FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution have hired Clint Peay as the inaugural head coach of Revolution II, which is set to begin play in USL League One in the 2020 season. Peay brings more than 17 years of coaching experience to the task of launching the third-division professional side, which will enhance the Revolution’s development pipeline and bridge the gap between the Revolution Academy and first team.
“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. “His championship pedigree as a player, combined with his wealth of experience working with the top young players in North America, make him the ideal leader for Revolution II as we work to redefine and improve our player development system.”
Peay, 46, most recently spent the 2019 season as an assistant coach with USL Championship side North Carolina FC, where he worked alongside Dave Sarachan and helped guide the club to an Eastern Conference playoff berth. An experienced scout and evaluator of up-and-coming talent, Peay worked on U.S. Soccer’s technical staff from 2012-19, beginning as a member of the Under-17 staff. He was later named head coach of the U-14 Boys’ National Team in 2016, before advancing to manage the U-15 Boys’ National Team in 2018, where he succeeded current Revolution Assistant Coach Dave van den Bergh in that role.
Prior to joining U.S. Soccer, Peay built his resume over four coaching stints at the collegiate level, including four seasons as head coach at Richmond University from 2009-12. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Georgetown University in 2003, before moving on to Davidson College from 2004-07, where he helped the Wildcats to back-to-back appearances in the conference final in his first two seasons. He later worked as an assistant coach with George Mason in 2008, helping lead the Patriots to the Colonial Athletic Association title.
“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, and I look forward to getting to work with the staff and players to build a competitive team for this season and beyond.”
A proven winner at the game’s highest levels, the Columbia, Md. native enjoyed a decorated playing career spanning a decade from his collegiate days at the University of Virginia (1991-95) through five MLS seasons with D.C. United (1996-2000). In his four years at Virginia, Peay won four straight NCAA Division I titles and saw his Cavaliers ranked first in the nation at the end of each of campaign. At UVA, Peay was coached by Revolution Sporting Director and Head Coach Bruce Arena and overlapped on the roster with Assistant Coach Richie Williams (1991).
After his collegiate career, Peay was again tabbed by Arena as a ninth-round selection of D.C. United in the 1996 MLS Draft, where he played alongside Onalfo and Williams during his tenure. His run of consecutive title-winning seasons continued, as he helped the Black and Red win the first two MLS Cup finals in 1996 and 1997, before returning to the final as runner-up in 1998 and claiming a third championship in 1999. For his MLS career, which ended in 2000 after a knee injury sidelined him for the year, Peay totaled 43 games played, 33 starts, two goals, and two assists. He made five additional playoff starts in 1996, including a start at center back in the inaugural MLS Cup.
At the international level, Peay served as captain of the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team. He went on to compete for the United States in the 1995 Pan American Games and 1995 World University Games, before being named to Arena’s roster for the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Revolution II will train at the Revolution Training Center and play regular season home games at Gillette Stadium. Operating under the leadership of Sporting Director Bruce Arena, in conjunction with Technical Director Curt Onalfo, the Revolution will unveil additional details such as additional coaching staff, the inaugural roster, and a 2020 schedule.
Revolution II is one of three expansion sides set to begin play in 2020 and will join nine existing clubs in USL League One, including three others owned and operated by MLS sides -- Orlando City B (Orlando City SC), North Texas SC (FC Dallas), and Toronto FC II (Toronto FC). The league was first launched in 2017 as the new third division in the U.S. Soccer pyramid and began competition in the spring of 2019. The 28-game regular season runs from March through October, with playoffs slated for the fall culminating in USL League One Final.
