Crown Legacy FC Season Preview: New signings, depth chart, players to watch, and discussion with HC Kevin Sawchak

By Brian Maurer

Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90

Crown Legacy FC kicked off its 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season with a 4-1 road win over Chattanooga FC. Rodolfo Aloko (2 goals), Nimfasha Berchimas, and Emmanuel Uchegbu were the goal scorers. Now the team heads back for a four-game home stretch.

Newly promoted Head Coach Kevin Sawchak has taken the reins in 2026 after previously serving as an interim manager during the 2024 season. He will be looking to lead Legacy back to the MLS NP Playoffs as he did during his interim stint.

Another exciting development for Legacy fans was the announcement that all home games are free to the public in 2026, making Charlotte's MLS NEXT Pro team more accessible than ever.

Here is a look at the 2026 Crown Legacy signings, depth chart, and comments from Sawchak to help preview their season ahead of their home opener against Huntsville City this Friday.

New player signings

Crown Legacy has signed five new players to fill out their roster, including four former college players (Ashton Kamdem, Daniel Longo, Nathan Richmond, and Jahiem Wickham), and a former Toronto FC Homegrown player, Hugo Mbongue.

Legacy also re-signed First Team Head Coach Dean Smith's son, Jamie Smith, to a new Player-coach contract.

Kamdem (21) is a left-back who played four years for Akron and had 76 career appearances with 15 goal contributions (3g/12a).

Longo (21) is a midfielder who played his past two collegiate seasons with UNCG, making 39 starts and adding 1 goal and 7 assists to his career numbers.

Richmond (22) was drafted by Charlotte FC in the 3rd Round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, but the midfielder opted to return to Clemson to finish his collegiate career. In 2025, he had his career-best season with 12 goal contributions (7g/5a).

Wickham (22) was drafted by Charlotte in the 3rd Round of the 2026 SuperDraft after finishing his senior year at the University of South Florida, where he made 61 saves in 17 appearances last season.

Mbongue (21) was signed as a Homegrown player by Toronto FC and was getting loaned out to USL and CPL clubs the past two years. The striker's most productive season was this past year with Vancouver FC, where he had nine goal contributions (7g/2a) in all competitions. Toronto declined his option at the end of 2025.

Depth Chart

An estimated depth chart based on the season opener and familiarity with the group, not an official depth chart

Players to watch

Rodolfo Aloko - The Beninese forward opened his account with Crown Legacy with a brace to kick off the 2026 season. He reportedly came in on a large transfer fee and will likely not be in MLS Next Pro for long.

Aron John - Charlotte FC Head Coach Dean Smith said he was impressed by Aron John throughout preseason, and he ended opening night with an assist. After dealing with an injury for a large part of 2025, he will be looking to return to his 2024 MLS NP Best XI form.

Nimfasha Berchimas - Reports have been coming out for a while now that Bayern Munich is in advanced talks for Berchimas. A deal sounds most likely for the summer after he turns 18. Till then, it looks like he will keep getting reps with Legacy, where he just scored a goal in the opener. "He's willing to fight for the team, a lot of his chances and the team's chances come from his defensive work," said Head Coach Kevin Sawchak.

Willian Sangoquiza - The defender was named the team captain for the 2026 season after getting some early preseason reps with the First Team in January. This will be Willian Sangoquiza's third season with Legacy after having a successful 2024; his 2025 campaign was cut short due to injury.

Other names to watch: Emmanuel Uchegbu, Baye Coulibaly, and Hugo Mbongue

Academy players to watch: Simon Tonidandel, Daniel Brown, Wyatt Holt, Adrian Mendoza, Magic Smalls, Graham Syrett, and Sebastian Ventura

Comments on the 2026 season from Coach Sawchak

The 2026 Crown Legacy team looks to have a wide range of experience with academy players, international signings, and former college players, all mixed in. "We are excited about the group...we have a really good balance this year of young talent that's coming into the club with guys that are experienced in NEXT Pro," said Sawchak. "I think we have a good balance of outside players, some more seasoned players, even though they're young, and academy talent. I think we probably have the best blend of all three since I've been here."

Sawchak mentioned many different academy players could get looks throughout the season; five players from the Charlotte Academy pathway got reps in their season opener against Chattanooga. "A lot of the academy guys that are now coming through, as well, the academy is more established, so I think we are seeing a higher level of academy player come through just because they have been in the system longer," commented Sawchak.

Whether they are from the academy, college, or international, Sawchak is establishing a culture where the group needs to show a willingness to fight for each other on the field. "I think that's going to be kind of our secret this year with Legacy, is everybody fighting for the team and putting the team above themselves first, and I think that will hopefully bring out better performances in all the players," stated Sawchak on his vision for his group.

Home opener info: Huntsville City (Nashville SC affiliate) at Crown Legacy FC - Tonight, March 6, 7 PM ET at the Mecklenberg County Sportsplex *FREE ADMISSION*