It was another terrific season on the pitch for Fort Wayne Football Club, which reached the Central Conference Semifinals for a second straight year, and two of its players were honored for their contributions to it.
Defender Tiago Dias, Fort Wayne FC’s captain, and goalkeeper Aurie Briscoe were selected to USL League Two’s Central Conference Team of the Year.
Dias and Briscoe were on the pitch for seven clean sheets during the USL League Two season, when Fort Wayne FC allowed the fewest goals in the conference.
“Individual awards in team sports are always a reflection of the work of a lot of people, and in this case, a lot of talented players,” Fort Wayne FC coach Mike Avery said. “Aurie and Tiago are incredible representatives to stand up on behalf of their teammates and of our entire club.
“Both have been with us for three straight Valley Division titles, and both have played a big role in establishing Fort Wayne FC as one of the top clubs across the country. They are deserving of any individual recognition that they get and they have very bright futures in the game ahead of them. We are very proud of them.”
Dias scored three goals, including the game-winner in a pivotal 1-0 victory over Kings Hammer FC Cincinnati on June 14. Dias also scored in Fort Wayne FC’s come-from-behind playoff victory over Midwest United FC, a 3-2 victory at Flint, Michigan, on July 18.
Briscoe had seven clean sheets during the USL League Two season, including a three-save performance in a 4-0 victory over Kings Hammer FC Cincinnati on July 12, when Fort Wayne FC clinched the Valley Division championship for a third straight season. He also helped Fort Wayne FC to clean sheets in two friendlies.
Dias and Briscoe were key players in all three of Fort Wayne FC’s Valley Division championships; Dias ranks second in club history with 38 matches played, 12 behind Reid Sproat. With six goals, Dias ranks fourth in club history – two behind franchise leaders Gjis Hovius and Maxwell Amoako.
Briscoe has played 34 matches, third most in club history, and won the USL League Two Gold Glove Award – for lowest goals-against average – in 2023.
The Fort Wayne FC record book from USL League Two is now locked because the club is moving up a level to USL League One, a professional league, in 2026. The club will open a new state-of-the-art stadium, Fort Wayne FC Park, next year at Bass Road and I-69.
The club is accepting $25 season ticket deposits. The club will soon announce full season ticket pricing, but it has already announced that tickets will start at $300 for the season.
Other players named to the Central Conference team were River Light FC defender Ryan Quintos, Midwest United FC defender Christian Shannon, Flint City Bucks defender Ellis Jones, Minneapolis City SC midfielder Jackson Kirsch, Steel City FC midfielder Nicholas Graeca, Sueño FC midfielder Antonio Costabile, Des Moines Menace forward Dominick Bachstein, Peoria City forward DJ Koulai, and Flint City Bucks forward Donavan Phillip – the conference’s Player of the Year.
The team was chosen by the USL sporting team and agreed upon by league officials.
About Fort Wayne Football Club
Fort Wayne Football Club, founded in 2019, is moving to the professional ranks of USL League One in 2026. The club is building a new state-of-the-art, soccer-specific stadium, Fort Wayne FC Park, that will open at Bass Road and I-69 in 2026. In pre-professional USL League Two, Fort Wayne Football Club won Valley Division championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
About United Soccer League
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes four men’s leagues: the newly announced, top-tier professional Division I league, the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.