PITTSBURGH (May 19, 2021) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and the Riverhounds Development Academy will kick off play next month in the USL Academy League’s East-Central Division, where the RDA’s best will face teams comprised of the top players from other USL clubs’ academies in a new, elite competition designed to help grow the pathway from the academy to USL first-team sides.
“We are delighted to be part of the USL Academy, and this is another step forward for the boys’ side of our program,” Academy Director Scott Gibson said. “This will allow us to build a fluid squad of players across the advancement phase of the RDA, with the ambition that players in the near future will be ready to sign USL Academy contracts with our professional team.”
The RDA will play its first USL Academy League match at Indy Eleven on Tuesday, June 15 at 2:30 p.m., setting the stage for the nationally televised USL Championship match between the Hounds and Indy at 8 p.m. the same day. The inaugural road trip includes a second match on June 16, when the RDA will visit the Dayton Dutch Lions for a noon kickoff.
Highmark Stadium will host its first USL Academy match on July 14, when the Hounds will host the Louisville City FC Academy. The academies of USL League Two sides Kings Hammer SC and Cleveland Force also will make visits to Pittsburgh during the 2021 season, with the match against Kings Hammer on Saturday, July 17 also serving as the lead-in to a USL Championship match, as the Hounds host Loudoun United that evening.
The RDA’s USL Academy League team will feature players who are selected from the U15-U19 boys RDA teams. This additional competition will serve as another high-level platform for our RDA players to showcase their abilities.
USL Academy League schedule
Tuesday, June 15 — at Indy Eleven, 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 16 — at Dayton Dutch Lions, 12 p.m.
Wednesday, July 14 — vs. Louisville City FC, TBD
Saturday, July 17 — vs. Kings Hammer SC, 2 p.m.
Saturday, July 24 — vs. Cleveland Force SC, 6 p.m.
