Khano Smith Named USL Championship Coach of the Week

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USL Rhode Island FC

Khano Smith Named USL Championship Coach of the Week

May 20, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


PAWTUCKET, R.I. - Rhode Island FC announced today that Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith has been named to the USL Championship Week 11 Team of the Week after leading his team to a pair of shutout wins in a four-day span. The honor is Smith's fourth league recognition in the last two seasons with Rhode Island FC.

In a busy gameweek on the road, Smith led the Ocean State club to a pair of back-to-back shutout wins vs. Eastern Conference opposition to extend the club's season-long unbeaten run to four games. He first bested his former club in a 1-0 win at Birmingham Legion FC on Wednesday before dismantling the Tampa Bay Rowdies in a dominant 3-0 win at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday.

The feat not only marked the first stretch of back-to-back wins all season, but was also the first time the club has ever collected back-to-back shutout road wins. The six-point swing, which marked the tail end of a marathon stretch of five games in 14 days for Smith's squad, saw the Ocean State club shoot from 10th to sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

After making a season-high five saves in the win vs. Tampa Bay, RIFC goalkeeper Koke Vegas was also named to the Team of the Week's bench. Smith and Vegas are the fifth and sixth Rhode Island FC honorees named to the USL Championship's Team of the Week in 2025:

WEEK DATE NAME HONOR 3 3/25/25 JJ Williams Team of the Week 5 4/8/25 Clay Holstad Team of the Week 5 4/8/25 Albert Dikwa "Chico" Team of the Week 5 4/8/25 Jojea Kwizera Team of the Week 11 5/20/25 Koke Vegas Team of the Week (Bench) 11 5/20/25 Khano Smith Coach of the Week

Up next, Smith, Vegas and the rest of the Rhode Island FC squad will return to Centreville Bank Stadium on Saturday, May 24 at 4 p.m. against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Tickets are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.

Check out the Rhode Island FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 20, 2025


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