2025 USL League One Young Player of the Year departs after two years with the Owls
OMAHA, Nebr. (February 13, 2026) – Union Omaha has transferred Mark Bronnik to the Seattle Sounders’ organization, pending league and federation approval, after Seattle had triggered his release clause for an undisclosed fee. Bronnik becomes the second Union Omaha player, after Ryen Jiba, to transfer directly to an MLS organization. Bronnik is also the second Búho to net a transfer fee this offseason, following Max Schneider’s move to Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The transfer comes on the heels of a breakout campaign in which he was voted the 2025 USL League One Young Player of the Year. The 19 year-old scored six goals in USL League One last season, finding the back of the net every 156.3 minutes, and completed 15 dribbles on the year. Bronnik will be the second USL1 Young Player of the Year to make this move to the Pacific Northwest, following 2023 winner Jackson Khoury.
“Markie is a wonderful person and unique talent that I cannot wait to see succeed at the highest level,” said Head Coach Vincenzo Candela. “The professionalism and work ethic that he brought day in and day out as a teenager is why he will have a great career. He earned his minutes last year and contributed massively to the group’s success. It is a bittersweet moment for the club as we lose a great person and player, but we’re happy to see him take on an exciting challenge and we will always be rooting for him from Omaha!”
Bronnik arrived before the 2024 USL League One season from the Barca Residency Academy in Arizona. The former New York Red Bulls academy player had scored 12 times in eight matches at the U-19 level. He quickly stamped his name into Owls lore with his winning penalty kick against USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive in that year’s U.S. Open Cup. Late in the season, he scored his first senior goal on the day he signed his first professional contract. That acted as a springboard for his big 2025, and for another significant transfer by a Union Omaha player after developing with the Owls.
The Sounders organization has a recent history of Defiance signings making their mark with the parent club. Georgi Minoungou, signed to Tacoma from Czechia’s MFK Vyškov in 2022 after an initial loan, has gone on to make 31 appearances for the Sounders, scoring two goals. Osaze De Rosario also signed from York United FC of the Canadian Premier League and has 9 caps for Seattle, while 2025 signing Peter Kingston made his MLS debut this past October.
Said Bronnik, “My time here was nothing short of special. I want to thank my teammates, the staff members, and the amazing fans who have supported me along my journey. I appreciate everyone from this organization who believed in me from the very beginning. This club has helped me achieve my dream ever since I was a little kid, and I’m grateful to have been a part of Union Omaha and its history. Thank you for everything, and I wish this team nothing but the best.”
2026 ticket packages 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 premier 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 the newly announced top-tier USL Premier, launching in 2028. Union Omaha will play its 2026 USL League One home matches at Morrison Stadium in downtown Omaha. The team is led by Chief Operating Officer Alexis Boulos in the front office and by Head Coach Vincenzo Candela on the pitch.
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