Press Releases

PITTSBURGH (March 12, 2020) – Announced today by the United Soccer League, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and USL Championship season will be suspended for a minimum of 30 days.

Games affected are intended to be rescheduled at a later date. For affected Riverhounds SC home matches, those tickets will be honored at the later rescheduled date for the respective matches.

The club continues to monitor government decisions at the federal, state and local levels in regard to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In addition, the organization has been in contact with the USL Championship and government officials during this decision-making process and will continue to cooperate with these parties in regard to recommendations moving forward.

The safety and well-being of players, coaches, employees and fans are Riverhounds SC’s first priority.

Additional information on COVID-19 can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For additional updates, please monitor https://www.riverhounds.com and team social media channels at @RiverhoundsSC. Ticketing questions should be directed at (412) 865-GOAL.

PITTSBURGH (March 10, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed defenders Hunter Ashworth and Patrick Bunk-Andersen each to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2021 season, pending USL Championship and USSF approval.

Both players arrived in camp and have been trialing with the club since the fourth week of preseason. Patrick Bunk-Andersen arrives with the organization after competing with Toronto FC II in 2019 whereas Ashworth, a UCSB product, will enter his rookie season with the Black and Gold.

“Patrick reads the game well and is comfortable with the ball at his feet,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “He’s a good decision maker who has quickly found his place in the group.”

Bunk-Andersen started 27 of his 28 appearances for 2,475 minutes, leading Toronto FC II in all three statistics in 2019. The defender also led the club with 109 clearances and was just one of four USL League One players to record at least 100 clearances last season. On the offensive side of the ball, he posted five goals, which ranked second most on the team.

The Hvidovre, Denmark native was drafted by Toronto FC with the No. 54 overall pick in the third round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. He went on to sign a deal with affiliated club Toronto FC II.

Playing at Clemson University from 2015-18, Bunk-Andersen racked up 82 career collegiate appearances. As a junior and senior, he was named United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Third Team.

Ashworth will join Bunk-Andersen as center back options for the Hounds this season.

“Hunter provides a physical presence who is strong in the tackle and very good in the air,” Lilley said. “He also is a very good passer out of the back and is comfortable with both feet.”

For his collegiate career, Ashworth split time between UCSB (2018-19) and the University of San Francisco (2015-17).

At UCSB, he started all 34 of his games played while adding three goals and three assists between his redshirt junior and redshirt senior campaigns.

At San Francisco, the Laguna Beach, California native started 10 of his 13 games played during his freshman season, which was cut short due to a callup to the U-17 New Zealand National Team for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup. At the U-17 World Cup, he made three appearances and scored one goal.

Ashworth continued his international experience, playing for the U-20 New Zealand National Team in 2016, when he helped the team win the Oceania Football Confederation Championships. He started all of the team’s five games in the tournament and scored one goal, coming against Vanuatu in the final.

In 2017, the 6-foot-5-inch defender suited up for the U-20 New Zealand National Team during the FIFA U-20 World Cup. He started all four of the team’s matches and added one goal against Honduras in group play.

In part due to his international experience, Ashworth redshirted his sophomore campaign at San Francisco and did not play during the Dons’ 2017 season.

Riverhounds SC now has 22 players under contract for the upcoming season.

Roster breakdown for 2020 season:

Forwards (4): Steevan Dos Santos, Lukas Fernandes, Mark Forrest, Ropapa Mensah

Midfielders (6): Dakota Barnathan, Kenardo Forbes, Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz, Dani Rovira, Anthony Velarde

Defenders (9): Xhelil Asani, Hunter Ashworth, Patrick Bunk-Andersen, Jordan Dover, Ryan James, Mark Lindstrom, Skylar Thomas, Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Tony Walls

Goalkeepers (3): Tomas Gomez, Anthony Mwembia, Danny Vitiello

PITTSBURGH (March 9, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has announced a partnership with 22 The Point (WPNT) to broadcast select games throughout the upcoming 2020 season, which will mark the club’s largest-ever television broadcast schedule.

