USL News

Riverhounds announce 2025 schedule

PITTSBURGH (Dec. 19, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s 2025 schedule was announced this afternoon, unveiling a 34-game slate that includes both USL Championship regular season and — brand new this year — USL Jägermeister Cup group play matches.

The Hounds have reached the playoffs in all seven seasons under head coach Bob Lilley, and his eighth year at the helm in Pittsburgh will begin with two straight road matches: Saturday, March 8 at North Carolina FC and Saturday, March 15 at San Antonio FC.

The 17-match home schedule will kick off on the final two Saturdays in March with two familiar Eastern Conference foes. Hartford Athletic will kick off the Hounds’ 13th season at Highmark Stadium on March 22, and Birmingham Legion FC will be the opposition on March 29.

Other highlights on the regular-season schedule include the return of the Hounds’ traditional Independence Day home date, a Friday, July 4 contest against New Mexico United before the City of Pittsburgh’s fireworks light up the sky. That falls in the heart of a summer loaded with action, with three home matches in each of June, July and August.

The schedule winds down with the Hounds alternating away and home matches on Saturdays through September and October, wrapping up with an Oct. 18 road trip to Monterey Bay FC and an Oct. 25 regular-season finale hosting Phoenix Rising FC.

Mixed into the schedule are four Jägermeister Cup group play matches, as USL Championship teams participate for the first time in the inter-league cup competition. The Hounds will visit Detroit City FC (April 26) and host Rhode Island FC (May 31) in their first two matches before meeting a pair of USL League One teams for the first time, hosting Westchester SC (June 28) and visiting Portland Hearts of Pine (July 26).

Additional matches will be added to the schedule for the Hounds to compete in the U.S. Open Cup and if the Hounds advance to the knockout rounds of the Jägermeister Cup. Match times, TV schedules and home game promotions will be announced at a later date.

Riverhounds season tickets for 2025 are on sale now, and single-game tickets are set to go on sale in late January. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit riverhounds.com or contact the Highmark Stadium Box Office at 412-865-GOAL.

To see the full 2025 schedule, visit riverhounds.com/schedule.

Championship teams to enter 2025 Jägermeister Cup

TAMPA, Fla. and PITTSBURGH (Dec. 12, 2024) — The United Soccer League (USL) announced today the expansion of the USL Jägermeister Cup, uniting clubs from the USL Championship and League One in a groundbreaking interleague competition. The 2025 tournament represents a significant milestone for domestic soccer, as it marks the first time a U.S. soccer league has established its own interleague cup.

Entering its second year after a successful launch exclusively with League One clubs last season, the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup will feature all 38 professional men’s clubs, including the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, competing in a World Cup-style tournament throughout the regular season. Adding more meaningful matches to the annual calendar, the USL Jägermeister Cup includes fan-first modifications to encourage attacking soccer, such as penalty shootouts to determine match winners during the group stage and goals scored as the first tiebreaker in the group standings.

“We are thrilled to partner with Jägermeister to expand the competition to include both our men’s professional leagues and create more matches of consequence,” said USL President and Chief Soccer Officer Paul McDonough. “This new approach highlights the vision and commitment of our owners to explore innovative ways to adapt our structure, delivering a more compelling and entertaining format. This first-of-its-kind cup will give fans additional opportunities to support their teams and celebrate their communities in an exciting tournament.”

The USL Jägermeister Cup will consist of six regional groups, with six or seven teams assigned by league or conference affiliation per group. Each team will play four matches — two home, two away — in group play with home assignments being randomly drawn. The group stage kicks off April 26 and concludes the weekend of July 26. After the group stage, a draw will set the matchups for the single-elimination knockout rounds, which will begin three weeks later. The USL Jägermeister Cup will conclude with the Final on the weekend of Oct. 11.

The Riverhounds have been placed in Group 4 for the 2025 competition, pairing them with fellow Championship sides Detroit City FC, Hartford Athletic and Rhode Island FC. Filling out the group are two newcomers to League One: New York-based Westchester SC and Portland Hearts of Pine from Maine.

The addition of the Jägermeister Cup gives the Riverhounds three distinct competitions to contest in 2025. The new tournament will be played concurrently with the USL Championship season and the U.S. Open Cup, giving the Hounds multiple opportunities to add to their trophy collection. The schedule for Jägermeister Cup matches will be announced concurrently with the forthcoming announcement of the USL Championship schedule.

