Following a disappointing 2025 season, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks look to bounce back this year.
A weak title defense culminated in the Switchbacks scraping into the final Western Conference playoff spot after a disastrous regular season. In the playoffs, the Switchbacks played close with eventual runners-up FC Tulsa, taking the game all the way to extra time before falling 0-1.
However, just one year after winning the league championship, the team fired head coach James Chambers. Sporting director Stephen Hogan followed him out the door, marking a significant change for an organization that prides itself on consistency and stability.
Chambers’ replacement is his former assistant Alan McCann. Before joining the Switchbacks, McCann was an accomplished coach in United Soccer League (USL) Two, two divisions below. He has been part of the Switchbacks organization since 2021. An assistant during the team’s 2024 title run, the team seems to hope that promoting McCann can help them return to championship form. Off the field, they appear to think that he is a better fit for their eventual USL Premier aspirations. Only time will tell if this move will pay off.
Of the six players who left the club this winter, four were key contributors. Attacking midfielder Marco Micoletto played in 30 games last season, but got injured near the end of the year and missed the playoffs. His seven goals led the team in scoring and as one of the key offensive contributors, he will be missed.
Another forward, winger Quenzi Huerman, left for Louisville City. The 22-year-old had a breakout season in 2025, scoring six and assisting three. Huerman’s departure is a massive loss and they will have to hope that his replacements can replicate his production.
Defenders Matt Real and Akeem Ward appeared in 27 and 30 games, respectively, but have gone to Hartford and San Antonio. Finally, Charlie Adams and Jonathan Burke, two depth players who rarely got on the field last season, have dropped down a division to teams in USL League One.
While this seems like a lot of loss, most USL teams experience significant turnover every season and the Switchbacks have been proactive in the transfer market, bringing in nine players.
Winger Yosuke Hanya, who has been on loan in Colorado Springs for the last two years, was released by the Colorado Rapids. Hanya has finally been signed on a permanent contract and is here to stay. His 2025 season was not as productive as the previous year, but he was still a key contributor and will likely continue to be a regular starter.
Goalkeeper Colin Shutler will provide competition for Christian Herrera. Shutler was Orange County’s starter for the past five seasons and despite a slight regression in form in 2025, he has not come here to merely be a backup. The battle between Shutler and Herrera for the starting spot should be fascinating to watch during the 2026 season.
Martinique international right back Patrick Burner is the replacement for Ward. A player who can play on either side of the defence, Burner made 29 appearances last year and was available after North Carolina FC ceased operations for the 2026 season. He will provide excellent depth and could even be a starter.
To bolster the midfield, the Switchbacks brought in Frank Daroma from El Paso and Devon Williams from Lexington. Daroma, 24, is entering the prime of his career and was one of the best holding midfielders in USL last season. He will make the Switchbacks a more solid team and should be a starter. Williams was also a regular starter last year for Lexington, but at 33 is entering the tail end of his career. But even if he can’t be a game-in, game-out starter, he will provide veteran leadership and be an excellent presence off the bench.
In comparison to the defenders and midfielders, their forward reinforcements have largely been players who had a downturn in form in 2025, with the hope that they can bring them back up to their previous level. Winger Adrien Pérez appears to be the Huerman replacement, essentially coming in a swap from Louisville. Pérez was inconsistent last season, but had an outstanding 2024 campaign with eight assists. Much of the Switchbacks’ goal chance creation in 2026 likely depends on whether or not he can bounce back.
Strikers Khori Bennett and Sadam Masereka are more unknown entities. Bennett scored 15 goals for Las Vegas in 2024, but was relegated to the bench in Sacramento last year. Still, his return of five goals in 18 games, largely as a substitute, was decent. If the Jamaican international can return to 2024 form, Bennett could be a fantastic signing.
Masereka was selected by MLS side Sporting Kansas City in the MLS draft after playing for the University of Maryland, but chose to sign for the Switchbacks instead. Considering his excellence in transition, if he can improve his finishing, his ability to make the right runs coupled with his rapid pace could make him a very dangerous player.
The final signing, as of writing, is the most exciting. All-USL second team center back/right back hybrid Talen Maples signed from rival team New Mexico United. Outside of being one of the standout defenders in the league in the prime of his career, the Switchbacks paid New Mexico United their club record transfer fee for him. In a league where paying transfer fees for players is incredibly rare, this is a massive statement of intent from Colorado Springs.
With the transfer window open until April 23, there is still plenty of time for the roster to change, but as of now, the Switchbacks appear well-positioned to bounce back in 2026. While it may not be a return to championship form, as many other Western Conference rivals have also strengthened, they should be harder to beat and look primed to make a deeper run this year. While there are still some questions, this organization deserves the benefit of the doubt due to their sustained success. With just over a month to go until the season, it won’t be long before it becomes clear just how much they’ve improved.