National 1 League is the top team-based competition in US Club Soccer and US Youth Soccer, elevating teams across the country into a unified national platform integrated with the ECNL. Formerly referred to as NewComp, this new competition is the result of bringing together US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues and US Youth Soccer’s National League, beginning with the 2026-27 season.
The new league ushers in an era of collaboration in youth soccer that benefits players and families across the country. The National 1 League’s inaugural season will be capped in summer 2027 at the ECNL Conference League Playoffs and Finals, as district qualifiers from this competition and the ECNL Regional League compete for championships. For more information about the league, here is an FAQ from the new program.
Ricky Santibanez
Coach Ricky Santibanez brings a wealth of elite soccer expertise and a profound passion for player development to Triangle United Soccer. Currently serving as N1L Director and the Director of Alamance County, Coach Ricky is an instrumental figure in shaping the club's competitive culture and community footprint.With an extensive background in both player and coach development. Ricky spearheads Triangle United's Coaching Education program, mentoring our staff to maintain the highest standard of instruction. His reach also extends to the state level, where he coordinates North Carolina Youth Soccer Association (NCYSA) programs and operations for the club.
US Soccer "A" License (anticipated completion April 2027)
US Soccer "B" License
NCYSA Coaching Educator
Jeff Lewis
Jeff brings a strong background in collegiate, club, and high-level player development to the pitch. A former player at Syracuse University and Toronto Croatia, Jeff combines his playing experience with years of coaching leadership to help young athletes grow technically, tactically, and competitively.
Since joining Triangle United in 2008, Jeff has been a dedicated part of the club’s coaching staff. His coaching experience includes time with New York State Olympic Development, Buffalo State College Women’s Soccer and Niagara Falls Club Italia, giving him a well-rounded perspective on player development across different levels of the game.
Qualifications & Credentials:
US Soccer “C” License
Ricky Santibanez
Coach Ricky Santibanez brings a wealth of elite soccer expertise and a profound passion for player development to Triangle United Soccer. Currently serving as N1L Director and the Director of Alamance County, Coach Ricky is an instrumental figure in shaping the club's competitive culture and community footprint.With an extensive background in both player and coach development. Ricky spearheads Triangle United's Coaching Education program, mentoring our staff to maintain the highest standard of instruction. His reach also extends to the state level, where he coordinates North Carolina Youth Soccer Association (NCYSA) programs and operations for the club.
US Soccer "A" License (anticipated completion April 2027)
US Soccer "B" License
NCYSA Coaching Educator
Josh Neptune
Meet Josh Neptune, a driven young coach with a strong background in Division I soccer, elite player development, and collegiate-level operations. With experience across college, youth, and high-performance environments, Josh brings a modern, demanding approach centered on developing complete players both on and off the field.
A former Division I player, Josh began his collegiate career at Xavier University in the Big East before transferring to Radford University, where he was a member of the program’s 2016 Big South Conference Championship and 2016 Big South Tournament Championship winning team.
As of January 2026, Josh joined the Elon University Men's Soccer staff as Director of Operations, contributing to the daily management and continued growth of one of the nation’s respected Division I programs. Prior to Elon, he served as Associate Head Coach on the men’s soccer staff at Wake Technical Community College.
In addition to his collegiate experience, Josh has coached within elite youth environments at North Carolina FC and Virginia Rush Soccer Club, while also working with underserved youth through DC SCORES in the Washington DC area. He also runs a recruitment/player advising company called Hidden Eleven, where he focuses on providing young athletes with the necessary tools, guidance and insight to make educated decision regarding their future.
• US Soccer C License
• Director of Operations – Elon University Men’s Soccer
Dan Galeana
Coming soon...
List of Services
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How are National 1 League Teams Formed?List Item 1
Teams are formed through a variety of ways. We will look at players during our MLS NEXT Academy Tryouts as well as our Classic tryouts
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How Many National 1 League Teams do we Have?List Item 2
For the 2026-2027 season, we are looking at having at least one in the u13-u19 boys and at least 1 in the u13-u14 girls.
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Who is the Director for National 1 League?List Item 3
Ricky Santibanez will oversee the entire program on and off the field. He will be assisted by staff coaches from within the club.
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When does the National 1 League Season take place?List Item 4
The National 1 League Season will be played from August - May for the 13U and 14U teams. For the 15U-19U teams, mainly from December - May.
List of Services
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How Many Times a Week do They Train?List Item 1
Players in this program will train 3x per week. The 13U and 14U teams will train August - May, while the 15U-19U teams will train from late November - May.
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Is there GK Training for this Program?List Item 2
Goalkeepers will train 1x a week with a TU GK trainer. Typically there will be 1x/week solely focused on the GK and their technique.
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What Teams do we Play?List Item 3
For the 2026-2027 season, the teams have not yet been finalized, but the league is a NC based league,
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Can players play high school?List Item 4
Yes. Players are eligible to play high school as well as National 1 League. Games and training will take place when the players are not in HS.
