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Locomotive hires ex-LA Galaxy II coach Junior Gonzalez to lead team
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- Locomotive hires ex-LA Galaxy II coach Junior Gonzalez to lead team
The El Paso Locomotive named Junior Gonzalez, who comes to El Paso after serving as the head coach of Los Angeles Galaxy II, as the fifth head coach in team history.
Gonzalez, 48, takes over from Wilmer Cabrera, who was not retained after a year and a half as head coach. Gonzalez has a 25-year domestic coaching career that includes stints in Major League Soccer, USL Championship and MLS Next Pro.
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Junior Gonzalez is the fifth head coach of the El Paso Locomotive
This comes three weeks after the Locomotive hired Mike DiGiulio as the new president and general manager.
Gonzalez's most recent coaching experience has been as the head coach of Los Angeles FC II since 2024. In his time with LA Galaxy II and LAFC II, Gonzalez had 19 total players promoted to first-team contracts in MLS.
"We're very excited to welcome Junior and his family to El Paso," MountainStar Sports president Alan Ledford said. "He brings the experience, competitiveness and leadership we believe are required to succeed in USL Championship. He has a strong track record of success and a clear vision for building a winning culture. We're confident he will establish a genuine connection to the El Paso community."
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Gonzalez, who will be introduced at a press conference next year, was excited to get started.
"It is a privilege to be trusted by ownership and leadership to lead this talented team towards continued success," Gonzalez said. "It is my vision to foster an environment that challenges, inspires and prepares our team to demonstrate an attractive, organized and attacking style of play that our fans and community will be proud to support."
He takes over a team that went 10-11-9 last year, notching 41 points to finish fourth in the Western Conference. El Paso was eliminated in the first round by Phoenix.
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Gonzalez played collegiately for UCLA from 1995-98. In 202-23, he was an assistant for the Chicago Fire in the MLS, and before that, he was in the LA Galaxy system for four years.
El Paso Locomotive 2026 schedule
2026 USL CHAMPIONSHIP REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Date Opponent
Sat. March 7 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Sat. March 14 at Monterey Bay FC
Sat. March 28 at Sacramento Republic FC
Sat. April 4 Las Vegas Lights FC
Sat. April 11 at Hartford Athletic
Sat. April 18 San Antonio FC
Wed. April 29 FC Tulsa
Wed. May 6 at New Mexico United
Sat. May 9 at Oakland Roots SC
Sat. May 30 Lexington SC
Wed. June 10 at Detroit City FC
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Sat. June 13 Phoenix Rising FC
Sat. June 20 at Monterey Bay FC
Sat. July 4 at Las Vegas Lights FC
Sat. July 18 at FC Tulsa
Sat. July 25 Sporting Club Jacksonville
Sat. Aug. 1 at Orange County SC
Wed. Aug. 5 Monterey Bay FC
Sat. Aug. 8 Oakland Roots SC
Sat. Aug. 15 at San Antonio FC
Sat. Aug. 22 at Colorado Springs Switchbacks
Wed., Aug. 26 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Sat. Aug. 29 Loudoun United FC
Sat. Sept. 12 at Louisville City FC
Sat. Sept. 19 at Phoenix Rising FC
Fri. Sept. 25 FC Tulsa
Sat. Oct. 3 at Lexington SC
Sat. Oct. 10 Orange County SC
Sat. Oct. 17 Sacramento Republic FC
Sat. Oct. 24 New Mexico United
2026 PRINX TIRES USL CUP SCHEDULE
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Sat. April 25 at Orange County SC
Wed. May 27 AV Alta FC
Sat. June 6 at Colorado Springs Switchbacks
Sat. June 11 New Mexico United
Locomotive ticket information
Season tickets are already on sale through eplocomotivefc.com/seasontickets or calling (915) 235-GOAL. Single-game ticket sale information will be released closer to the start of the season.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso Locomotive names Junior Gonzalez as new head coach
