HARTFORD, Conn. – Hartford Athletic announced the extension of Assistant Coach Aaron Wheeler, official as of Friday. The extension is a three-year deal that begins following the 2026 season.
This season, Wheeler’s tactical knowledge and steady leadership has helped the Boys in Green to a 4-2-6 overall record in United Soccer League Championship play, one of the strongest starts in the club’s history, and a 2-0-1 overall mark in Prinx Tires USL Cup action.
“Having spent big portions of our professional careers together, I can say that this will be one of the most important extensions that we make heading into the upcoming off-season. Our club is becoming more keenly aware of the benefits of having quality, continuity, and reliability as we start to produce better results on the technical side,” said General Manager and Head Coach Brendan Burke. “Aaron embodies all these traits and is extremely well respected by our staff and players. I believe that he will make a fantastic head coach in our league and that we will see that happen sooner rather than later.”
The Baltimore, Maryland native joined Hartford in 2024 for his first coaching job in the USL Championship after retiring from an extensive 11-year playing career at the professional level in November of 2023. During Hartford’s historic 2025 season, Wheeler was a huge part of the club’s success in USL Championship play and was instrumental in the team’s successful USL Jägermeister Cup championship run, the first trophy in club history.
“With Brendan and Aaron here long-term, we have the best soccer management team in the league,” said Chairman Bruce Mandell. “This gives Hartford Athletic the stability and leadership to consistently challenge for trophies – exactly what our city, state and fans have earned and deserve.”
As a player, Wheeler made his debut in 2010 with FC Tampa Bay (NASL) and went on to make 25 appearances in MLS with Philadelphia Union across the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He originally retired in 2017 but made his return as a player for Brendan Burke and the Switchbacks in 2022 and was a part of their run to the Western Conference Finals that season. The striker scored two goals off the bench in their 3-0 win over RGV in the Quarterfinals.
“My family and I are excited for the opportunity to continue building on our memorable time here in Hartford,” said Wheeler. “Brendan, Bruce and the players have shown a tremendous amount of trust in me throughout this project, and I am grateful to each and every one of them for that. We are looking forward to many more years of success for this club and the city of Hartford.”
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