by Per Gary Moody
AC Newport Joins the NPSL
The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the first and only men’s league designated by
USASA as a Tier 1 national league, is proud to announce that AC Newport has joined the league.
The club will begin play in the 2026 season.
“We are excited to bring the NPSL brand to Rhode Island with AC Newport,” NPSL Managing
Director Cindy Spera. “Their ownership group has extensive experience in the highest levels of
the game, and their business acumen is equally impressive. This is the ideal group to introduce
Rhode Island’s soccer fans and supporters to the NPSL.”
The team is led by General Manager Thomas Loughborough, Sporting Director Jeff “Ziggy”
Korytoski, and Director of Partnerships Cameron Appleton.
Loughborough is a seasoned professional sailor with over 20 years of international racing
experience. Born in Singapore and raised in England and France, he developed a global
perspective that has shaped his career across diverse maritime environments. Throughout his
career, Loughborough has forged strategic corporate partnerships, notably, he collaborated with
Red Bull Media House to amplify the foiling community through content creation and innovative
storytelling.
“The expectations for our inaugural season in the NPSL include establishing a competitive
presence within the conference, fostering community engagement, and achieving a playoff berth
through disciplined play and strategic development of talent from the region,” Loughborough
said. “We aim to blend youthful energy with experienced leadership to create a team that not
only competes but inspires the Newport community.”
Korytoski, an American-born soccer manager residing in Newport, Rhode Island, has built a
distinguished coaching career marked by consistent success across various levels and regions.
Holding a B.S. in Political Science from Saint Leo University and a UEFA A License from the
Irish Football Association earned in 2013, Korytoski transitioned from collegiate coaching at Cal
Poly in 2009 to international roles.
His tenure began prominently with Antigua GFC in
Guatemala’s second division, where he secured promotion in his first season and maintained an
unbeaten home streak over 2.5 years, culminating in a semifinal appearance in the 2011 Apertura
Tournament.
Prior to that, he led the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ Men’s and
Women’s National Teams in their inaugural international matches against Guam. In 2013, he
revitalized Deportivo Coatepeque in Guatemala’s top flight, turning around a struggling squad to
achieve notable wins against elite clubs.
In 2016, Korytoski became the inaugural head coach of ASC San Diego, leading the club to
unprecedented achievements over four years. Under his guidance, the team won two conference
championships, qualified for the U.S. Open Cup twice, completed an undefeated regular season,
reached the NPSL Regional Final, and advanced to the NPSL National Semifinals against New
York Cosmos B in his final season. Over his last four tournaments, he has steered teams to one
league final and two semifinal appearances.
Appleton is a renowned New Zealand-born professional sailor, tactician, skipper, and project
manager with over two decades of experience in high-performance yacht racing. Based in
Newport, Rhode Island for the past 18 years, he has established himself as a key figure in the
global sailing community, blending hands-on racing expertise with strategic team leadership and
project oversight.
In 2024, Appleton expanded his influence by becoming a partner at Doyle Sails Newport, part of
the Doyle Sails franchise — a global leader in high-performance sailmaking. In this ownership
role he serves as the Grand Prix and Superyacht expert for the United States.
His partnership leverages his deep racing background to offer project management guidance to clients, helping
teams navigate complex campaigns and achieve peak performance through tailored sail solutions
and tactical expertise.
Home matches will be played at Toppa Field in Newport, Rhode Island. It offers seating for
approximately 2,000 spectators.
Fans and supporters can learn more by visiting www.acnewport.com or following the club on
Facebook (@acnewport), Instagram (@ac_newport), and Twitter/X (@AC_Newport).
More information about expansion opportunities in the NPSL can be found
at npsl.com/expansion
