Pittsburgh Riverhounds
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| Full name | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Riverhounds The Hounds |
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| Founded | 1999 | |||
| Stadium | Highmark Stadium Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (capacity: 3,500) |
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| Owner(s) | Jason Kutney |
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| Technical Director | Gene Klein | |||
| Head Coach | Justin Evans | |||
| League | USL Pro | |||
| 2012 | Regular Season: 10th Playoffs: DNQ |
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| Website | Club home page | |||
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Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the club plays in the National Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The Riverhounds play their home games at the 3,500-seat Highmark Stadium, located in Station Square. Their current head coach is Justin Evans.[1]
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History [edit]
The Riverhounds were founded by Paul Heasley in 1999 as a member of the USL's A-League, now known as USL-1. They initially played their home games in Bethel Park, at Bethel Park High School's football stadium. That same year, the Riverhounds were named the A-League Organization of the Year. John Kowalski was the first head coach of the club; Justin Evans was the first player drafted to play for the Riverhounds. In their 1999 inaugural season, they advanced to the conference semi-finals in the A-league playoffs. Two years later in 2001, they reached the US Open Cup quarterfinals after beating the Colorado Rapids of the Major League Soccer and then-A-league opponent El Paso Patriots in their first two games, but the Hounds were eliminated in the quarterfinals by their second MLS opponent of the tournament, the Chicago Fire, in a two-overtime, 3–2 defeat. The Riverhounds have not reached that level of success since that time due in large part to undergoing multiple ownership and location changes.
In 2004, the club moved down to the USL's Second Division. The team also moved to Moon Township to play at Moon Area High School's football stadium for just one season. In December 2004, Heasley sold the team to Sports Facility LLC, owners of the Washington Wild Things baseball team of the Frontier League.[2] The Riverhounds played both the 2005 and 2006 seasons at the Wild Things' minor league baseball stadium, Consol Energy Park, on the outskirts of Washington, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Pittsburgh. The franchise continued to hold soccer academies and training to youth across the Tri-State Area, but did not play during the 2007 season due to a structural reorganization. During that hiatus, the Riverhounds were sold yet again to a new ownership group.
On October 29, 2007, the organization announced another venue change. Beginning with the 2008 season, Chartiers Valley High School's stadium, located just off the Kirwin Heights exit of Interstate 79 in Pittsburgh's South Hills, would be the new home of the Riverhounds.[3]
In 2012, the Riverhounds moved into their current home, Highmark Stadium, in Pittsburgh's SouthSide neighborhood.
The Riverhounds' games were broadcast from 2000 through 2002 on WPTT-AM (now WMNY-AM) and on Fox Sports Radio – WBBG-AM in 2003, and 2005 and 2006, and on WPIT-AM in 2008 by Chris Shovlin. Shovlin was partnered with former Riverhound midfielder Steve Bell on WPTT and with former assistant coach Paul Child on Fox Sports Radio. Shovlin and Bell won the 2003 Pittsburgh March of Dimes A.I.R. Award for Best Play-by-play. Shovlin also served as the team's Director of Publicity during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Only one jersey number, "99", has been officially retired by the Riverhounds. That honor was bestowed upon original owner Paul Heasley for founding the club in 1999.
Colors and badge [edit]
The Riverhound colors – black, blue, and white – were adopted before the start of the 2008 season to honor their academy and training partnership with Everton FC of the Premier League.[4][5] The use of blue is an allusion to the blue collar populace of Pittsburgh.
The term "Riverhound" is derived from the expression "river dog," which refers to Pittsburgh's barge-workers. In fact, the team's mascot, AMO, is named for the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers.
Stadium [edit]
- Bethel Park High School; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania (1999–2003)
- Moon Area High School; Moon Township, Pennsylvania (2004)
- CONSOL Energy Park; Washington, Pennsylvania (2005–2006)
- Chartiers Valley High School; Bridgeville, Pennsylvania (2008–2012)
- Highmark Stadium; South Side (2012–Present)
Future in Major League Soccer [edit]
The Riverhounds plan to join Major League Soccer within ten years from 2013. Highmark Stadium will initially seat 3,500 spectators, though the team plans for an eventual expansion to 18,500.[6]
Club culture [edit]
Supporters [edit]
In November 2007, the first supporters group of the Pittsburgh RIverhounds was formed, The Steel Army. The Steel Army held their first meeting at Piper's Pub in Pittsburgh's South Side. The group started as 5–10 local people interested in supporting the reorganized Riverhounds Soccer Club and to support the efforts of growing the sport of soccer in Western Pennsylvania as well.
Members are not only from Pittsburgh but also from states as close as Ohio to states as far away as Oregon and Florida. Membership in the Steel Army is now even international with members joining the group from Sunderland and Surrey in the U.K., as well as Bray, in the Republic of Ireland, who will be following the Riverhounds from abroad.
The section of Highmark Stadium where the Steel Army stands and supports the Riverhounds is located at the South Gate end of the stadium. The terrace there holds 502 supporters, with talks of possible expansion. The Steel Army has a fierce rivalry with fellow USL PRO clubs Harrisburg City Islanders (Sons of Susquehanna) and the Rochester Rhinos (Genesee Armada).
