Submitted by Brian Ludden
(May 8, 2026) — There’s a new soccer team in the area, with Connecticut Rush set to kick off its inaugural men’s and women’s seasons in May. Connecticut Rush is a soccer club based in Connecticut, and part of a larger organization known as Northeast Rush. The Connecticut branch has five regions plus a select program across the state: CT Central, CT Northeast, CT South, CT Southeast, CT South Central, and CT Select.
In December of 2025, the club announced that it would be fielding a team in the United Soccer League (USL) League Two. USL League Two is the nation’s premier pre-professional soccer league, with more than 150 clubs competing across the country this summer. “Joining USL League Two is a game-changing moment for Connecticut Rush and an important step in completing our development pyramid,” explained Greg Cumpstone, Connecticut Rush Technical Director and Head Coach. “The platform allows our collegiate-level Rush alumni to stay sharp over the summer and provides other top talent from inside the state a platform to showcase themselves at the pre-professional level. Just as importantly, it creates an aspirational pathway for our younger players and a clear vision of where their hard work can take them.”
Additionally, Connecticut Rush will launch a women’s team, competing in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). Tom Newell, who spent fifteen years playing in his native England, will be the women’s team head coach. “We are extremely excited to have [Connecticut Rush] competing in the WPSL,” Newell said this past December. “At Connecticut Rush, we are very passionate about providing opportunities in soccer for girls and women of all abilities, and the birth of this team will allow us to expand our reach to women looking for a competitive level of play in the college off-season, and those looking to pursue a professional soccer career.”
The men’s team will play home matches at Valley Regional High School in Deep River, while the women’s team will call Celentano Field at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven their home field. The men play their first home game on May 16, 2026 as they host Boston City FC at 7:00 p. m. The women begin their home slate on May 21, 2026 when they face Vale SC at 7:00 p.m. All home matches for the men’s and women’s teams are free admission.
Men’s Team full home schedule:
5/16/26, 7:00 pm – vs. Boston City FC
5/23/26, 7:00 pm – vs. Black Rock FC
6/6/26, 6:00 pm – vs. Seacoast United Phantoms
6/10/26, 7:00 pm – vs. Boston Bolts
6/17/26, 7:00 pm – vs. Western Mass Pioneers
6/24/26, 7:00 pm – vs. NEFC
7/1/26, 7:00 pm – vs. AC Connecticut
Women’s Team full home schedule:
5/21/26, 7:00 pm – vs. Vale SC
5/30/26, 6:00 pm – vs. Rhode Island Rogues FC
6/6/26, 6:00 pm – vs. Vermont Wild FC
6/29/26, 6:00 pm – vs. Inter CT FC
To stay up to date with both teams, be sure to follow @ctrushselect and @ctrushwomen on Instagram.
