PITTSBURGH (December 17, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed forward Russell Cicerone to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2022 season, pending USL Championship and USSF approval.
Cicerone, 26, is a Michigan native who has spent the past four seasons competing in the USL Championship, the last two with Saint Louis FC. With the versatility to play on the wing or in a central role, Cicerone scored five goals in each of the 2019 and 2020 seasons while totaling 49 appearances for Saint Louis.
“We are excited to welcome Russell on board. His versatility, energy, and competitiveness are traits that we value on our roster,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said. “He’s a dynamic player with good pace who likes to get behind defenses, and he has the ability to score goals as well as create for others. Russell is a big part of our plans for 2021.”
Prior to joining Saint Louis, Cicerone made 10 appearances in the 2018 season with FC Cincinnati. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound forward began his professional career with Portland Timbers II in 2017 after being a fourth-round selection by the Timbers in that year’s MLS SuperDraft out of the University at Buffalo.
In total, Cicerone has 78 appearances and 12 goals in his USL career.
As a collegiate player, Cicerone scored 42 goals and 22 assists in 71 games for the Bulls from 2013-16, and he also scored 20 goals in two seasons as an amateur player for the Michigan Bucks of the USL Premier Development League.
Along with Cicerone, players currently under contract for the Hounds in 2021 are forward Albert Dikwa, midfielders Kenardo Forbes, Danny Griffin and Anthony Velarde, defender Jordan Dover and goalkeeper Danny Vitiello.