22 The Point will broadcast a total of 22 Riverhounds SC regular season matches this season. This includes 15 home games and seven away showdowns.

“We are very excited to add Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC to our lineup of local sports,” WPNT General Manager Richard Cook said. “For five years and counting, WPNT 22 the Point has been providing southwest Pennsylvania residents live high school football each fall with Friday Night Rivals. We are thrilled to expand our service to the local community through this partnership with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.”

The broadcast schedule kicks off with the Hounds’ season opener at the Charlotte Independence on March 14. In addition to this match, 22 The Point will also televise the team’s home opener against Louisville City FC on March 21. Other matchups to be televised on the station include the July 4 showdown against North Carolina FC and the season finale against the Charleston Battery on Oct. 17.

Furthermore, 22 The Point’s “Marketplace Pittsburgh,” which airs Sundays at 8 p.m. with host Jordan Conigliaro, will feature “Your Pittsburgh Riverhounds Report” on the show’s “Marketplace Minute.” These short features can also be viewed on 22thepoint.com.

In addition to these 22 matches, Riverhounds SC will be nationally televised on the ESPN family of networks for three games in 2020. This includes its March 27 showdown against Tampa Bay Rowdies (ESPN Deportes), July 1 matchup against Louisville City FC (ESPNews) and an Oct. 9 meeting with The Miami FC (ESPN Deportes).

For out-of-market fans, they can catch every Riverhounds SC match live on ESPN+ with a paid subscription.

Season tickets, flexbooks and mini plans are on sale for the 2020 season. Fans can purchase these packages by visiting https://www.riverhounds.com/tickets or by calling (412) 865-GOAL.

The Hounds will host their 2020 regular season home opener at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 at Highmark Stadium against Louisville City FC. Fans can purchase tickets at ticketmaster.com. Use the code “HOUNDS” upon purchase to take advantage of our 2 for $20 deal, offering fans two supporters section tickets for $20.

Below is this coming season’s broadcast schedule.

22 The Point

7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14 – @Charlotte Independence

7 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 – Louisville City FC

7 p.m. on Saturday, April 4 – Birmingham Legion FC

5 p.m. on Saturday, April 11 – @Sporting Kansas City II

7 p.m. on Saturday, April 18 – Loudoun United FC

7 p.m. on Saturday, April 25 – Saint Louis FC

7 p.m. on Saturday, May 9 – Philadelphia Union II

7 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 – Memphis 901 FC

5 p.m. on Sunday, May 24 – @New York Red Bulls II

6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 – @Loudoun United FC

7 p.m. on Saturday, June 27 – Indy Eleven

6:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 4 – North Carolina FC

7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 11 – @Birmingham Legion FC

7 p.m. on Saturday, July 18 – @Charleston Battery

7 p.m. on Saturday, July 25 – Charlotte Independence

7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1 – Loudoun United FC

7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 – New York Red Bulls II

5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23 – Tampa Bay Rowdies

7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29 – Sporting Kansas City II

5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13 – Atlanta United 2

7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19 – @Indy Eleven

7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 – Charleston Battery

ESPN Family of Networks

7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 27 – @Tampa Bay Rowdies (ESPN Deportes)

7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1 – @Louisville City FC (ESPNews)

8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 – The Miami FC (ESPN Deportes)

PITTSBURGH (March 6, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC today has announced its 2020 Hall of Fame ballot, which consists of seven candidates.

Paul Child and Gene Klein form the builder’s side of the ballot whereas Steve Bell, Tenywa Bonseu, Randy Dedini, Gary DePalma and Phil Karn form the ballot on the player’s side.

Child served as an assistant coach during the Riverhounds SC inaugural season and was hired as the director of youth development at this time. The former Pittsburgh Spirit indoor soccer star currently serves as an analyst on the club’s broadcast crew and has greatly propelled the popularity of the sport across western Pennsylvania.

