FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (January 3, 2025) – Midfielder signed by New England Revolution II Joe Buck and defenders Keegan Hughes to MLS NEXT Pro professional contracts ahead of the 2025 season.

DesireBuck, 22, signed a one-year professional contract with his hometown club for the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season with an additional one-year club option for 2026. A native of Arlington, Massachusetts, Buck returns to New England after graduating from the club’s academy in the year 2021 will be the 14th^Th Revolution Academy product for entry into the professional ranks via Revolution II.

Buck spent three seasons at Georgetown University, where he recorded four goals and five assists in 74 games for the Hoyas, including 42 starts. In his first season at Georgetown, the midfielder led his team to the 2021 BIG EAST Championship, scoring the game-winning goal in the 88th minute^Th minute against Villanova in the semifinals. Later in the postseason, Buck converted the game-winning penalty against West Virginia to send the Hoyas to the semifinals of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Soccer College Cup, earning him a spot on the Big East All-Tournament Team.

Prior to his college career, Buck made his professional debut with Revolution II in 2021 and made two appearances, including one start. When the midfielder returns to New England, Buck will join his younger brother. Noel Buck, 19, who begins his fourth season with the Revs’ MLS roster as a homegrown player.

HughesThe 24-year-old joins Revolution II for his second season in MLS NEXT Pro. Last year he was loaned out from the Columbus Crew to USL Championship side Loudoun United FC, where the center back made 29 league appearances and 25 starts. At the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Hughes helped lead his team to the Round of 16 by starting all three games with two 90-minute shifts.

Hughes began his professional career after signing a Homegrown contract with Columbus Crew on January 11, 2023. The 2018 Crew Academy Player of the Year made his MLS debut on March 25, 2023, coming on as a second-half substitute in a game against Atlanta United FC. Hughes also took part in two appearances in the 2023 US Open Cup with the crew. For the remainder of the 2023 season, Hughes played in the MLS NEXT Pro with Crew 2, scoring one goal in nine appearances (all starts). In August 2023, the Heath, Ohio native was loaned to USL Championship team FC Tulsa for the remainder of the season, where he scored one goal in nine games under current Revolution assistant coach Blair Gavin.

Hughes enjoyed a standout four-year college career at Stanford University from 2019 to 2022, where the defenseman recorded eight goals and seven assists in 73 starts. Hughes, a senior captain in 2022, led the Cardinal defense to rank first in the Pac-12 Conference in shutouts and kept nine clean sheets in the regular season to help propel Stanford to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA College Cup Tournament lead. His impressive college career earned him numerous honors, including recognition as a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, First Team All-American, Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, All-Pac-12 First Team, First Team Scholar All-American and more National Scholar Player of the Year.

The pair will come to New England for the sixth season of Revolution II, the fourth in MLS NEXT Pro, scheduled to begin in spring 2025. Further information can be found on the Revolution II homepage.

TRANSACTION: New England Revolution II has signed midfielders Joe Buck and defenders Keegan Hughes to MLS NEXT Pro contracts on January 3, 2025.

JOE BUCK
Position: midfielder
Birth date: December 10, 2002 (Boston, Mass.)
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 180
College: Georgetown University (2021-2023)
Nationality: United States
How purchased: Signed to an MLS NEXT Pro contract by Revolution II on January 3, 2025.

KEEGAN HUGHES
Position: defender
Birth date: July 22, 2000 (Newark, Ohio)
Hometown: Heath, Ohio
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190
College: Stanford University (2019–2022)
Nationality: United States
How purchased: Signed by Revolution II as a free agent on January 3, 2025.