There and Back Again: The Tale of a USL Journeyman
USL Rhode Island FC

There and Back Again: The Tale of a USL Journeyman

Published on November 7, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


Not even a sudden move to the opposite coast could keep Grant Stoneman from playing his best soccer.

Wherever the defender goes, he finds success, and the Ocean State is just the latest stop in a career that has taken him around the United States. Despite his first two clubs ceasing operations, and being a part of three separate inaugural USL seasons, the experienced center back embodies the hard-working values of a traditional defender: tireless consistency, veteran leadership and a calm presence on the ball. He may not be the first one fans notice when the ball ripples the back of the net at Centreville Bank Stadium, but RIFC's historic early success in its first two seasons would not have been possible without him, on and off the field.

Community Connections

Growing up in St. Charles, Illinois, Stoneman played every sport he could. But something about soccer had him hooked from a young age, and he continued to stick with it as he got older.

A self-described 'late bloomer,' Stoneman did not grow up playing at an elite pre-professional academy. Instead, he spent more than a decade playing for his hometown youth club, Campton United. There, he fostered connections that he kept with him throughout his college and professional career.

"I was able to connect with a lot of people in the town and around the club, and I still have those friends to this day," said Stoneman. "That is where I fell in love with sport, playing in my local community with friends."

As Stoneman approached his final years at Campton, where he played until age 16, his number one goal was to get recruited to play in college, a dream which he fulfilled when he began his career as a walk-on for the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2014. Although it was not a scholarship spot, it was a start. Almost immediately, his dream began to feel real.

"I developed a lot in my first year in Madison," said Stoneman. "The playstyle in college was a lot different than what I was used to at that time. It was a lot more athletic and physical, and we were tested significantly in my first year. My teammates were really influential, and developing with them was amazing."

Playing among an elite class of current professionals, including Chicago Fire FC forwards Chris Mueller and Tom Barlow, as well as Charleston Battery forward Mark Segbers, Stoneman became a regular in the rotation during his first season, despite his walk-on status. He made nine starts in 15 appearances and gained valuable experience during his rookie campaign.

That set the stage for a career of consistent playing time that led to where he is now, almost a decade later.

The Next Step

After two seasons with the Badgers, Stoneman took the next step in his college career, finally earning a scholarship spot with a Division I program when Loyola University Chicago called his name. The opportunity to move back to his home state, pursue an education on scholarship and to continue to compete at the highest collegiate level was an offer he could not pass up.

During his first season at Loyola, Stoneman began to seriously consider testing the waters as a professional for the first time. He continued to build relationships with players that would go on to lead professional careers, including Indy Eleven midfielder Elliot Collier.

"Everything at Loyola was amazing, and that first year is when it blossomed for me," said Stoneman. "I realized that I could do this for a living and it was something that I really loved. The relationships I had there were huge."

Stoneman has been a part of a playoff journey nearly every year since his professional journey started in 2019, but for him, Loyola's run to the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament was one of the most special. Starting all 19 games as a defender for what was the best season in program history, Stoneman became just the second-ever Loyola player to earn an All-American nod. Named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team, Stoneman also picked up the first of three-straight selections to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team in 2016, after scoring three goals and logging an assist while playing nearly every minute of the season.

The Ramblers finished 6W-1L-1T in the Missouri Valley Conference that year, becoming regular-season champions before earning their first-ever NCAA Tournament win to cap off a year of unprecedented success.

Stoneman continued to shine in his three years with the Ramblers, finishing his career in Chicago with seven goals and two assists. He started all 53 games he played, logging 4,958 minutes as one of the school's most consistent defenders. In 2018, he was named the Missouri Valley Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Through all of his continued success, the 2016 run will always have a special place in his heart.

"I still think about that team to this day," said Stoneman. "To be able to go have an amazing year and go into the NCAA tournament as a smaller school catapulted me. It gave me the platform to show who I was as a player and how much I had improved, and really boosted my career."

As well as helping to launch his professional career, the improbable run also helped prepare Stoneman for the realities of professional soccer in the United States.

"Tournament time is such an exciting time, because any week could be your last," said Stoneman. "That is something we still experience today in the playoffs. You have to put in the work every week, because a loss will end your season. As we showed at Loyola in 2016, and with Rhode Island FC in 2024, it does not matter where you are seeded. It is just about putting together a run of form at the right time."

USL Beginnings

"After college, I did not know where I stood," said Stoneman. "I did not have any offers or any real leads."

Coming out of his final season at Loyola Chicago in 2019, Stoneman was unsure of his future in soccer, but knew he had what it took to take on the professional game. He would get his first shot at a pro contract after hearing his name called in the Third Round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by his local club, Chicago Fire. Stoneman became just the second player in Ramblers history to receive a selection in the MLS SuperDraft, joining Collier, who was selected by Chicago the previous year.

Although Stoneman did not get invited to preseason with the Fire, he was loaned to newly-founded USL League One side Lansing Ignite for its inaugural season to kickstart his professional career.

"My first year in Lansing was good for me," said Stoneman. "I was able to fine-tune my tools and understand what it was like to be a professional. It set me up for the career I have today, and I would not change a thing."

