Press Releases

PITTSBURGH (July 24, 2019) – A part of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC organization for more than a decade, Academy Coach Niko Katic has accepted a new role as a coach within FC Cincinnati’s Development Academy.

The FC Cincinnati Academy will debut in 2019-20 within the U.S. Soccer Development Academy structure, and Katic will join the organization ahead of this youth season.

“I love the Riverhounds,” Katic said. “It is a part of who I am. The Riverhounds were a great fit for me, and I feel like I was a great fit for the Riverhounds. It’s been a tremendous ride. I’ve worked with tremendous people and worked with tremendous players. I was coached by some amazing coaches as well.”

“We are sad to see Niko leave a program that he has helped build and create from the beginning,” Academy Director Scott Gibson said. “He has inspired many young people through his passion for the game and outstanding coaching over the past 10 years at the club. We are delighted however that he has an opportunity to advance his coaching career at FC Cincinnati and wish him nothing but success.”

Signing his first contract with the Riverhounds SC professional team in March 2009, Katic would go on to play 70 career games with the squad. After his playing career, he served as interim head coach of the professional team during the 2014 campaign before moving into a coaching role for the Riverhounds Academy.

“Our Academy is a player development-based model where we are always looking to advance our players to the next level,” Gibson said. “The same goes for our coaches and we are proud that Niko has advanced his coaching education and gained valuable experience over the years in the club. Niko will always be welcome back to the club and will forever be a Hound. He is a tremendous coach but more importantly a great person.”

With the FC Cincinnati Development Academy, Katic will work with top talent in the Cincinnati area while helping propel youth players into the professional ranks. He will help build the academy pipeline from the ground up.

“The Riverhounds Academy staff is filled with amazing people,” Katic said. “They want nothing but the best for the club. Working with them has been a tremendous experience for me. I have learned a lot from them.”

PITTSBURGH (July 22, 2019) – Following a very successful first year of team operation, the Riverhounds Development Academy East (RDA East) will begin participation in US Club Soccer’s Great Lakes Alliance (GLA) league for the upcoming 2019-2020 season.

The RDA East has 12 teams registered for the GLA, each averaging seven league games per season including a mix of home and away games, as well as crossover games in Canton, Ohio and Batavia, New York. The league matches will bolster a competitive calendar that was previously filled with friendly matches and regional tournaments.

“This is another huge step forward for all involved with the RDA East,” Academy East Director James Meara said. “This will be a great test for our players in a very competitive environment.”

The RDA East 2009 through 2006 sides will compete in both fall and spring sessions whereas the older, high school-aged teams will only participate in a spring season. Games for the younger teams are expected to commence in late August with schedules finalized by mid-August.

The GLA formed as a competitive, regional league for the 2016-2017 season but joined the National Premier Leagues (NPL) one year later (2017-2018), servicing more than 30 clubs in the Ohio, western New York and western Pennsylvania region. The league began to operate programming for under-13 through under-19 boys and girls but has more recently explored adding younger ages as well.

For more information on the RDA East and the Great Lakes Alliance, please visit https://www.riverhounds.com/training-academy-east and glasoccer.com, respectively.

PITTSBURGH (July 12, 2019) –Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC inducted its inaugural Hall of Fame class tonight at Highmark Stadium. The five-member class consists of founder and former owner Paul Heasley, former General Manager Dave Kasper, first-ever head coach John Kowalski, former midfielder Justin Evans and former forward David Flavius.

Founding the club on March 11, 1998, Heasley formed an organization that achieved success within its first professional season. With help from the likes of Kasper and Kowalski, the Heasley-led club was named USL A-League Organization of the Year in 1999.

Under the leadership of Heasley and Kasper in the front office, Kowalski served as the team’s field general for its first two professional seasons (1999-00). In 1999, Kowalski led the club to its first-ever playoff victory – a 4-3 result against the Long Island Rough Riders.

Evans and Flavius were also both a part of the franchise’s inaugural 1999 season. Evans, selected as the club’s first-ever player in a 1999 expansion draft, went on to appear in 101 games and rack up 50 points in his Hounds career. He is one of four players in franchise history to reach both of these plateaus.

Flavius is another player to reach the 100-appearance and 50-point mark in his Pittsburgh career, as the striker currently holds team records in both categories (183 games played and 141 points). Retiring after the 2006 campaign, his 58 career league goals also still hold as the all-time club record.

The Riverhounds SC Hall of Fame was established this year in honor of the club’s 20th anniversary season. The club remains thankful to everyone who has contributed to its success since its conception in 1998, and the Riverhounds SC Hall of Fame is a symbol of this gratitude.

This inaugural Hall of Fame class will also be honored during a special halftime ceremony during the professional team’s match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, which kicks off at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium.

Riverhounds SC would like to thank Heinz Healey’s for their partnership and sponsorship of the club’s Hall of Fame induction weekend. 

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

PITTSBURGH (July 2, 2019) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC midfielder Robbie Mertz was named to USL Championship Team of the Week after scoring a brace in the club’s 4-1 victory against Birmingham Legion FC this past Saturday at Highmark Stadium.

