Jared Mazzola is set to be the Lights’ headliner in net in 2026. So, who is he and what does he bring?
First, let’s set the stage: the Lights’ goalkeeping department in 2025, headed by goalkeeper coach Max Rabinovich and featuring starts from all three goalkeepers on the roster, was one of the few redeeming aspects of an underwhelming season. The Lights kept 11 clean sheets in 30 regular season matches despite ending in last place of the Western Conference.
However, with starter Raiko Arozarena and backup Nicholas Ammeter both departing as free agents this offseason, the Lights were in the market for a new feature goalkeeper.
Now, they’ve got their guy with the signing of former Sacramento Republic FC goalie Jared Mazzola through the 2027 season.
Here are three reasons why you should be excited for the club’s newest addition.
Excellence and Character
In the long run, hard work and determination always beat talent. But when you possess all these attributes, plus a dedication to excellence and strong character, the sky is the limit.
Jared Mazzola is that type of guy: the embodiment of professionalism in association with talent.
In his time playing collegiate soccer for Quinnipiac University, Mazzola was chosen as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year as a senior after leading a Bobcat defense that allowed only nine goals in nine matches.
At Greenville Triumph SC, he was third in USL League One in total saves, contributing massively to the South Carolina side as they made a run into the 2023 playoffs. This was Mazzola’s breakout season, as he had not played a single minute the year before.
At Sacramento Republic FC, the Katonah, New York native served as understudy to the historic Danny Vitiello, the USL Championship’s all-time clean sheet leader, while patiently waiting for playing time.
And boy did he seize the opportunity when it was offered to him.
Mazzola was instrumental in Sacramento’s run to the 2025 Jägermeister Cup final, starting all seven matches, making 24 saves (the most in the competition), keeping five clean sheets, and conceding only twice. Coach Neill Collins clearly had unshakeable confidence in him, keeping him as the starter even when a title was on the line in the final.
Beyond what he has achieved, Mazzola is also a man of tremendous personality and drive. Sporting Director Gianleonardo Neglia described him as “a community-driven human being with strong character,” which are qualities the team values highly.
His ambition will be an asset as the team heads into the new season, and his desire for community engagement will surely turn him into a fan favorite in no time.
Dominance Within the Box
Jared Mazzola is a man of reflexes, and the stats back it up.
He made 87 saves during the 2023 season with Greenville Triumph. But the stat that jumps out the most is the amount of saves he made from inside the box: 68. He was the second best in that department in the entire USL League One, only surpassed by Charlotte Independence’s Austin Pack (86).
His numbers during Sacramento’s Jägermeister Cup sprint to the final are just as impressive, if not even more. Mazzola made 24 saves, stopping 92.3% of all shots. Those are outstanding figures.
Mazzola’s stats are proof that he can dominate on shots inside the box and from range. He knows how to position himself and leverage his shot-stopping skills. This is, obviously, the most important trait to have for a goalkeeper and will definitely be an advantage for the Lights’ defensive prospects next season.
Game-Changing Saves
A save is a save, but not every save has the same impact on the scoresheet. Big-time saves can earn you big wins or can propel your team to the next round of a competition.
Jared Mazzola has shown that he can be the man of the hour when most needed and make those big-time saves.
It’s no understatement to say that Mazzola carried Sacramento Republic to the 2025 Jägermeister Cup final. In the quarterfinals against Loudoun United, he made five big saves in regulation time and two in the penalty shootout to take the Sactown side to the next round. In the semifinals against Rhode Island, he made three important stops and saved another penalty in the shootout to guide Sacramento to the final.
Nerves of steel. That’s what you need when the going gets tough and the odds are against you. That’s precisely what Jared Mazzola possesses.
He shows up. And he’ll strive to show up for the Lights this upcoming season. Bring on 2026.