The Jägermeister brand has been a pioneer in sports business and soccer. In 1973, Jägermeister became the first company to place a logo on a Bundesliga club’s jersey with the sponsorship of Eintracht Braunschweig. Jägermeister is committed to crafting some of the best nights in sports and will be working with partners in local USL communities to host special events announced at a later date.

In addition to the clubs and players being highlighted throughout the tournament, fans will also have their own shot at glory in the “Shot at Glory Bracket Challenge” which will launch ahead of the first match day.

More information about the USL Jägermeister Cup will be shared in the coming months leading up to the competition and throughout the tournament on our dedicated social media channels at USL Jägermeister Cup on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

2025 USL Jägermeister Cup Groups

GROUP 1	GROUP 2	GROUP 3	GROUP 4	GROUP 5	GROUP 6
AV Alta FC	Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC	Birmingham Legion FC	Detroit City FC	Charlotte Independence	Charleston Battery
Las Vegas Lights FC	El Paso Locomotive FC	Chattanooga Red Wolves SC	Hartford Athletic	Lexington SC	Greenville Triumph
Monterey Bay F.C.	New Mexico United	Forward Madison FC	Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC	Loudoun United FC	Miami FC
Oakland Roots SC	Phoenix Rising FC	Indy Eleven	Portland Hearts of Pine	Louisville City FC	FC Naples
Orange County SC	San Antonio FC	One Knoxville SC	Rhode Island FC	North Carolina FC	Tampa Bay Rowdies
Sacramento Republic FC	Texoma FC	FC Tulsa	Westchester SC	Richmond Kickers	Tormenta FC
Spokane Velocity FC	Union Omaha

Eric Dick named Goalkeeper of the Year

Pittsburgh Riverhounds Goalie Eric Dick being named Goalkeeper of the Year

PITTSBURGH (Nov. 19, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC goalkeeper Eric Dick was announced this afternoon as the USL Championship Goalkeeper of the Year, the league’s top annual honor for the position.

Dick was outstanding in his first season with the Riverhounds after signing as a free agent. The shot stopper was first in the Championship with a 0.69 goals-against average and a .791 save percentage, while also tying for the league lead with 14 shutouts.

The Hounds’ goalkeeper received 49 percent of the vote for the award, voted upon by club officials and media members, to finish ahead of fellow finalists Danny Vitiello of Sacramento Republic FC and Renan Ribeiro of Hartford Athletic. By winning Goalkeeper of the Year, Dick swept the league’s postseason honors for goalkeepers in 2024 — Goalkeeper of the Year, Golden Glove (lowest GAA) and First Team All-USL.

“I’m honored and grateful to receive this award. First, I must congratulate Danny and Renan for outstanding seasons and all of the goalkeepers that make up one heck of a talented USL Goalkeepers’ Union,” Dick said. “I truly give all the glory to God, for it is through him and for him that I play the game.”

Dick came to the Riverhounds after spending the past two seasons under contract with Minnesota United FC of MLS. A former first-round MLS draft pick by Sporting Kansas City, Dick also spent time with the Columbus Crew, but this season represented his first run as a regular starter since 2018-19 when he was on loan with former USL Championship club Swope Park Rangers.

He shined with the opportunity, starting 26 matches and making 68 saves — the most by a Hounds goalkeeper since 2012 — also setting the club’s single-season shutouts record and helping the Hounds allow a league-low 28 goals.

According to advanced metrics by Opta, Dick also had a league-best 10.44 Goals Prevented with just 18 goals allowed while facing an Expected Goals on Target Conceded mark of 28.44. That helped the Hounds clinch their seventh consecutive USL Championship Playoffs berth, extending the longest such run in club history.

“My name may be on the award, but it should simply read ‘Riverhounds.’ The front office, coach Bob Lilley and the rest of the coaching staff took a chance on me. My GK coach, Jon Busch, along with Jacob (Randolph) and Gabriel (Perrotta) made up the best dang GKU in the league,” Dick said. “I’m also thankful to the athletic training staff and strength staff for keeping myself and everyone healthy and strong.”

Dick continued: “My teammates, who were the ones doing the hard work, running around, cutting out far more chances than those that ever got to me. They made my job so easy by being the best defense in the USL. I am an extension of them all. And a final thanks to our amazing fans who stood by us all year. You made Highmark Stadium a party all season long!”

