Pair of original signings to return for third season in Amber and Blue
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (Sept. 15, 2025) – Rhode Island FC announced today that it has exercised 2026 contract options for goalkeeper Koke Vegas and midfielder Amos-Shapiro Thompson. Both players were signed ahead of the inaugural season in 2024, and will return for a third year with the Ocean State club after playing an integral role in RIFC’s young history.
“Koke and Amos’ experience and leadership have been invaluable to us as our club continues to grow,” said Rhode Island FC Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith. “On and off the field, they are true professionals and embody everything we value at Rhode Island FC. They have had a positive impact since day one, and we are excited for them to continue with us in 2026.”
Vegas, who was announced as Rhode Island FC’s first-ever signing on Nov. 1, 2023 and named team captain, has been vital to the club’s historic success over its first two seasons. In 46 appearances across all competitions in two seasons with RIFC, Vegas has made 103 saves and kept 17 clean sheets in 4,127 minutes. In the 2025 USL Championship regular season, the Spaniard is third in the league with eight clean sheets, and has kept six shutouts in his last eight games. In that time, Vegas led a stringent Rhode Island FC defense to a club-record stretch of four-straight clean sheets at Centreville Bank Stadium, going more than a month without conceding a goal in front of its home fans. He has conceded just once in his last eight home games.
In 2024, Vegas captained the Ocean State club in its historic run to the USL Championship Final. Making 28 starts, including all four games in RIFC’s playoff run, the goalkeeper kept seven clean sheets and helped lead the club to its first trophy in club history with a 2-1 win over Charleston Battery in the 2024 Eastern Conference Final.
Shapiro-Thompson, who was signed on Nov. 9, 2023, missed the majority of the 2024 season due to injury. He made his debut for the club in the club’s historic 8-1 win over Miami FC on Oct. 26, 2024 and appeared off the bench in two of the club’s playoff games, including the 2024 USL Championship Final. After working his way back into the lineup in 2025, the midfielder has earned a starting spot on several occasions, making 20 starts in 29 appearances and logging 1,657 minutes across all competitions.
Shapiro-Thompson, a New England native scored his first-ever goal for the club with a long-range missile in a dramatic 2-2 tie vs. Hartford Athletic on July 26. The result secured RIFC’s top position in Group 4 of the newly-expanded USL Jägermeister Cup, fueling its run to the semifinals of the competition.
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