MLS Next Cup Texas Team Preview: GFI Academy U15

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p id="block-620b6a9e-c4d4-4a8f-9b44-6bbee92730fa">The culminating event of the 2025-2026 MLS Next season is coming up shortly, as the MLS Next Cup is set to take place at the Regional Athletics Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah from May 23-31.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p id="block-483e7add-75e1-4b05-a213-86ca6370602a">The playoffs will reunite the best teams from the regular season, with 32 sides that qualified either via the MLS Next Flex event or league play in the Homegrown Division competing in a single elimination format in Utah.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p id="block-d2161841-3dc6-41f6-9bcc-28f383300632">Fifteen teams from the state of Texas will be in contention for the titles after achieving significant results in their seasons. We're now previewing each of them:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">GFI Academy U15</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>How did they qualify?</strong> GFI Academy earned their spot in the playoffs as the second-best team in the Frontier Conference. They had five wins (5-0 over Tulsa Greenwood SC, 6-1 over [program_tooltip program_id='321473' first='AC' last='River'], 2-0 over [program_tooltip program_id='283624' first='Capital' last='City SC'], 11-0 over IDEA Toros and 4-2 over Albion SC Colorado) and two losses (3-2 against [program_tooltip program_id='283639' first='Dallas' last='Hornets'] and 3-0 against [program_tooltip program_id='283658' first='Houston' last='Rangers']).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What is their squad like?</strong> Ayden Urban and Owen Kolvoord are the goalkeepers in the squad. [player_tooltip player_id='350344' first='David' last='Monge'], [player_tooltip player_id='295656' first='Drew' last='Hoerner'], [player_tooltip player_id='295673' first='Sebastian' last='Hartley'] and Derick Retana are the options in central defense, while [player_tooltip player_id='295684' first='Jaleel' last='Kotun'] and [player_tooltip player_id='295650' first='Miguel' last='Ramirez'] take on the outside back spots. The midfield has [player_tooltip player_id='295654' first='Santiago' last='Roa'], Carson Glaze, Javier Mendoza, Caleb Menebroker, Trevor Cottle, Geronimo Ritchey and Ashton Garcia. Leading the line up top are [player_tooltip player_id='295582' first='Emilio' last='Maldonado'], Semi Solarin, Taj Ajab and Mateo Busto.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who do they play in the first round of the playoffs?</strong> New Jersey's Sporting Athletic Club, on May 23, at 11:00 AM MT.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ayden Urban","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"100","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"GFI Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a0cb54dcff32"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of the goalkeepers in GFI Academy's squad, Urban is very reliable between the posts for them. He's not the tallest goalkeeper, and that may tease opponents to test him, but he is very agile and does a great job of stopping shots. Urban is very quick with everything he does and that helps when he moves in the box to claim crosses or needs to stop opponents 1v1. The goalkeeper has solid feet, too, and moves the ball efficiently from the back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":350270,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/02/2J4A0374.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-350270" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["295684"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a0cb54dcffa9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Originally a forward, Kotun has been playing as a right wingback for GFI Academy more recently. A player with impressive pace and excellent dribbling, he adjusted well to his new position and immediately became one of their main chance creators. Kotun is very dangerous when he faces opponents 1v1 out wide and keeps opposing backlines under constant pressure with his ability to make runs behind. He's also a very good finisher who likes to get into the box to get on the end of plays and fire shots on goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeAlw6HSBdg","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeAlw6HSBdg </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Mateo Busto","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2030","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"GFI Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a0cb54dd0045"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Busto is a dynamic and creative offensive player who can play on the wings or as an attacking midfielder. He's excellent at finding pockets of space to get on the ball in the attacking half and is very quick and direct with his runs. Busto is also very creative when he needs to dribble in tight spaces, finding solutions to difficult plays when under pressure. He has excellent vision in the final third, often assisting teammates, but also scores at a good clip, doing a good job of following up on plays and showing great vision to fire well-placed shots from outside the box.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYdPXF2M8ho/?igsh=YWwyOXZoaWxwZTN4","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYdPXF2M8ho/?igsh=YWwyOXZoaWxwZTN4 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->