Hounds Hit Holiday with Plenty to be Thankful For
Published on November 27, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
As this year's Thanksgiving holiday arrives across the U.S., it's easy to forget that it was only five days ago the Hounds were on the field battling to claim their first USL Championship title.
No Hounds season had ever gone that deep into the calendar, but the payoff to the hard work of a full season - and the groundwork laid in seasons prior - made it all worth it.
With that thought in mind, here is a short list of what we can be thankful for as 2025 nears its end:
Nerves of steel
It wasn't by design, and it might have added some premature gray hairs to Rob Vincent, who at 35 became the youngest USL Championship-winning coach, but the Hounds can thank some steady nerves and low heart rates in the biggest moments after advancing on penalties in three of four playoff matches.
Prior to this season, the Hounds had only been in six penalty shootouts in 25 seasons, and after dropping a shootout this year in the USL Jägermeister Cup against Portland Hearts of Pine, the club's all-time record was just 2-5 at kicks from the mark.
But the team was on target when it mattered most, going 13 for 14 through the USL Playoffs, with every shot on frame and only a strong save by Detroit's Carlos Saldaña on Robbie Mertz denying a perfect postseason.
Counting all penalty kicks in 2025, the Hounds made 20 of 22, led by Augi Williams (5 of 5), Sean Suber (4 of 4), Bertin Jacquesson (3 of 3), while Beto Ydrach made both of his to end the shootouts against Detroit and in the USL Championship Final at Tulsa.
Veteran campaigners
The team brought in experience over the past few seasons. Eric Dick seized the opportunity to become an everyday starter, Williams brought his track record of scoring in the Championship, and even late arrival Chase Boone, who played limited minutes, contributed a converted penalty in a the final and a late game-winner at Hartford, without which the team wouldn't have hosted their playoff opener.
But the players for which winning the league probably meant the most were the long-time Hounds who have been part of the transformation into perennial contenders and felt the heartbreak of an early exit in 2023 after winning the Players' Shield.
Danny Griffin, the team's captain, ended the season with 191 matches for the Hounds to his name, good for fourth in club history. Hometown hero Mertz now clocks in one spot behind Griffin and with the most appearances by a Pittsburgh native with 173.
This season also saw fourth-year man Luke Biasi pass the century mark, finishing the year with 120 appearances - 12th on the all-time list - and Junior Etou, thanks to the long playoff run, has that milestone in sight with 99 Hounds appearances through three seasons in Pittsburgh.
Trophy repair services
No explanation needed.
Magical moments
Even apart from the Championship triumph, 2025 had no shortage of moments that sent excitement to a fever pitch and warmed the heart in the most wonderful ways.
Mertz was the author of both kinds of moments this season, and no goal was bigger than his game winner in the Eastern Conference Final against Rhode Island. But, for another reason, his most memorable strike will likely be his goal in the regular season against Detroit, which came just two days after the birth of his son, allowing him to celebrate in front of the home crowd with a special "rocking the baby" celebration.
In a normal year, Ydrach's header to knock off New York City FC in the U.S. Open Cup - the Hounds third win in as many years over an MLS club - might stand as the top moment. And surely others have favorites of their own, such as Jorge Garcia's exceptional strike against the Philadelphia Union, Charles Ahl's late equalizer against Miami and the roller coaster ride of playoff matches at Highmark Stadium.
Spectacular support
The number of fans of the Hounds continued to grow in 2025, and that was on full display when a record 6,745 packed the building for this year's Eastern Conference Final.
The depth of that support was on further display the next week with the number of devoted supporters who either made the flight to Tulsa or traversed the country on a 15-hour drive. Those fans helped this year's USL Championship Final be the fourth-most attended final in league history, and in a crowd that held a majority of Tulsa partisans, there were moments when the sound coming from the Hounds support carried equal - if not greater - volume.
After this year's title, the Hounds are more visible than ever. The players led the "Hockey Night in Pittsburgh" cheer at the Pittsburgh Penguins game Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres, eliciting a huge roar as they were introduced to the crowd. With fans stopping them at every turn to take a picture or simply to say congratulations, and more celebrations planned throughout the city in the coming days and weeks, the Hounds have nothing but gratitude for the Pittsburgh fans embracing them as part of the sporting culture in the City of Champions.
Family
The Thanksgiving tradition is centered around gatherings with family and loved ones, and that remains true for the Hounds.
The club's players and staff are grateful for the support they receive from their family through a long, sometimes arduous, but overall rewarding USL season. We hope our supporters get to enjoy the holiday with those close to them, and we can't wait to see our Hounds family back together in 2026!
United Soccer League Championship Stories from November 27, 2025
- Hounds Hit Holiday with Plenty to be Thankful For - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
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