Through the Riverhounds’ Pathway Program, the Academy’s top young players can earn the opportunity to train with the Hounds’ First Team, getting a first taste of the speed and expectations in a professional environment. For the very best, that can lead to being offered a USL Academy contract to join the First Team.
To date, the Hounds have had three players on USL Academy contracts appear in a competitive match with the First Team as teenagers: Wyatt Borso (2021-22), Anders Bordoy (2023) and Pablo Linzoain (2024-25). And as the 2025 NCAA season gets under way, all three of those players this year are playing at the Division I college level, with two of them recently facing off head-to-head.
Here’s how those former — and perhaps one day future — Hounds players are faring:
Wyatt Borso, senior, Notre Dame
Borso is on the comeback trail this season after missing his junior year through injury, and the Hounds’ first-ever USL Academy signing appears to be getting back in form.
The fourth-year forward for the Fighting Irish has scored in consecutive matches for Notre Dame, with his first of the year coming only a few miles away from Highmark Stadium in their ACC opener against Bordoy and Pitt. The goal paced Notre Dame to a 2-0 win over Pitt, and Borso followed that up with his second goal in a 3-1 home win over Omaha on Sept. 16.
Notre Dame is off to a 3-1-2 (1-0-0) start to the season, which continues Friday night with an ACC match hosting Louisville.
Anders Bordoy, junior, Pitt
Bordoy has started five matches and appeared in all seven in his first season with Pitt after playing his first two college seasons for Memphis.
It only took two matches for Bordoy to show up on the score sheet after registering his first assist with the Panthers in a 3-2 win over Michigan State on Aug. 25. He has recorded nine shot but has yet to find the net with Pitt, a season after scoring for Memphis in the American Athletic Conference Tournament and earning a spot on the 2024 All-AAC Tournament Team.
Pitt is 3-3-1 (0-2-0) to start the season after conference losses to No. 3 Clemson and Borso’s Notre Dame team. Bordoy and the Panthers are back on the road this weekend with a big Friday nonconference tilt at Maryland that will be shown live on the Big Ten Network.
Pablo Linzoain, freshman, Davidson
Having appeared for the Hounds as recently as their USL Jägermeister Cup match July 25 at Portland Hearts of Pine, Linzoain has switched gears to begin college in North Carolina.
Linzoain has appeared in five matches and started two in his first season with the Wildcats, missing only a single match through suspension after being sent off Sept. 4 against Furman in a skirmish between players from each team. He was right back on the field in the next match, appearing off the bench Sept. 16 at Elon.
Davidson is 2-3-1 (0-0-1) to start Linzoain’s first season, and they move into the heart of Atlantic 10 play this Saturday when they host St. Bonaventure.
