HARTFORD, Conn. – Hartford Athletic announced the extension of General Manager and Head Coach Brendan Burke, official as of Wednesday afternoon. The extension is a three-year deal that kicks in following the 2026 season.
Thus far through 2026, Burke has guided Hartford Athletic to a 4-2-5 overall mark in United Soccer League Championship action and a 2-0-1 record in Prinx Tires USL Cup play, both among the best starts in the club’s short history. Hartford is coming off one of their most accomplished victories in USL Championship action, a 1-0 shutout over the previously unbeaten Tampa Bay Rowdies. Back on May 9, Burke also earned his 100th career victory across USL Championship play (both regular season and playoffs) over Detroit City FC.
“Extending Brendan’s contract is a massive win for Hartford Athletic and the entire Greater Hartford community. When we brought Brendan in, we were looking for a leader who could change our culture, and he has done that – delivering a trophy and the most successful seasons in club’s history,” said Hartford Athletic Chairman Bruce Mandell. “This extension provides our club long-term stability to consistently compete for championships. In Brendan, we have a world-class leader who understands that Hartford is a premier soccer community and is dedicated to giving our passionate fans the winning team they deserve.”
In his head coaching career, Burke holds a 101-111-67 overall record across the USL Championship (both regular season and playoffs) and a 29-28-19 overall record with Hartford Athletic. Burke also holds a 7-0-3 overall mark in USL Cup action since the start of his stint with Hartford while just last season, Athletic captured their first hardware in club history as winners of the Jägermeister USL Cup.
“Hartford has welcomed us with open arms over the past three years, and we are proud and excited to continue to call this home well into the future,” said Burke. “Our focus now shifts immediately to sustaining and bringing even more growth and success to the club alongside all of the great people working so hard in every department.”
In 2023 and just prior to his time in Hartford, Burke helped guide Houston Dynamo FC to a U.S. Open Cup Championship as an assistant coach. During his time as manager in Colorado Springs (2021-2022), Burke turned a two-win club into a championship side, earning trips to the USL Championship playoffs and a first ever appearance in the Western Conference Finals.
“I’d like to thank all of these players and our excellent technical and medical staff, our ownership group, and our front office for all of their hard work and preparation that now allows us to push harder and harder to find new levels,” added Burke. “We also would be missing a lot if we didn’t recognize all of our families for affording us the time and their support to put the work in. We are all looking forward to three more years of sustained success and big games – all for our fans.”
The Hopedale, Mass. native has received several USL accolades during his time in the league. He earned USL Championship Coach of the Month honors in April of 2022 and August of 2025 and was nominated as a finalist for the league’s Coach of the Year award in 2021 and 2025. To date, Burke also ranks third all-time in total regular season matches coached in the USL Championship with 271.
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