In Lansing, Stoneman reconnected with head coach Nate Miller, who would become one of his most influential mentors. Miller had previously coached Stoneman in USL League Two during his college summer seasons.

Similar to his rookie season in college, Stoneman immediately inserted himself into the team during his first professional season. Making 23 appearances in Lansing, the defender logged his first professional goal and added an assist during a season that saw the club qualify for the League One Semifinals.

Although his career was off to a good start, and Stoneman had established an important role in Michigan, his career would be thrown into uncertainty early after Lansing announced that the club would cease operations at the conclusion of its inaugural season. Just one season into his career, Stoneman was thrust into the hunt for a new home.

Here We Go Again

At the same time that Lansing was ceasing operations, a new California-based club was forming in the USL Championship. The newly-minted San Diego Loyal SC was on the hunt for players and staff for its inaugural season in 2020, and a recently-folded club full of just that was the perfect place to turn.

Miller was the first to land in San Diego, joining the club as an assistant coach. That paved the way for Stoneman to make the jump to America's Second Division of soccer.

"I got lucky, and the timing worked out really well," said Stoneman. "I was kind of brought in on a whim because when Nate Miller was hired, he brought me with him. It was another step up from what I was used to, so I was once again just trying to find my way into the team."

As had been the case throughout his career, Stoneman handled the step up seamlessly, and quickly found his way into the squad during his first year in the USL Championship. Playing all four seasons in San Diego, he not only contributed, but became an integral part of a team that qualified for the USL Championship Playoffs for three-straight seasons from 2021-2023. Stoneman left the Loyal with 93 starts in 99 total appearances. He scored four goals and tallied four assists on his way to becoming the club's all-time leader in career regular-season playing time, logging 7,928 minutes.

Once again, Stoneman had found a club where he was blossoming, but things would once again come to an unfortunate end when disappointment struck at the end of the 2023 season. In similar fashion to his first year in Lansing, San Diego Loyal announced it would cease operations at the end of the 2023 season, leaving Stoneman on the hunt for a new club all over again.

"My time in San Diego was unbelievable," said Stoneman. "It was truly unforgettable. Creating the culture and memories we built was something I will remember the rest of my life. The environment we created and the fan support there was amazing. It was incredibly sad to see it go, but what happened there shaped me into the person I am today."

After learning of the club's folding midway through the season, Stoneman decided to hold off on finding a new club, instead opting to put full focus on finishing strong in Southern California. Eventually, a first-round loss to Phoenix Rising FC in front of a sold-out Torero Stadium marked an emotional end to San Diego's four-year existence, and Stoneman was there every step of the way. After spending his career with two clubs from beginning to end, a move to yet another expansion club across the country in 2024 almost felt natural.

Landing in the Ocean State

At this point, Stoneman truly felt like a veteran. His move to Rhode Island marked the third time he would embark on a club's journey through its first-ever season, and the vision from the Ocean State organization ahead of its inaugural season enticed him to make a move to the opposite coast to do it all over again. Stoneman officially signed with Rhode Island FC on Nov. 14, 2023.

"With Rhode Island FC being a new project, it was super enticing," Stoneman said. "I saw the plans here and it was honestly a really easy fit for me. Even though it was on the other side of the country, and somewhere I had never lived before, I really wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to help create a winning culture here."

Just like his time in Madison, Chicago, Lansing and San Diego, Stoneman's impact for RIFC was almost instantaneous. Although he was sidelined for the majority of the first half of the 2024 season with an injury, it took him just two games after his return to the field to establish a starting spot at center back, a spot which he did not give up all year. He went on to start the final 24 games of the season, playing all but 45 minutes of RIFC's historic run to its first-ever trophy and the 2024 USL Championship Final.

One June 18, Stoneman signed a multi-year contract extension with the Ocean State club, solidifying his future in Pawtucket for the foreseeable future. Alongside captain and goalkeeper Koke Vegas, who Stoneman played with in San Diego before the two made the move to the east coast, Stoneman has established himself as a true leader on and off the field.

"It was super enjoyable to play with Koke in San Diego," said Stoneman. "Once he said he was coming here and Rhode Island FC offered me the same opportunity, it was a no-brainer. I love playing with Koke, and after having him behind me for four years it is really amazing to have him back in goal here."

For Stoneman, a career rooted in many sudden moves and new starts has not phased him. He grounds himself in a day-to-day work ethic that has guided him throughout his career.

"It is kind of a lost art, but I strive to be able to show up and be consistent, and to not falter in the highs or lows," Stoneman said. "My goal is to make sure I show up and put out my best at training every day. I have been in a lot of different teams in my career, but no matter where I am, I always try to just stay consistent and show my teammates I am someone they can rely on."

Whether it is on the field or in the locker room, that reliability has proven to be invaluable. On Saturday, Stoneman and the rest of the Ocean State club will battle for its second-straight spot in the Eastern Conference Final, and the chance to defend its conference title, when it takes on North Carolina FC on Saturday at 7 p.m.

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