Hearts of Pine captain Mikey Lopez has been named the 2025 USL League One Comeback Player of the Year.
Lopez’s return to the pitch came after one of the most challenging stretches of his career. Last year, while playing in Birmingham, Mikey suffered an Achilles tear that required two surgeries and months of rehabilitation. During Hearts of Pine’s preseason, he underwent a meniscectomy, further delaying his return and putting his playing future in question.
Mikey ultimately made his comeback in Hearts of Pine’s inaugural USL League One season opener, coming off the bench in a 0-0 draw against FC Naples. The appearance marked his first competitive match in 518 days and came on the anniversary of his second Achilles surgery.
Lopez soon became a central figure for the club, making 31 appearances in League One for Hearts, the fourth most on the team, and playing over 2,400 minutes while captaining the squad throughout its inaugural season.
Off the field, Mikey’s impact was just as significant. He was named the recipient of the club’s Lead With Your Heart Community Award because of his many visits to classrooms, hospitals, and training fields across the state, consistently representing the club within Maine’s communities. After overcoming a potentially career-ending injury, Mikey Lopez led Hearts of Pine both on and off the pitch, embodying the club’s ethos and the spirit of Mainers at every turn.