Broadcasting [edit]
All USL Pro matches during the 2013 USL Pro season will be streamed live and on-demand free at uslnation.com.[7]
Players and staff [edit]
Current roster [edit]
Staff [edit]
Justin Evans – Head Coach- John Rotz – Assistant Coach
Jeroen Walstra – Goalkeeper Coach- Chris Leonard – Trainer
- Jason Kutney – Chief Executive Officer & Director of Youth Development
- Gene Klein – Technical Director
Notable former players [edit]
- Devlin Barnes
Franz Carr
Abdul Thompson Conteh- Paul Dougherty
David Flavius
Adam Fedoruk- Greg Janicki
- Matt Kassel
Thiago Martins
Jean-Robens Jerome- Wélton
- Joey Worthen
Mike Butler
Head Coaches [edit]
- John Kowalski (1999-2000)
Kai Haaskivi (2001–7/2002)- Tim Carter (7/2002-7/2003)
Ricardo Iribarren (7/2003[10] - 2005)- Gene Klein (2006–2009)
- Justin Evans (2010–present)
Achievements [edit]
- USL Pro Soccer League Atlantic Division Champions 2004
Record [edit]
Year-by-year [edit]
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Avg. Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2 | USL A-League | 4th, Northeast | Conference Semifinals | Did not qualify | 4,559 | ||||
| 2000 | 2 | USL A-League | 7th, Atlantic | Did not qualify | 2nd Round | 3,808 | ||||
| 2001 | 2 | USL A-League | 3rd, Northern | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | 3,226 | ||||
| 2002 | 2 | USL A-League | 4th, Northeast | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 2,274 | ||||
| 2003 | 2 | USL A-League | 3rd, Northeast | Did not qualify | 3rd Round | 1,783 | ||||
| 2004 | 3 | USL Pro Soccer League | 1st, Atlantic | Semifinals | Did not qualify | 1,475 | ||||
| 2005 | 3 | USL Second Division | 7th | Did not qualify | 1st Round | 2,236 | ||||
| 2006 | 3 | USL Second Division | 3rd | Semifinals | 1st Round | 2,232 | ||||
| 2007 | On Hiatus | |||||||||
| 2008 | 3 | USL Second Division | 8th | Did not qualify | 2nd Round | 1,258 | ||||
| 2009 | 3 | USL Second Division | 8th | Did not qualify | 1st Round | 1,178 | ||||
| 2010 | 3 | USL Second Division | 3rd | Semifinals | 2nd Round | 941 | ||||
| 2011 | 3 | USL Pro | 4th, National Division | Semifinals | 2nd Round | 1,127 | ||||
| 2012 | 3 | USL Pro | 10th | Did Not Qualify | 2nd Round | 984 | ||||
Team records [edit]
League matches only, as of 15 February 2013[11]
Most goals [edit]
| # | Name | Nation | Career | Goals | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Flavius |  Saint Lucia |
1999–2006 | 56 | 182 |
| 2 | Thiago Martins |  Brazil |
2002–2003 | 30 | 33 |
| 3 | Phil Karn |  United States |
1999-2002 | 23 | 95 |
| 4 | Michael Apple | United States |
1999-2002, 2004, 2006 | 21 | 96 |
| 5 | Said Ali |  Jordan |
2004-2005 | 15 | 19 |
| 6 | Gary DePalma | United States |
1999-2004 | 15 | 145 |
| 7 | Justin Evans | United States |
1999,2000,2001,2003, 2008-2009 | 14 | 101 |
| 8 | Michael Butler |  Liberia |
1999,2000 | 14 | 37 |
| 9 | Corey Woolfolk | United States |
2003 | 8 | 26 |
| 10 | Tenywa Bonseu |  Uganda |
1999–2000, 2009 | 7 | 65 |
| 11 | Matt Kassel | United States |
2012 | 6 | 18 |
Most Appearances [edit]
League matches only, as of 15 February 2013[11]
| # | Name | Nation | Career | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Flavius | Saint Lucia |
1999–2006 | 182 |
| 2 | Gary DePalma | United States |
1999-2004 | 145 |
| 3 | Randy Dedini | United States |
1999,2000, 2001-2003 | 113 |
| 4 | Jaman Tripoli | United States |
1999-2003 | 105 |
| 5 | Justin Evans | United States |
1999,2000,2001,2003, 2008-2009 | 101 |
| 6= | Nathan Salsi | United States |
2004–2006, 2008-2009 | 96 |
| 6= | Michael Apple | United States |
1999-2002, 2004, 2006 | 96 |
| 8 | Phil Karn | United States |
1999-2002 | 95 |
| 9 | Jason Kutney | United States |
2006, 2008- | 80 |
| 10 | David Wright | United States |
2000–2003 | 77 |
History vs. Major League Soccer [edit]
- 6/27/2001 – U.S. Open Cup (2nd Round) – Colorado Rapids 0 vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 (Bethel Park H.S. Stadium)
- 7/24/2001 – U.S. Open Cup (Quarterfinals) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 vs. Chicago Fire 3 (McCully Field)
- 7/16/2003 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Round) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1 vs. D.C. United 2 (Maryland Soccerplex)
References [edit]
- ^ Evans named Riverhounds coach
- ^ Price, Karen (7 May 2005). "Wild Things owners looking to duplicate success". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
- ^ "Sports briefs". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 29 October 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
- ^ Zeise, Paul (13 July 2007). "Riverhounds kick up ante". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
- ^ McLeod, Scott (10 August 2007). "Blues Partner Riverhounds". EvertonFC.com. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
- ^ Kilpatrick, David (Nov 29, 2012). "A New Stadium in Pittsburgh". New York Times. Retrieved Dec 8, 2012.
- ^ "USL PRO Lights Up UNATION". USL Pro. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
- ^ "Official Roster- USL PRO 2013". USL Pro.
- ^ "2013 Pittsburgh Riverhounds". Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "Riverhounds make coaching change". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ a b "Riverhounds Goals/Games Leaders". soccerstats.us. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
External links [edit]
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