Hounds Sign Duo of Recent College Standouts for 2022
February 24, 2022 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed two more first-year pros for the upcoming season, defender Luke Biasi and midfielder Marc Ybarra. Both deals are one-year contracts with a team option for 2023 which are pending USL and U.S. Soccer Federation approval.
Biasi, 22, hails from Buford, Ga. and finished his college career at Syracuse University, where he started 17 of 18 games as a graduate transfer with the Orange.
Prior to Syracuse, he played four seasons and graduated from the University of Memphis, where he started 41 of 49 games played in his career. He had a goal and two assists in his time at Memphis, and in his 2019 junior season, he helped lead the Tigers to host the American Athletic Conference title game as they finished with their first 10-win season in eight years.
"Luke is a hard-nosed player with good pace. He excels in 1-v-1 situations at both ends of the field and will grow quickly as he learns our system. It will not be a surprise to see him earning important minutes in his first year here in Pittsburgh," Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said.
Ybarra, 23, is an Ann Arbor, Mich. native who finished his five-year career as a record-setter at his hometown University of Michigan.
A two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection and the 2021 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, Ybarra is the Wolverines' record holder for games played (91), starts (90) and minutes (7,655), and he is second in school history for assists with 24.
In Ybarra's time at Michigan, the Wolverines reached the NCAA Tournament three times and finished with a winning record all five seasons. In his first two college seasons, he operated in the midfield alongside former Hounds midfielder and Pittsburgh native Robbie Mertz.
"Mark has had a solid preseason and is very comfortable on the ball. His decision making and ability to deliver a pass should help him earn valuable minutes in a very talented group of midfielders," Lilley said.
Both Biasi and Ybarra have been training with the Hounds as invited trialists this preseason, which will continue with the team's fourth exhibition match against Louisville City FC on Saturday at 2 p.m. Highmark Stadium.
The Hounds begin their USL Championship regular season March 12 with a 7 p.m. road game against Memphis 901 FC.
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