Mertz scored both of his goals in the first half (25th and 39th minutes), both coming off crosses from Kevin Kerr.  He won a header for the first tally and converted his second goal off of a sliding shot.

This season, Mertz has racked up four goals and one assist for nine points. The rookie has averaged 1.80 points per game over the team’s last five matches.

Also of mention, Kerr was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week bench. The midfielder assisted both of Mertz’s goals en route to setting the club’s all-time assist record.

The Hounds are back in action this Fourth of July, as the club faces Bethlehem Steel FC at 7 p.m. at Highmark Stadium. Fans can enjoy Point State Park fireworks after the match on Pittsburgh’s South Shore.

For more information on Team of the Week for week 17, visit uslchampionship.com.

HOUNDS NAMED TO TEAM OF THE WEEK:

Robbie Mertz: Week 17 – July 2

Kenardo Forbes: Week 16 – June 25

*Steevan Dos Santos: Week 15 – June 18

Kenardo Forbes: Week 9 – May 7

Ryan James: Week 8 – April 30

Kevin Kerr: Week 6 – April 16

*Also named Player of the Week

PITTSBURGH (June 18, 2019) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC forward Steevan Dos Santos has been named USL Championship Player of the Week after posting a goal and an assist in the team’s 5-0 victory at Atlanta United 2 this past Saturday at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.

In the game’s first 13 minutes, the striker posted three points. Occurring in the 7th minute, his goal came in close after fellow forward Neco Brett sent a ball toward the goalmouth. Just six minutes later, Dos Santos assisted Brett. The Cape Verde native made an excellent hustle play to knock a ball loose from an Atlanta defender over to Brett, who potted home a tally.

This season, Dos Santos has five points (two goals and one assist) for the Black and Gold. He also leads the team with 22 shots.

Also of mention, midfielder Kenardo Forbes was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week bench after recording a game-high seven key passes against Atlanta.

The Hounds are back in action this weekend, as they kick off against New York Red Bulls II at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. This will mark Blackout Night at the venue, as the first 1,000 fans will receive a free blackout t-shirt, courtesy of Image360. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

For more information on Team of the Week for Week 15, visit uslchampionship.com.

HOUNDS NAMED TO TEAM OF THE WEEK:

*Steevan Dos Santos: Week 15 – June 18

Kenardo Forbes: Week 9 – May 7

Ryan James: Week 8 – April 30

Kevin Kerr: Week 6 – April 16

*Also named Player of the Week

PITTSBURGH (June 6, 2019) –Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC defender Jordan Dover has been named to the Guyana National Team final 23-player roster for the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Earlier this week, Dover joined the Guyana National Team as part of its 40-player provisional roster. Dover, a native of Ajax, Ontario, Canada, is eligible to compete for Guyana due to family ties.

The first match for Guyana in the Gold Cup will come against the United States, taking place at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18 at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The defender has started all nine of his appearances and has an assist for Riverhounds SC in 2019 USL Championship action. He also ranks fourth on the club with 14 clearances and ranks third on the team with 12 interceptions. In 2017, Dover played in 30 matches for 2,569 minutes for the Black and Gold.

The Concacaf Gold Cup is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, June 15. For more information on the Gold Cup, please visit goldcup.org.

PITTSBURGH (June 6, 2019) – Announced today, Riverhounds Development Academy (RDA) player Nathan Dragisich has been named 2018-19 Gatorade Pennsylvania Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

An original player of the very first RDA training program in 2007-08, the RDA 2000-01 Boys team member was named a Boys ECNL and high school All-American, in addition to Boys ECNL Midwest Conference Player of the Year this past year.

“We are extremely proud of Nathan on obtaining this incredible achievement,” Academy Director Scott Gibson said. “He has grown tremendously on and off the field since entering our Academy in 2007 as an original player on the boys side. He has come through the entire program from start to finish, and we wish him the best of luck as he prepares to play collegiately at Duquesne University this fall.”

The Duquesne commit also helped lead West Allegheny High School to a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) title this past campaign. As Dragisich prepares for his freshman season with the Dukes, he is a current member of the organization’s Pathway Program, which allows older RDA Boys players to train alongside the Riverhounds SC professional team.

This is the second straight year an RDA athlete has been named Gatorade Pennsylvania Soccer Player of the Year. In 2017-18, Delaney Snyder earned the award on the girls side. Snyder now competes at the University of Louisville.

PITTSBURGH (June 5, 2019) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC defender Jordan Dover has joined the Guyana National Team as part of its provisional 40-player roster ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Dover, a native of Ajax, Ontario, Canada, is eligible to compete for Guyana due to family ties. The final 23-player rosters are scheduled to be announced by Concacaf during the first week of June.

The defender has started all nine of his appearances and has an assist for Riverhounds SC in 2019 USL Championship action. He also ranks fourth on the club with 14 clearances and ranks third on the team with 12 interceptions. In 2017, Dover played in 30 matches for 2,569 minutes for the Black and Gold.

The Concacaf Gold Cup is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, June 15. For more information on the Gold Cup, please visit goldcup.org.