’s a hardworking goalkeeper and it’s showing on the field."
The San Jose State graduate earned All-Western Athletic Conference honors with eight shutouts and a .771 save percentage in his college tenure. The Town had signed Sweeney after having him on their radar for an extended period of time due to his experience playing nearby.
MLS NEXT Pro Rising Star of the Month: Chase Adams
Columbus Crew academy player Chase Adams has enjoyed an excellent month of July. The 16-year-old made an appearance at the MLS NEXT All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio, while he continued to excel in MLS NEXT Pro play.
Adams' two goals July 21 in a 6-1 win over rival FC Cincinnati 2 raises his 2024 goal total to seven, making him one of the top-scoring academy players in the league this season. Adams scored twice in a 31-minute substitute appearance, and played 89 minutes in another big win, a 3-2 triumph over league-leading Union II.
“We’re excited for Chase to receive this recognition for his performances in July, it’s been a great month for him,” said Crew 2 Head Coach Kelvin Jones. “From representing the Club at the MLS NEXT All-Star Game, to earning a brace against our rivals FC Cincinnati 2, Chase has embraced every opportunity that has come his way and we are excited to see him continue to develop within the Crew environment.”
