PAPILLION, Neb. – Union Omaha announced today that Vincenzo Candela has been officially named as the third head coach in club history.

Candela took over as interim head coach on July 9, following the transfer of former head coach Dominic Casciato to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. A former USL League One Players’ Shield winner with Richmond Kickers in 2022, Candela brought a player's eye to management and continuity in the locker room.

Since his debut at the helm of the Owls, a gutsy and rain-soaked 2-1 win at Charlotte Independence, Candela led Union Omaha to a 10-4-5 record in the USL League One regular season. That 1.84 points-per-game rate ranked second in the league over that time span, with the team catapulting off the bottom of the table and into playoffs on a scorching 12-match unbeaten streak from August 17 through the end of the regular season.

“Vincenzo has been everything we look for in a Union Omaha coach,” said Sporting Director Jamie Henderson. “He’s earned the respect of the players with the way he leads on the field and the trust of the community with the way he carries himself off it. Under his guidance, the team has played an exciting, attacking brand of football, brave in possession, creative in the final third, and full of energy. The impact he’s made in such a short time speaks for itself, and we’re proud to have him continue leading this group into the next chapter.”

Under Candela’s guidance, young players have blossomed. Academy product Mark Bronnik scored five goals in 826 minutes under Candela, while consistently being highlighted as one of the league’s rising stars. Sergio Ors Navarro, in his first professional season, scored ten goals to lead the club—eight under Candela—and was named USL League One’s Player of the Month for September. Mixed with the veteran presence of players like Prosper Kasim and Dion Acoff, the Owls have soared while playing the club’s typically attacking, free-flowing brand of football.

Candela initially joined Union Omaha in January 2024 after his ten-year playing career ended. He immediately became a key member of Casciato’s staff, with a wide range of responsibilities that included coordinating the team’s set-piece routines; in 2024, the title-winning Union Omaha side led USL League One with 17 goals from dead ball situations. Prior to that, he made 144 professional appearances across three continents, with stops in Germany, Sweden, Belgium, and his native Colombia before moving stateside for the second half of his career. Candela concurrently spent six years coaching at academy and youth levels in Colombia and the U.S. before his time with the Owls.

“First and foremost, I want to thank Gary and all the rest of the ownership group; Martie, Alexis and Jamie for the support and confidence to lead this fantastic organization into an exciting new chapter," said Candela. "It is an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to not only to lead but try to continue to show why Union Omaha is an exemplary organization in the USL. Lastly, I want to thank all of the players and staff for their hard work and commitment in the second half of this 2025 season. The trust and acceptance of new ideas from a young coach is why this group will always have a special place in my heart."