The expansion team Revolution II will begin their inaugural 2020 season in USL League One, on the third level of the US professional soccer pyramid. On Monday, the club took a first step by hiring Clint Peay as coach.
Peay, 46, has 17 years of coaching experience and most recently served as an assistant for USL Championship team North Carolina FC. Most of his experience comes from working on the US Soccer technical staff in different capacities for the U-17 national team.
Peay was head coach for Richmond University from 2009-12 and an assistant at Georgetown, George Mason, and Davidson before that.
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“I have known and worked closely with Clint for nearly 30 years, and there are few people in this game who I trust more when it comes to evaluating and developing rising young talent,” Revolution technical director Curt Onalfo said.
Peay and Revolution head coach Bruce Arena have built a rapport dating to their days at Virginia. Arena coached Peay and the Cavaliers to four straight NCAA Division 1 championships from 1991-95.
“I am very grateful to Bruce Arena, Curt Onalfo, and the entire Revolution organization for entrusting me with the great responsibility of leading Revolution II in its inaugural season,” Peay said.
“I am thrilled to bring my passion for player development and competition to Foxborough.”
Mancienne back
The Revolution bolstered their defense by re-signing English defender Michael Mancienne to a renegotiated deal for his third MLS season.
New England acquired Mancienne from English club Nottingham Forest in August 2018, and he quickly became a leader in the locker room.
He has played in 26 games, making 23 starts, since joining the Revolution, scoring his first goal last summer at Seattle.
Mancienne struggled last season as he dealt with a foot injury that cost him 12 games.
The new deal may signal a diminished role for Mancienne, who will turn 32 in January, but it’s a position where the Revolution need experience and depth.
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Keeper selected
The MLS waiver draft was held Monday to give teams a chance at acquiring low-cost contributors. New England took advantage by selecting former New York City FC goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell with the 11th pick.
Caldwell, 23, played his college soccer at Virginia. During the summers, he played in the PDL (now USL League 2) for affiliates of MLS clubs Colorado and Seattle.
A first-round pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft, he spent all of last season on loan with USL Championship team Memphis 901, making 28 appearances.
Caldwell was one of four players taken in the waiver draft, along with keeper Greg Ranjitsingh by Minnesota, midfielder Haris Medunjanin by Cincinnati, and midfielder Danilo Acosta by the Los Angeles Galaxy. The other 20 clubs chose to pass.
New England could look to develop Caldwell by assigning him to Revolution II.
Dan Shulman can be reached at dan.shulman @globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielRShulman.