ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies are proud to announce the club’s development team, Tampa Bay Rowdies 2, has joined the USL Academy League for the 2026 season.
Rowdies 2 kicks off its slate of 12 matches in the USL Academy League season this Friday, May 15 at home against Inter Gainesville KF. Rowdies 2 will host home matches at the Rowdies training facility in Tampa. All home matches will be closed to the public.
Tampa Bay’s development squad has been placed in the USL Academy League’s North Florida division. The squad’s divisional competition includes Brave SC, Inter Gainesville KF, Shark Coast FC, Sporting Club Tallahassee, as well as the development teams for Sarasota Paradise and Sporting JAX.
Experienced UEFA A and USSF A licensed coach, and former Rowdies first team assistant coach, Russell Stirling will continue to lead the program as Rowdies 2 Head Coach. Assisting Stirling will be legendary Rowdies players Yann Ekra and Leo Fernandes. Ekra joined the Rowdies first team technical staff as an assistant last season and will continue in that role in addition to his duties with Rowdies 2, while Fernandes has been serving as head scout for the club since retiring in the offseason. Former Rowdies Goalkeeper Phil Breno will also serve as goalkeeper coach for Rowdies 2.
“I am delighted with the progress of the program,” said Stirling. “We have been able to create a professional, and demanding environment for these players to test themselves and further develop. Adding USL Academy League is another important layer of that.”
Launched in 2021, the USL Academy League provides clubs in the USL Championship, USL League One, and USL League Two with an elite training and competition platform to develop local young players. This year, the league will feature 90 clubs across 15 men’s divisions, including 28 new teams.
Rowdies 2 was established in August of last year with the goal of offering talented local players from the region the chance to train and develop in a professional environment. Rowdies 2 players train at the Rowdies training facility throughout the week, utilizing the same facilities as the senior team. Since its inception, the team has played select exhibition matches with other teams based in Florida. In December, Rowdies 2 also participated in the USL Academy League Finals invitational, defeating Colorado Switchbacks 2, Orange County SC II and drawing with Miami FC.
Rowdies USL Academy signing Alex Rodriguez, Jesse Tita, Caleb Klepacz, and Joshua Kachurak have all spent time with Rowdies 2. Rodriguez and Klepacz are both in their second season with the Rowdies on USL Academy contracts, while Tita and Kachurak are in their debut season after first being identified through Rowdies 2.
“Having full buy-in and support from the first team staff allow us to create a clear pathway for aspiring players,” said Stirling. “Individual talent will get them the opportunity; it is then a professional attitude and commitment that will keep them here.”
| Match | Kickoff Time |
|---|---|
| May 15, vs Inter Gainesville KF | 7 p.m. |
| May 31, vs Sporting JAX | 2 p.m. |
| June 6, at Sporting JAX | 2 p.m. |
| July 8, at Brave SC | 6 p.m. |
| July 12, vs Sporting Club Tallahassee | 5 p.m. |
| July 17, at Inter Gainesville KF | 7 p.m. |
| July 25, at Sporting Club Tallahassee | 7 p.m. |
| July 31, at Sarasota Paradise | 6 p.m. |
| August 14, at Shark Coast FC | 6:30 p.m. |
| August 21, vs Brave SC | 7 p.m. |
| August 28, vs Sarasota Paradise | 7 p.m. |
| September 4, Shark Coast FC | 7 p.m. |
