Since this past November, five different managers have manned the Las Vegas Lights’ sideline. That’s counting caretakers and interims, but it symbolizes the whiplash that’s plagued the Lights since head coach Dennis Sanchez departed over the offseason.
2024, the club’s first season under Jose Bautista’s ownership, was an unabashed success. By contrast, 2025 started dismally, leading to the midseason firing of Antonio Nocerino and his replacement by former Charleston Battery assistant Devin Rensing. The Lights currently sit last in the West.
Las Vegas has learned meaningful lessons about competing in the USL Championship in the meantime, and sporting director Gianleonardo Neglia sat down with Backheeled to discuss that process.
Placing an “emphasis on experience”
Rensing is the clearest example of a shifting philosophy in Las Vegas. He cuts a completely different profile than Nocerino – one defined by deep knowledge of the USL ecosystem and a positive tactical philosophy. Those characteristics drove the coaching search.