Also serving as an analyst on the team’s broadcast, Klein began his Riverhounds SC tenure as an assistant coach during the inaugural 1999 season. He later became the club’s head coach, leading the team from 2006-09. In 2006, he guided the Hounds to a semifinals postseason appearance.

Both Bell (Peters Township native) and DePalma (Upper St. Clair native) were among the first three players signed in team history (Riverhounds SC Hall of Famer Justin Evans rounds out the trio). This group was signed on Feb. 24, 1999.

Bell started for the Hounds in 1999 and appeared in 21 matches while logging 1,560 minutes. Although a string of injuries led him to stop playing after this campaign, the midfielder took his talents to the broadcast booth where he became an announcer for Riverhounds SC matches during the early years.

Meanwhile, DePalma played with the club from 1999-04 and finished his Hounds career with 145 games played, which is the third most in team history. The attacking midfielder also posted 15 goals and 22 assists with the organization over the course of his career. He is one of four players to have at least 100 games played and 50 points in Black and Gold.

In net, Dedini played for Pittsburgh from 1999-03 and holds the most appearances in club history for a goalkeeper at 113 games played. His 27 career shutouts are also a team record.

Karn suited up for the Hounds from 1999-02. He led the team in goals (13) during its inaugural 1999 season and recorded the first hat trick in club history on Aug. 1, 1999. He is one of two players in team history to have two hat tricks, and his 54 points rank seventh in organization history.

Playing three seasons for the Hounds, Bonseu anchored the backline in 1999-00 before returning to the franchise for the 2009 season. In 1999, he was named All-League First Team. Nicknamed “T-Bone,” the defender posted 65 games played, seven goals and two assists in his Riverhounds SC career.

Riverhounds SC inducted its inaugural Hall of Fame class last year, consisting of Evans, David Flavius, Paul Heasley, Dave Kasper and John Kowalski. The club will enshrine a class into its Hall of Fame every year through 2023. Afterward, members will be elected into the Hall of Fame every two years, ensuring a Hall of Fame class on decade anniversaries of the organization’s inaugural season.

Players must be retired a minimum of three seasons to be eligible for induction.

For more information on the Riverhounds SC Hall of Fame, visit https://www.riverhounds.com/hall-of-fame.

PITTSBURGH (March 5, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has announced changes to kickoff times for two regular season home matches, both of which will take place at Highmark Stadium.

Below are the kickoff time changes:

-Match vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies on Sunday, Aug. 23 has been moved from 6 p.m. to a new time of 5 p.m.

-Match vs. Atlanta United 2 on Sunday, Sept. 13 has been moved from 6 p.m. to a new time of 5 p.m.

Season tickets, flexbooks and mini plans are on sale for the 2020 season. Fans can purchase these packages by visiting https://www.riverhounds.com/tickets or by calling (412) 865-GOAL.

The Hounds will host their 2020 regular season home opener at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 at Highmark Stadium against Louisville City FC. Fans can purchase tickets at ticketmaster.com. Use the code “HOUNDS” upon purchase to take advantage of our 2 for $20 deal, offering fans two supporters section tickets for $20.

PITTSBURGH (March 4, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed goalkeeper Tomas Gomez to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2021 season, pending USL Championship and USSF approval.

Playing under head coach Bob Lilley with the Rochester Rhinos in 2016 and 2017, Gomez won the league’s Golden Gloves Award during each campaign, which is awarded to the goalkeeper with the lowest goals-against average (GAA) for the season. The goalkeeper posted a 0.69 GAA in 2016 and a 0.75 GAA in 2017.

“Tomas is a well-rounded goalkeeper who will be very important to our goalkeeping core this year,” Lilley said. “His experience and ability to win big games has been proven over the last four years in the USL Championship. We feel he will be a steadying influence for the team on the field and in the locker room.”