Eric Dick chosen for All-League First Team

Riverhounds goalkeeper Eric Dick takes the field ahead of the team's match against San Antonio FC on Aug. 10, 2024, at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC) — *Riverhounds goalkeeper Eric Dick takes the field ahead of the team’s match against San Antonio FC on Aug. 10, 2024, at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC)*

(Updated with league awards information on Nov. 14)

PITTSBURGH (Nov. 13, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC goalkeeper Eric Dick was selected to the 2024 USL Championship All-League First Team, the league announced today.

Dick, who completed his first season with the Riverhounds in 2024, was also the winner of the league’s Golden Glove award with a 0.69 goals-against average, the lowest in the league. He also finished the season with a .791 save percentage that was second amongst qualified goalkeepers, and his 14 shutouts tied for the league lead and set a new Riverhounds’ single-season record.

After coming to the Hounds as a free agent from Minnesota United of MLS, the 30-year-old native of Roeland Park, Kan., started 26 of the Hounds’ 34 regular-season matches. He allowed only 18 goals in those games, as the Hounds allowed a league-low 28 goals total in 2024.

Dick becomes the first Hounds goalkeeper to earn First Team honors in the “modern” USL Championship era (2011-present), and only the second in club history after Hunter Gilstrap took First Team honors in the 2010 USL Second Division. Dick is also the 14th All-USL honoree in the past seven seasons under coach Bob Lilley, and the seventh First Team pick during that time.

(Updated 11/14) Dick also was named Thursday as one of the three finalists for the USL Championship’s Goalkeeper of the Year Award, one of the league’s five individual postseason awards. He is joined by former Hounds shot stopper Danny Vitiello of Sacramento Republic FC and Hartford Athletic goalie Renan Ribeiro on the candidate list for the award.

The winner will be announced Tuesday, Nov. 19, as part of the awards week that leads into the USL Championship Final on Saturday, Nov. 23, airing live on CBS.

To see the complete USL Championship All-League Teams, visit uslchampionship.com.

Picture of Eric Dick with his nomination to the 2024 USL first team All- League

Kizza nominated for Player of the Month

Pittsburgh Riverhounds forward Edward Kizza celebrates after scoring a goal against Hartford Athletic on July 20, 2024, at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh — *Edward Kizza is one of four finalists for USL Championship Player of the Month in October. (Photo: Steven Smith/For Riverhounds SC)*

PITTSBURGH (Oct. 31, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC striker Edward Kizza is one of four finalists for the USL Championship Player of the Month for October, the league announced this afternoon.

Kizza is the first Hounds player to be up for the award in 2024 after scoring a goal in all four of the Hounds’ matches — victories over Miami, Charleston, Loudoun and El Paso — during the month. The scoring outburst brought Kizza’s season total to a career-best 12 goals, and it helped propel the Hounds from 10th in the Eastern Conference at the start of the month to a seventh consecutive USL Championship Playoffs berth as the No. 7 seed.

Other finalists for the award are Danny Barrera of Hartford Athletic, Evan Conway of North Carolina FC, and JJ Williams of Rhode Island FC.

Fan voting — as well as a vote by the league’s Technical Committee and National Media Panel — will run through noon Monday, Nov. 4. The winner will be announced after voting has concluded.

Hounds fans can vote for Kizza by visiting USLChampionship.com or by clicking the button below!

VOTE EDWARD KIZZA FOR PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Eric Dick wins USL Championship Golden Glove

2024 Golden Glove winner and Pittsburgh Riverhounds goalkeeper Eric Dick during a Home Game at Highmark Stadium — *Riverhounds goalkeeper Eric Dick (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC)*

PITTSBURGH (Oct. 27, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC goalkeeper Eric Dick is the winner of the 2024 USL Championship Golden Glove, presented by Select Sport America, awarded to the goalkeeper with the lowest goals-against average across the league.

Dick was confirmed as the winner of the award after the conclusion of the regular season Saturday. He ended the regular season having allowed 18 goals in 26 matches, good for a league-best 0.69 goals-against average.

Dick, 30, signed with the Riverhounds as a free agent prior to this season. Having spent time as a backup in MLS with Sporting Kansas City, Columbus Crew and Minnesota United, this season was his first opportunity to be a regular starter since a 2018-19 loan spell with former USL side Swope Park Rangers.

