As the year comes to a close, the Long Island Rough Riders look back at 2025 and salute some of the club’s highlights.
Here are the top stories of the year:
1. Gianna Paul grabs the spotlight
It seemed that every time we turned around the Huntington Station, N.Y. native found herself in the spotlight at different levels of the game.
For the Rough Riders women’s team in the USL W League, Paul led the team with six goals in limited playing time. Her most memorable performance came in a 3-0 triumph over AC Connecticut on May 18. Only seconds after the referee whistled the start of the second half, midfielder Maggie Ledwith nudged the ball back to Paul, who launched a 60-yard line drive into the AC Connecticut net for a goal of a lifetime. “I don’t know if there’s a picture of it, but my jaw was on the ground,” Paul said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ I could not believe it went in. … It ended up being the perfect storm. It worked perfectly.”
Paul scored 12 goals and assisted on seven goals for the University of Alabama while earning NCAA Division I fourth team All-America honors for the second consecutive year.
On Dec. 26, Paul signed a three-year contract with the Kansas City Current. She agreed to a deal that will keep her with the National Women’s Soccer League club through the 2028 campaign, with an option for 2029.
2. Battling tough in the Open Cup
The Rough Riders gave the Charlotte Independence a battle and a half but fell short in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup first round on March 20. Forward Rafael Jauregui’s second goal of the match in the 107th minute snapped the deadlock to lift Charlotte to a 3-2 victory in a game played in foggy conditions at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y.
Jauregui intercepted a clearance and drove a 15-yard shot past goalkeeper Eryk Dymora in the 107th minute to give the USL League One team the win against the Rough Riders, who compete in USL League Two.
The two 30-minute extra-time periods were action packed as the teams traded three goals. Christian Chaney lifted Charlotte into a 2-1 advantage in the 104th minute, scoring off a half volley from Clay Dimick’s right-flank feed. A minute into stoppage time of the first extra-time period, Long Island leveled at 2-2 as Elias Khodri volleyed home a 14-yard shot, setting up Jauregui’s heroics.
Rough Riders head coach Chris Megaloudis put together a team well before the USL League Two season kicks off in May. He and his staff were able to get several players who played important roles from the 2024 squad.
3. Women earn division championship
It was another memorable season for the Rough Riders women, who captured the Metropolitan Division title and reached the USL W League playoffs.
Long Island (7-4), however, was eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals, dropping a 2-0 decision to the Annapolis Blues on July 3.
The women recorded six shutouts and conceded a division-low 10 goals. They finished the regular season on a high Olivia Pearse secured a brace, Fiona Killian, Mathilde Braithwaite and Isabella Calabro added solo scores and Salma Simonin assisted on two goals en route to a 5-0 triumph over Manhattan SC at Mitchel Athletic Complex on June 29.
4. Into the playoffs
The Rough Riders men lost to the Western Mass Pioneers, 2-0, in the USL League Two playoffs on July 15. Long Island (9-2-1) finished second to FC Motown STA (11-0-1, 34) in the Metropolitan Division.
Megaloudis, however, wasn’t dismayed by the loss. In fact, he was encouraged by how much the team grew during the season.
“We fell short in the first round. But overall, I think it was a really good season, because we had a little bit of a younger team this year,” he said. “But it was great. When you look back on the season, some of the highs were really high.”
The Rough Riders boss enjoyed this season immensely.
“This was probably the most fun we’ve had in a very long time,” he said. “Not taking anything away from last year, because last year was amazing with a great group of guys. You saw growth because there’s quite a few players that went on to play at the next level, which we’re happy about. This felt a little bit different, only because the players in the beginning struggled. As the season went on, that feeling of them pushing and coming and bonding and playing great soccer was a lot of fun to see by the staff. You can’t be more proud.”
5. Keeping it in the Rough Riders family
Richard Nuttall, a member of the Rough Riders’ 1995 U.S. Interregional Soccer League championship team, stepped down as Hofstra University on a high note after 36 years running the men’s program. The Pride reached the third round of the NCAA Division I tournament before dropping a shootout to 16th-ranked Furman University via a shootout at Stone Soccer Stadium in Greenville, S.C. on Nov. 30. Nuttall, who is moving to an athletic development role, finished his career with a 364-264-88 record.
