Five UPSL Alumni Win MLS NEXT Pro Cup with Chattanooga FC
Chattanooga FC are MLS NEXT Pro champions, and five UPSL alumni have the medals to prove it.
Chattanooga FC defeated LAFC 2, 1-0, on Sunday, November 8, at Finley Stadium to lift the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup and become the first independent club to win the title. Five players on the championship roster came through the UPSL: Griffin Huff, Steeve Louis Jean, Yuval Cohen, Anthony Garcia and Darwin Ortiz.
A historic night at Finley Stadium
A record MLS NEXT Pro Cup crowd of 10,228 filled Finley Stadium for the final. Damien Barker John gave them the moment they came for in the 31st minute, scoring from outside the box. The goal earned him Cup MVP honors.
The road to the trophy ran through Chattanooga. The club won all three Eastern Conference playoff matches at home, beating New York City FC II and CT United FC by 3-1 scores before coming back from two goals down to edge Columbus Crew 2, 3-2, in the conference final.
“This team bought in from day one. They are a resilient bunch and do not give up,” head coach Richard Dixon told the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
The title is the first professional championship in the history of a club founded in 2009.
Five alumni, five UPSL pathways
The five champions took different routes to Chattanooga, and every one of them ran through the UPSL.
Two came up in Florida. Steeve Louis Jean competed in the UPSL Florida Premier Division with Leg-AZ World FC in 2022. Yuval Cohen, a former Inter Miami CF Academy player, competed in the same division in 2023 and 2024.
Darwin Ortiz played for North Georgia United in the UPSL Georgia Premier Division in 2024. Anthony Garcia was in the UPSL SoCal Premier Division with Ocelot Academy in 2025.
Goalkeeper Griffin Huff made the shortest trip of all. He played for Lexington SC in the UPSL KY-TN Premier Division in 2025, then finished 2026 as a national champion.
A club with a foot in the UPSL
Chattanooga FC’s connection to the league goes beyond its alumni. The club also competes in the UPSL KY-TN Premier Division through its second team.
That gives young players in Chattanooga a clear line of sight. They can compete in the UPSL in the club’s colors, with a championship first team one step above them.
The pathway at work
Five players from four UPSL divisions, in Florida, Georgia, Southern California and Kentucky-Tennessee, ended the year on the same championship roster. That is the pathway doing what it was built to do.
With more than 900 teams across the country, the UPSL gives players meaningful matches and a stage where professional clubs are paying attention. Chattanooga FC paid attention, and it now has a trophy to show for it.
Congratulations to Chattanooga FC and to five UPSL alumni who are now national champions.
About the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL)
Founded in 2011, the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) serves as the unofficial fourth tier of the U.S. Soccer pyramid. With over 900 teams competing across its Premier, Division 1, Division 2, Academy, and Women’s divisions, the UPSL is the largest semi-professional soccer league in North America.
A National Affiliate member of the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), the UPSL is made up of independently owned and operated clubs. Through its USSF affiliation, UPSL teams are eligible to compete in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds.
For more information, visit www.upsl.com or follow @upslsoccer on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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