Koke Vegas, one of USL Championship’s top goalkeepers, is First Player to Wear Rhode Island FC Crest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2023
Rhode Island FC Signs First Player Ahead of Inaugural Season
Koke Vegas, one of USL Championship’s top goalkeepers, is First Player to Wear Rhode Island FC Crest
PAWTUCKET, RI – Rhode Island FC, the Ocean State’s new professional men’s soccer team, signed Koke [KO-KAY] Vegas to a multi-year agreement. Koke is the first player signed to Rhode Island FC’s roster and is widely heralded as one of the top goalkeepers in the league. Koke most recently played in USL Championship for San Diego Loyal and spent a decade playing professionally in Europe before coming to the United States.
“Koke Vegas is making history as the first player to ever wear the Rhode Island FC crest. As both a person and a player, he represents the values and style that we want our club and team to have,” said Khano Smith, head coach and general manager of Rhode Island FC. “Koke is an accomplished professional, with experience at the highest levels of the game. I cannot wait to introduce Koke to our fans and to build the rest of our roster for our club’s first USL season.”
Koke was born in Antequera, Spain and played professionally in Spain for 11 seasons. Koke made his professional debut in 2011 and has recorded 39 clean sheets over the course of his career. He won a La Liga 2 championship in 2016/2017 with Levante UD and played with Levante in La Liga – Spain’s top professional league – for parts of several seasons. In early 2022, Koke came to the U.S. and was named the top keeper for USL Championship’s San Diego Loyal. Koke has appeared in nearly 60 matches with the Loyal and is regarded as one of USL Championship’s top keepers.
“I am thrilled to be a part of a new club and look forward to moving to New England for Rhode Island FC’s inaugural season. Coach Smith, Michael Parkhurst, and the rest of the club are committed to building a winning team and establishing Rhode Island FC as a top USL Championship club,” said Koke Vegas, Rhode Island FC goalkeeper.
“I cannot think of a better person or player than Koke Vegas to go into the history books as the first player to ever wear our crest,” said Rhode Island FC co-founder, native Rhode Islander, and former member of the U.S. Men’s National Team Michael Parkhurst. “Since joining our club, Khano Smith has traveled across the country and to locations across the world to scout talent and build a vision for the team that will take the pitch early next year. Koke will be a backbone of our side and is certain to help create a culture that propels Rhode Island FC toward the top of the USL Championship table.”
Media is invited to attend a press conference today (November 1) with Koke Vegas and Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith at 11:00AM. The press conference will take place at Rhode Island FC headquarters, located at 175 Main St, Pawtucket, RI 02860. Media attending must register in advance here: Parking is available at the back of the building.
Rhode Island FC will make its USL Championship debut in early March 2024 and will play its home matches during its inaugural season at Beirne Stadium at Bryant University while the state-of-the-art soccer stadium at Tidewater Landing is completed. Like all transactions in USL Championship, Koke’s signing will be finalized pending league and federation approval.
About Rhode Island FC
Rhode Island FC, a club for all Rhode Island, is independently owned and operated and is the only homegrown men’s professional team in the state. It is led by co-founders Brett Johnson and former MLS and USMNT player Michael Parkhurst, a Rhode Island native. The club will begin play in March 2024 in its temporary venue, Beirne Stadium on the campus of Bryant University, while its permanent home stadium is completed for the 2025 season. The Stadium at Tidewater Landing in downtown Pawtucket will be a state-of-the-art stadium with a 10,000+ capacity. More information at www.rhodeislandfc.com.