List includes all-time appearance leader and 2025 top scorer
PAPILLION, Nebr. (November 18, 2025) – Union Omaha has announced its initial roster moves for the 2026 USL League One season. After a torrid run in the second half of 2025 under Vincenzo Candela, the Owls retain a strong core group of players as they hunt for a third league title.
The following players will return to Union Omaha for the 2026 season:
- Rashid Nuhu
- Ryen Jiba
- Samuel Owusu
- Brent Kallman
- Blake Malone
- Anderson Holt
- Brandon Knapp
- Isidro Martinez
- Laurence Wootton
- Mark Bronnik
- Prosper Kasim
- Aarón Gómez
- Pato Botello Faz
- Sergio Ors Navarro
The following players will be departing Union Omaha:
- Dion Acoff
- Marco Milanese
- Charlie Ostrem
- Joe Gallardo
- Lagos Kunga
- Stefano Pinho
- Ryan Becher (returning from loan)
- Benjamin Barjolo (returning from loan)
Said Head Coach Vincenzo Candela, “The 2025 group was one that was extremely special, and created plenty of wonderful moments in the second half of the season. The club is ecstatic about the core group of players that are returning and are eager to get going again in 2026 as we hunt for many more joyous moments.”
About the Returning Owls:
Rashid Nuhu returns for his seventh season with Union Omaha. The goalkeeper has 159 appearances for the Owls, beginning with the club’s very first competitive match, and stands head and shoulders above the rest of the league with 46 clean sheets in USL League One.
Anderson Holt logged over double the minutes from his 2024 campaign, with 885 minutes in the league alone. He made 31 clearances and 10 interceptions in that time to help anchor the backline.
Ryen Jiba continues alongside Malone as an Owl in his second stint in Omaha. The left back had three goal contributions in 295 minutes in 2025, while also tallying 2.4 tackles per 90 minutes.
Brent Kallman provided a consistent veteran presence alongside Owusu in the new-look Omaha defense. The longtime Minnesota United defender made 22 appearances for his hometown team, winning 74% of his duels and 56% of his aerial duels in his first season with the club.
Blake Malone is one of two players (along with Nuhu) to have been on both title-winning squads. The young center back broke out in 2024, with his 1,984 minutes in USL League One top among the club’s outfield players.
Samuel Owusu was a consistent presence in the Owls’ defense all season, with 148 clearances leading the team by a wide margin. In his first year with the club, his 2,349 league minutes slotted him fourth on the squad, and top among first-year Owls.
Brandon Knapp established himself as a key player in 2025, jumping to 2,360 minutes this past season. He won 126 duels, and tallied 122 recoveries and 31 interceptions while capably alternating between central midfield and right back throughout.
Isidro Martinez provided a playmaking touch in his first year with the Owls, with five assists and 33 chances created. He also made SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays in June for an audacious goal from midfield against Forward Madison FC, one of his former clubs.
Laurence Wootton enters his second season with in the center of the pitch with Union Omaha. His 3.0 tackles per 90 minutes led the team, while he also logged a passing accuracy of 82.7%.
Pato Botello Faz worked his way back from a long-term injury to parlay a 25-day contract into a permanent deal by July. He scored three goals and two assists across the frontline while also providing valuable hold-up play.
Mark Bronnik comes off a season in which he was named 2025’s USL League One Young Player of the Year. He scored six goals on a team-high 4.1 shots per 90 minutes. Bronnik also showed industry off the ball, winning the ball in the final third a league-high 1.1 times per 90.
Aarón Gómez notched two goals and three assists in all competitions before a June injury put him out of commission for the rest of the season. The former El Paso Locomotive attacker plays across the frontline, and had 11 goal contributions in all competitions in 2024.
Prosper Kasim returns for a second season with the Owls after a long tenure with Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship. Kasim tallied five goal contributions under Candela and created 1.7 chances per 90 minutes.
Sergio Ors Navarro had a first professional season to remember. Ors Navarro won USL League One Player of the Month in September for a five-goal month that included back-to-back braces in 17 minutes. He finished the year with a team-high ten goals.
About the Departing Owls:
Dion Acoff completed four seasons with the club, and recently became the second all-time appearance leader for the Owls with 110. Prior to being named a 2023 All-League Second Team defender, he became an instant cult hero with his game-winning penalty kick against Chicago Fire in the team’s 2022 U.S. Open Cup run.
Marco Milanese will depart after three seasons with Union Omaha. The steadfast defender ranks sixth all-time in appearances for the Owls with 88, and played a consistent role on the left side of the pitch, often teaming up with Ostrem to lock down that flank.
Charlie Ostrem, a 2025 All-League Second Team honoree in 2025, was also the Golden Playmaker recipient for his league-leading 10 assists on the season. He now ranks second all-time in club history with 12 assists.
Joe Gallardo also leaves the club after three years. He is one of two players to rank in the top ten in club history in appearances, goals, and assists, with a total of 24 goal contributions in his time with Union Omaha.
Lagos Kunga broke out in Omaha’s 2024 title run, with 10 goals in all competitions and a lengthy highlight reel displaying his flair. His 51 successful dribbles led the league in 2024 as well.
Stefano Pinho was a mid-summer addition to the club, plying his trade in his native Brazil after playing for Birmingham Legion FC in 2024. He brought an affinity for the clutch moments to the Owls, with game-winning goals against Westchester SC and FC Naples.
Benjamin Barjolo will return to his parent club, Orange County SC. The youngster became the second-youngest goalscorer in Union Omaha history when he found the net against Texoma FC in September, which was also his first professional goal.
Ryan Becher will return to his parent club, St. Louis City 2. Becher was nominated for USL League One Player of the Month in July for a stretch in which he scored in four straight matches. He finished with eight goals and two assists in 18 appearances.
Union Omaha thanks each of these departing players for their immense contributions to the club, and wishes them all the best in the next stage of their respective careers.
More roster details will be shared throughout the offseason as they come to fruition.
2026 season ticket memberships are now available. The Owls are moving downtown to Creighton’s Morrison Stadium for the 2026 USL League One season, making for an exciting new atmosphere in the heart of Omaha. Fans can call 402-884-8053 for more information.
ABOUT UNION OMAHA
Union Omaha, the 2021 and 2024 USL League One Champions, is the only professional soccer team in the state of Nebraska. USL League One is a United States Soccer Federation-sanctioned professional men’s soccer league that occupies the third tier of the American soccer landscape, below USL Championship (tier two) and Major League Soccer (tier one). Union Omaha will play its 2026 USL League One home matches at Morrison Stadium in downtown Omaha. The team is led by General Manager Alexis Boulos in the front office and by Head Coach Vincenzo Candela on the pitch.
