PITTSBURGH (March 2, 2023) — The flurry of roster moves continued today as Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC confirmed two additional players signed for 2023 — midfielder DZ Harmon and goalkeeper Jonathan Gomes. Both players have one-year deals with a club option for next season, pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval.
About DZ Harmon
Harmon, 26, played his first two professional seasons in 2021-22 with the Charleston Battery, where he made 54 appearances and had two goals and five assists with the Hounds’ longtime Eastern Conference rivals.
“DZ adds pace and power in wide areas and is very good in 1v1 situations. His ability to defend in our system will also be important to the team, and we feel he will be a great addition for the 2023 USL Championship season,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said.
A native of Monrovia, Liberia, Harmon played three years of college soccer at Coastal Carolina University from 2018-20. During his time with the Chanticleers, Harmon earned Second Team All-Sun Belt honors in 2019 and led the team to a Sun Belt regular season title in 2020.
Harmon’s first college season was with Clayton State University in 2017, where in a more attacking role, he scored eight goals in his lone season before transferring. He also played three seasons for the Atlanta Silverbacks (now Atlanta SC) in the National Premier Soccer League as an amateur from 2017-19.
About Jonathan Gomes
Gomes, 24, recently completed his college career at nearby Mercyhurst University, where he led the Lakers to a 19-1-1 record, the 2022 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title and an NCAA Division II Tournament appearance. With 15 shutouts and only four goals allowed all season, Gomes was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year and a Conference Commissioners Association Division II All-American.
“Jon is a young goalkeeper that is working hard and growing every day. He is a good shot stopper who possesses length and athleticism, and he should flourish working under goalkeeping coach Jon Busch. We look forward to seeing his growth during the 2023 USL Championship season,” Lilley said.
In his first season with the Lakers in 2021, Gomes allowed 19 goals in 18 appearances, accumulating a 12-4-2 record in those matches.
Before joining Mercyhurst as a grad transfer, Gomes played for the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, though the Broward County, Fla. native made only one appearance for the Seahawks. The 6-foot-3 goalkeeper is the third under contract for the Hounds this season, joining returning Jahmali Waite and fellow first-year pro Christian Garner.
The Hounds cap off a heavy week of activity with 21 players confirmed for the 2023 season ahead of their final preseason match this Saturday, March 4, when they will host Louisville City FC at 2 p.m. at Highmark Stadium. The match is open to the public, free of charge.