For the past two seasons (2018-19), Gomez has suited up for Saint Louis FC. In this timeframe, he has posted 37 games played and 12 clean sheets.

For his USL Championship career, Gomez holds 77 games played, 30 shutouts and a 1.00 GAA.

Columbus Crew SC drafted the Georgetown University product with the No. 60 overall selection in the third round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The goalkeeper did not sign with Crew SC, but instead inked a contract with MLS’ San Jose Earthquakes for the 2015 campaign. He did not appear in a match for the Earthquakes.

Riverhounds SC now has 20 players under contract for the 2020 season.

Roster breakdown for 2020 season:

Forwards (4): Steevan Dos Santos, Lukas Fernandes, Mark Forrest, Ropapa Mensah

Midfielders (6): Dakota Barnathan, Kenardo Forbes, Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz, Dani Rovira, Anthony Velarde

Defenders (7): Xhelil Asani, Jordan Dover, Ryan James, Mark Lindstrom, Skylar Thomas, Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Tony Walls

Goalkeepers (3): Tomas Gomez, Anthony Mwembia, Danny Vitiello

PITTSBURGH (March 3, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed midfielders Dakota Barnathan and Danny Griffin each to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2021 season, pending USSF and USL Championship approval.

Barnathan has been trialing with the team since camp opened at the start of February whereas Griffin began trialing with the club during the second week of its preseason.

Barnathan brings three years of USL Championship experience to the Hounds, having last played for Ottawa Fury FC in 2019 and Sporting Kansas City II from 2017-18. With Fury FC last season, he posted a career-high 24 games played and the first two points (both assists) of his professional career.

“We like Dakota’s technical qualities and his ability to read the game,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “We see Dakota playing more in the midfield for us, but he is also capable of playing in the center back position.”

While with Sporting Kansas City II, he helped the squad reach the 2017 USL Championship title match. During this postseason run, Barnathan started all four of the team’s games and showcased versatility while playing both in the midfield and on the backline.

The Massapequa, New York native has 45 appearances and two assists in his USL Championship career.

Whereas Barnathan brings previous professional experience, Griffin will enter his rookie campaign with the Hounds. Before arriving in Pittsburgh, the Providence College product was drafted by Columbus Crew SC with the 49th overall selection in the second round of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.

“Danny is a player who works hard for the team and has good ideas in attacking areas,” Lilley said. “He has impressed since he has arrived in camp, and we are hopeful he will continue this progress throughout the season.”

Griffin played collegiately at Providence from 2016-19 and made an instant impact on the team. He started all 20 of his matches played as a freshman and was a unanimous selection to the Big East All-Freshman Team. He also was named All-Great Lakes Region Third Team for his freshman season. He capped his time with the Friars with an All-Big East Third Team selection as a senior.

The Wethersfield, Connecticut native finished his collegiate career at Providence with 80 games played (80 starts), 13 goals and six assists.

Riverhounds SC now has 19 players under contract for the 2020 season.

Roster breakdown for 2020 season:

Forwards (4): Steevan Dos Santos, Lukas Fernandes, Mark Forrest, Ropapa Mensah

Midfielders (6): Dakota Barnathan, Kenardo Forbes, Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz, Dani Rovira, Anthony Velarde

Defenders (7): Xhelil Asani, Jordan Dover, Ryan James, Mark Lindstrom, Skylar Thomas, Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Tony Walls

Goalkeepers (2): Anthony Mwembia, Danny Vitiello

PITTSBURGH (February 28, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has announced a date change to its May home game against Hartford Athletic.

Originally scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 30 at Highmark Stadium, the match will now kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 29 at Highmark Stadium.

Season tickets, flexbooks and mini plans are on sale for the 2020 season. Fans can purchase these packages by visiting https://www.riverhounds.com/tickets or by calling (412) 865-GOAL.