The Roeland Park, Kansas, native made the most of that chance, recording a Hounds-record 14 clean sheets on the season and stopping 68 of 86 shots on goal for a .791 save percentage, which goes down as the fourth-best single-season percentage in club history.

Dick is the second Hounds player to win the Golden Glove after Danny Vitiello, who earned the award in 2020.

Date, time, TV set for playoff opener

Pittsburgh Riverhounds Players Sean Suber and Danny Griffin making a tackle against the Charleston Battery who will square off in the USL championship Playoffs

PITTSBURGH (Oct. 27, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC will face the Charleston Battery in the USL Championship Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 at Patriots Point Soccer Complex in Mount Pleasant, S.C., the league announced this morning.

The match between the seventh-seeded Hounds (12-10-12) and the No. 2 seed Battery (18-6-10) will be streamed on ESPN+. Local television details are still to be confirmed.

The Hounds secured their postseason spot Saturday with a 2-0 win over El Paso, which brought the regular season to a close on a four-match win streak, including a 2-0 win over the Battery on Oct. 12 in Pittsburgh. The teams also played to a 0-0 draw on June 8 at Patriots Point.

Though the Hounds and Battery have met 44 times and are the two oldest clubs in the Championship — the Hounds began play in 1999, six years after the Battery started in 1993 — this will be only the second time they have matched up in the postseason. The teams also met in the 2001 USL A-League First Round, where the Hounds won both matches of a two-legged playoff, winning 2-1 at home on Sept. 20, 2001, and 3-1 two days later in South Carolina.

Jacquesson named Player of the Week

PITTSBURGH (Oct. 8, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC forward Bertin Jacquesson was named the USL Championship Player of the Week, presented by Konami eFootball, the league announced this afternoon.

Jacquesson scored his first hat trick as a professional in the Hounds’ 4-0 win at Miami FC last Saturday, keeping the team in the playoff hunt with three matches to play. He now has four goals and an assist in four matches since joining the Hounds on loan from Real Salt Lake.

All four of the Hounds’ goals came in a span of just 33 minutes of play, starting when Jacquesson used his chest to turn home a cross by Junior Etou in the 42nd minute. His second goal in the 51st minutes is a Goal of the Week nominee, a sharp-angled finish from along the goal line after the forward saw the goalkeeper moving off his line for a cross, rather than a shot. Jacquesson completed the hat trick with the game’s fourth goal, settling a long, diagonal ball from Bradley Sample and finishing around the onrushing goalkeeper.

Jacquesson finished the match taking nine total shots — six on goal — and he also won possession five times, including three passes intercepted.

This is the third time in 2024 a Hounds player has been named Player of the Week, after Edward Kizza (Week 7) and Junior Etou (Week 19) also took the top weekly honor, and only the second time since the award’s inception that three different Hounds players have earned it in the same season. (2019 — Steevan Dos Santos, Neco Brett, Kenardo Forbes)

Joining Jacquesson on the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 31 is Hounds goalkeeper Gabriel Perrotta, who like Jacquesson, is making his first appearance in the league’s best 11.

Perrotta made four saves in the shutout win over Miami, as the first-year pro recorded his first clean sheet as a professional. According to Opta statistics, Perrotta’s contribution accounted for a -1.17 goals prevented mark, the highest such number posted last weekend by a goalkeeper in a shutout performance.

To see the full USL Championship Team of the Week, visit uslchampionship.com.

Pittsburgh Riveters unveiled as name, logo for W League team

PITTSBURGH (Sept. 18, 2024) — Pittsburgh’s newest addition to the sports scene, its USL W League team, has been officially named the Pittsburgh Riveters. Donning the city’s iconic black and yellow colors, the team revealed its name and logo today during a virtual unveiling, marking the beginning of an exciting new era for women’s soccer in the Steel City.

Chosen through a community-wide “Name the Team” poll, the Riveters emerged with a clear majority out of multiple fan-submitted options, capturing 53 percent of nearly 10,000 votes cast. The name pays homage to Pittsburgh’s proud industrial heritage, while the team’s bold logo incorporates the iconic image of Rosie the Riveter, a symbol of strength, resilience, and female empowerment dating back to World War II.

