HERRIMAN, Utah — The Real Monarchs announced their 2026 end-of-year club award winners on Oct. 1 following the conclusion of the team's MLS NEXT Pro campaign. The honors recognize players who demonstrated excellence, leadership, and growth on and off the field throughout the season.
Felix Ewald was named both the Most Valuable Player and the Newcomer of the Year. An undrafted free agent from West Virginia University, Ewald appeared in 28 matches and logged 1,876 minutes, the second-most on the squad behind Ruben Mesalles. Ewald recorded four goals and three assists, including a brace against Tacoma United on Aug. 30 that helped end a four-game losing streak.
Antonio Riquelme earned the Offensive Player of the Year award, leading the squad with four assists, 44 shots, and 37 key passes. Riquelme tied for the team high in goal contributions with seven total. Lineker Rodrigues won the Golden Boot after scoring five goals in 14 appearances. Rodrigues, who scored his fifth goal on June 13 against Portland Timbers 2, has since signed an MLS deal with Real Salt Lake and appeared in 11 first-team matches.
Defensive honors were awarded to Liam O’Gara, named Defensive Player of the Year, and Max Kerkvliet, who won the Golden Glove. O’Gara, a defender who split time between defensive midfield and centerback, logged 1,520 minutes and two assists during the season. Following the Monarchs season, O’Gara made his RSL debut as a substitute on Sept. 23 against the Seattle Sounders FC.
Kerkvliet, a goalkeeper drafted in the first round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft out of UCONN, led the unit in appearances, starts, and clean sheets. He recorded 70 saves and an 81 percent pass completion rate across 20 appearances.
Nico Silva was named the Academy Player of the Year. The 16-year-old winger was one of nine Academy call-ups for the Monarchs this season and was one of two Academy players to record an assist. Silva logged five consecutive appearances to end the year, starting in four of those matches.