The Hounds will host their 2020 regular season home opener at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 at Highmark Stadium against Louisville City FC. Fans can purchase tickets at ticketmaster.com. Use the code “HOUNDS” upon purchase to take advantage of our 2 for $20 deal, offering fans two supporters section tickets for $20.

PITTSBURGH (February 25, 2020) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed defender Skylar Thomas and goalkeeper Danny Vitiello each to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2021 season, pending USSF and USL Championship approval.

Both Thomas and Vitiello have trialed with the team since the opening of camp at the beginning of February. 

Thomas comes to Pittsburgh after playing one season for Valour FC of the Canadian Premier League. He started 21 of his 22 appearances with the club.

“Skylar is an experienced defender in our league,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “He is exceptional in the air and a very strong 1-v-1 defender who we are excited to bring on to our team.”

Before playing in Canada in 2019, Thomas played four seasons at the USL Championship level. From 2017-18, he suited up for the Charleston Battery, making 48 appearances for the club over two seasons. He made an additional 47 appearances for Toronto FC II from 2015-16. The center back holds 95 games played and five goals for his USL Championship career.

A product of Syracuse University, he was drafted by Toronto FC with the No. 11 overall pick in the first round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. He did not make an MLS appearance, as he signed a contract with affiliate Toronto FC II.

The Scarborough, Ontario, Canada native also has five caps (five starts) and one goal for the U-23 Canada National Team, which occurred during 2015 Olympic qualifying.

Meanwhile, Vitiello spent the 2019 season, his rookie campaign, with Nashville SC. The goalkeeper did not appear in a match with Nashville.

“Danny is a young goalkeeper with good habits and a bright future,” Lilley said. “He is a very capable shot-stopper who also has a good ability to play out of the back with his feet.”

From 2014-18, the Massapequa, New York native competed for the University at Albany. After redshirting his freshman season, he made at least 10 appearances in his remaining four years. He saw much of his success during his junior campaign, when he posted 10 clean sheets and a .879 save percentage in 15 games played en route to a 0.50 goals-against average.

Vitiello completed his collegiate career at Albany with 60 games played, 0.98 goals-against average, .784 save percentage and 24 shutouts.

Riverhounds SC now has 17 players under contract for the 2020 season.

Roster breakdown for 2020 season:

Forwards (4): Steevan Dos Santos, Lukas Fernandes, Mark Forrest, Ropapa Mensah

Midfielders (4): Kenardo Forbes, Robbie Mertz, Dani Rovira, Anthony Velarde

Defenders (7): Xhelil Asani, Jordan Dover, Ryan James, Mark Lindstrom, Skylar Thomas, Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Tony Walls

Goalkeepers (2): Anthony Mwembia, Danny Vitiello

PITTSBURGH (February 14, 2020) – Tessa Dellarose of the Riverhounds Development Academy (RDA) has been selected to the U.S. U-16 Girls’ National Team for a UEFA Development Tournament this February.

This tournament will take place in Loughborough, England with the first match scheduled against England on Feb. 19. Two additional matches will follow, as the U.S. U-16 Girls’ National Team will play Spain on Feb. 21 and Denmark on Feb. 24.

“Tessa continues to raise the bar, and we are delighted that she gets the opportunity to travel overseas with the U-16 Girls’ National Team,” Academy Director Scott Gibson said. “The experience she will get by spending time at St. George’s Park and competing against England, Spain and Denmark will only help her continue to develop and improve. We wish her the best of luck and know she will represent the program and her country to the best of her ability.”

This past January, Dellarose participated in a U.S. U-16 Girls’ National Team Domestic Training Camp in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. In 2019, she participated in two U.S. Soccer Youth National Team Identification Centers.

Dellarose is a member of the RDA 2003 ECNL Girls team. The Brownsville High School sophomore is verbally committed to the University of North Carolina.

For more information on the U.S. Girls’ National Team, visit ussoccer.com.