It’s officially June, which means it’s time to look back at May and recognize the month’s top performers across MLS NEXT Pro.
Austin FC II led the way this time around, taking home three of the five monthly awards after a dominant month of play that saw them earn Team of the Month honors, while Erik Lauta and Erick Feliciano picked up the Goalkeeper and Rising Star of the Month, respectively.
Real Monarch's Van Parker showed why he's a highly touted prospect, earning Player of the Month after a stellar May.
In the Eastern Conference, Pablo Morerira guided New England Revolution II to an unbeaten run in May and earned Coach of the Month honors for it.
Let's take a closer look at all the winners:
Team of the Month: Austin FC II
Heading into the summer months, there is no hotter team in MLS NEXT Pro than Austin FC II.
Start with this: ATX II has not lost a match since opening weekend.
Since March 1st, they have picked up points in 10 consecutive matches and have climbed into the upper tier of the West standings.
Then in May, Austin was simply unstoppable.
Jason Shackell’s side won every match they played during the month and outscored opponents by a 14-1 margin.
Having been this dominant on both sides of the ball, Austin FC II left little doubt about who deserved MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Month honors.
“It’s an honor for the group to be selected as Team of the Month." Said head coach Jason Shackell.
"The entire squad has worked incredibly hard and shown great commitment on a daily basis. This award is a reflection of what we are aiming to build here at Austin FC II, and I am proud of their growth and development.”
Player of the Month: Van Parker, Real Monarchs
Social media was buzzing when Real Salt Lake signed Parker, a Canadian youth international, to a Homegrown contract back in February.
After helping the RSL Academy capture the 2025 Generation adidas Cup and the 2025 MLS NEXT Cup, while also earning MVP and Golden Boot honors at the MLS NEXT Cup, expectations skyrocketed for the 17-year-old forward.
Even so, not many expected him to adapt to MLS NEXT Pro this quickly.
It took Parker fewer than 500 minutes to announce himself as one of the league’s most dangerous attackers.
The young forward scored four goals in six appearances during May, including his first professional brace against Colorado Rapids 2 on May 20th to earn the MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Month award.
“Receiving this recognition is a huge honor, and it means a lot to me. As a young player entering the league, it motivates me to keep going and to stay humble," said Parker.
"I feel that this honor reflects the work I’ve been putting into my craft. Again, I’m super happy to receive the recognition and hopefully have many more to come.”
Coach of the Month: Pablo Moreira, New England Revolution II
Helping the Portland Timbers (2015) and Columbus Crew (2020) win MLS Cups as an assistant, Pablo Moreira took on the challenge of coaching New England Revolution II as his first-ever head coaching gig ahead of 2026.
And so far, the transition has been seamless.
Moreira guided the Revs to an unbeaten month of May, collecting three wins and a shootout victory in five matches while helping push the club within striking distance of the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
"It’s a testament to the work our club, players, and staff put in day in and day out," said Moreira.
"It’s an honor I humbly accept because of the level of coaches in the league, and ultimately my peers are the ones who vote on this award, and many of them were just as deserving."
Goalkeeper of the Month: Erik Lauta, Austin FC II
Ever since Austin FC II joined MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, defense has been a cornerstone of the club’s identity.
Fast forward to 2026, and 22-year-old Lauta kept this tradition alive by recording four clean sheets and conceding just one goal across five appearances, helping Austin FC II rise up in the standings.
His performances between the posts earned Lauta the MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Month award and have been a big reason why Austin FC II owns the second-best defense in the league this season.
MLS NEXT Rising Star of the Month: Erick Feliciano, Austin FC II
The third Austin FC II award of the month goes to Erick Feliciano, whose breakout May earned him Rising Star of the Month honors as a standout academy player.
The 16-year-old earned his first professional goal and assist during Austin FC II's match against Colorado Rapids 2 on May 13th to help his side earn a win on the road.
He followed that up with an even bigger moment in his next appearance, scoring a long-range strike against St Louis CITY2 to help ATX II secure another three points.
The young winger also impressed during his recent U.S. U-16 Youth National Team call-up at the Vortex Cup in Florida, where he found the net against Argentina.
Something special's brewing in Texas' capital.