He will be succeeded by associate head coach Stephen Roche, a former Rough Riders head coach, and assistant coach Shaun Foster.
“Stephen and Shaun are very, very good, and I feel comfortable that they can take over and carry the baton or whatever you call it,” Nuttall said. “They’re great people.”
“In speaking to the powers and my AD and everybody, they were willing to let me help them, support them for a few years while they got there, you know, they got their experiences being in charge where I can support them, you know, fundraising and working for the university.
“So, you put those three together. And the other one is a bit morbid. I’ve had two or three great, great friends my age pass away. One, in particular, retired, bought a beautiful RV van in England, and within five or six months he’d passed away. There’s a saying when your young days last forever, when you get older, they don’t. I feel like you get out of bed, and the next minute I’m getting back in bed. So, at 62 I thought I’m going to try and be around my family and friends a little bit more, because I’ve been lucky to meet some great people in my life.”
6. Going west, young man
Midfielder Justin McLean, a vital member of the Rough Riders men’s success last summer, was selected by the Portland Timbers as the 15th overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft on Dec. 18.
The 21-year-old McLean made 22 appearances (19 starts) in his only season at North Carolina State last fall. He recorded three goals and five assists. The Atlanta native had played for Georgia State from 2022-24. He played in 49 matches and made 43 starts). In his three years at Georgia State, McLean registered 12 goals and 11 assists in more than 2,900 minutes played.
“We are pleased with this year’s draft results, and credit to our group here that has led our efforts with our NCAA scouting and MLS Superdraft preparation,” Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy said in a statement. “Justin was someone we saw as being a top option for us at a positional need in the midfield with our first-round pick. We believe he can put himself in consideration for a first team contract with a strong showing in preseason.”
7. A unique perspective in England
Benjamin Meijer, a player in the Rough Riders system and who led the Boys 2012 team to the USL Y National Finals for four years running, had another journey. He represented the team as a mascot at a Liverpool-Brentford match.
“One of my favorite things about Rough Riders is all the different coaches I have had the opportunity to meet over the years!” he said. From my first coach in 2018 [Jake Rodgers] to my current coach and all the coaches in between. …. I am grateful for them all. They have all helped me grow as a player and a fan of the game.”
8. Second only to one
Goalkeeper Maya Melkonian, a 2014 Rough Riders standout, shined at the National Keeper Wars finals in Florida this past summer. Competing against some of the best young keepers from across the country, Melkonian delivered an outstanding performance to secure second place in her age group.
Her performance not only highlighted her technical skills but also her ability to rise to the occasion under pressure.
Keeper Wars is a one-of-a-kind soccer competition dedicated exclusively to the goalkeeper position and is designed to highlight the unique demands and skills of being a keeper. The fast-paced 1 v 1 format tests every aspect of a keeper’s game, from agility, shot-stopping, and distribution to fitness, scoring ability, and tactical awareness.
9. Woman Entrepreneur of the Year
Leah Jankowski was named the Rough Riders’ 25 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year honoree. Jankowski’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and the power of community values that can inspire individuals in different ways.
Her journey began at the age of two, when her boundless energy led her mother to enroll her in gymnastics. “I was flipping all over the house, and my mom decided to put me into gymnastics,” she said.
The sport quickly became more than just an outlet; it shaped her very character, teaching her confidence, resilience, discipline, and the importance of perseverance.
At 21, she took a leap of faith and purchased Silver Stars Gymnastics in East Setauket, N.Y.
Jankowski’s goal is to build a generational gymnastics facility. “We want to be more than just a class or a season of activity,” she said. “We want to be the place where kids take their first forward roll, where siblings follow in each other’s footsteps, and where former students return as parents, coaches, and mentors.”
10. Finding some fame
Another former member of the 1995 championship team also was honored for another reason. Chris Armas, who played 66 times for the U.S. men’s national team, was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas on May 3. Armas forged a reputation as the best American defensive midfielder of his generation.
“People say, ‘Do you love to win or hate to lose?’ ” Armas said. “I’m not so sure. All I know is that the fire is burning bright, and I learned at a young age that I had to empty my tank in pursuit of that victory.”