Brett Uttley at Austin FC II's inaugural match at Parmer Field in Austin, Texas. (Jacob Gonzalez/Austin FC)
When Brett Uttley (Jamestown, R.I.) was concluding a college soccer playing career that spanned Quinnipiac University and the University of Rhode Island, MLS NEXT Pro was still a decade away from launching.
The United States’ professional soccer landscape tends to grow pretty quickly, though.
Flash forward to the 2023 season and Uttley is the first-ever coach of Austin FC II, leading the developmental squad for one of Major League Soccer’s youngest and most prominent brands. It’s one of those ready-or-not moments for a 32-year-old, whose soccer journey has led him to the Lone Star State’s capital city.