The popular image of Rosie the Riveter first gained recognition in a 1943 poster with the slogan “We Can Do It,” created by J. Howard Miller, a Pittsburgh-area native, for Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company. Originally designed to boost worker morale during wartime, Rosie has since evolved into a lasting emblem of women’s contributions to the workforce and society at large, appearing on magazine covers, postage stamps and across popular culture. She remains a timeless symbol of empowerment, and the Pittsburgh Riveters Soccer Club proudly embodies her spirit on the soccer field.

“Rosie the Riveter is more than just an image from our past, she’s a symbol of what we believe in as an organization,” said Jeff Garner, President of Pittsburgh Riveters SC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. “The resilience, unity, and courage she represents are the same traits we want our players and fans to embrace as we embark on this new chapter for Pittsburgh sports. This team is not only honoring history but also creating its own path for future generations.”

Set to begin play in the 2025 USL W League season beginning in May, the Riveters will play their home matches at Highmark Stadium. The senior-level First Team will serve as a vital stepping stone for young women aspiring to reach the highest levels of soccer, domestically and internationally.

“We’re already hard at work building the inaugural Riveters’ team and are very excited about the level of talent we’ll be able to showcase on the field next summer,” said Dan Visser, Sporting Director of the Riveters and Riverhounds. “We’re confident this special group of women will not only give fans something to cheer about, but also inspire the next generation of young girls in Western Pennsylvania and beyond.”

With preparations well under way for the 2025 season, more details regarding the coaching staff, tryouts, schedule, and ticketing will be announced in the coming months. Season ticket deposits for the inaugural Riveters season can be placed online, and fans can stay connected by visiting www.riveterssc.com and following @RivetersSC on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.

Media inquiries and interview requests for the Riveters can be submitted to media@riverhounds.com.

Etou named Championship Player of the Week

PITTSBURGH (July 16, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC left back Junior Etou is the USL Championship’s Player of the Week, presented by Konami eFootball, for Week 19 of the season, the league announced this afternoon.

Etou sparked the Hounds to the their largest margin of victory in three years, scoring twice in the team’s 5-0 victory Saturday over Oakland Roots SC. He opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing after receiving a Bradley Sample pass that ended an excellent team move forward, and he added the game’s final goal by pouncing on a bouncing ball in the box for an unassisted strike.

It was the first two-goal game in the career of Etou, the 30-year-old midfielder/defender who hails from Paris and is in his second season with the Hounds. His all-around performance included winning six of seven duels for the ball, three clearances, three fouls won and 41 total touches on the ball, one off the team high in the match.

“It’s a good feeling,” Etou said after Saturday’s match. “It’s been six, seven, eight games, our last win was two months ago, so I think it’s a great night for everyone. I’m so happy to score two goals tonight, but for me, the most important thing is the team. Other people can score. We just need to keep working and keep pushing to try to win every game.”

It is the first Player of the Week honor for Etou, who won the honor with 45 percent of the vote of the USL’s National Media Panel. He finished ahead of a pair of players with Pittsburgh connections that tied for second — Rhode Island FC and former Hounds striker Albert Dikwa, and FC Tulsa and former Pitt goalkeeper Johan Peñaranda.

Etou also heads up the USL Championship Team of the Week in his second appearance of the season there, and the Hounds are well-represented with midfielder Bradley Sample and center back Sean Suber each in the starting 11, midfielder Robbie Mertz on the bench, and coach Bob Lilley earning the Coach of the Week honor. For Sample and Suber, it is the first time each has made the Team of the Week.

Sample, a first-year pro, recorded the first two assists of his career by setting up Etou’s first goal and serving the cross that led to Suber’s headed goal just before halftime. He also connected on 21 of 27 passes, including all five of his long passes, and he won the ball six times against Oakland.

Suber, a second-year pro in his first year with the Hounds, scored his first professional goal from Sample’s cross. He was 4-for-4 winning aerial duels, and he added three clearances marshaling the Hounds’ back line to a shutout.

Mertz earned his bench spot after converting from the penalty spot against Oakland and playing a major role in the build-up of Etou’s first goal. Lilley, the reigning Championship Coach of the Year, claims his first weekly coaching honor since the league introduced the award this season.

To see the full USL Championship Team of the Week, visit uslchampionship.com.

The Hounds are back in action this Saturday, July 20, when they host Hartford Athletic at 8 p.m. at Highmark Stadium in a match that will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

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2025 USL Jägermeister Cup Groups

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