Twelve players from last season’s cup-winning team will return to Hartford Athletic this year, the club announced Tuesday.
It’s the highest number of returning players in team history.
Defenders Sebastian Anderson, Baboucar Njie, Adewale Obalola, Arturo Diz Pe, Emmanuel Samadia and Jordan Scarlett will be back. Midfielders Samuel Careaga, Beverly Makangila, Junior Moreira, forward Michee Ngalina and goalkeepers Anthony Siaha and TJ Prethus will also return.
Hartford finished fifth in the USL Championship Eastern Conference last season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The club also won the Jaegermeister Cup title, defeating Sacramento Republic FC, 1-0, for its first-ever trophy on Oct. 4.
“We are excited to announce the return of all of these players that helped bring a trophy to Hartford last year,” said Brendan Burke, Head Coach and General Manager of Hartford Athletic. “This kind of stability is a major step forward for Hartford Athletic and speaks to the quality, youth, and now experience that we have at our core going forward.” Burke is set to return for his third season at the helm.
The team did announce the departure of its all-time leading scorer in the USL Championship, Kyle Edwards, as well as the retirement of defender and team leader Joseph Farrell, earlier this offseason.
The 2026 season is set to begin March 6, with Hartford playing its first home game at Trinity Health Stadium on March 28.