Sports stats

USL Rochester Rhinos

Rochester Rhinos Announce Hall of Fame Class of 2015

June 16, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


Rochester, NY "" The Rochester Rhinos are proud to announce that former executive Chris Economides, all time postseason scoring leader Darren Tilley and four time champion defender Mali Walton will make up the Rhinos Hall of Fame Class of 2015. The three will be inducted on Hall of Fame night taking place Saturday, June 27, 2015 at Sahlen's Stadium when the Rhinos host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in a USL league match. Walton and Tilley are being inducted into the Rhinos Hall of Fame for the second time, as they were enshrined in 2013 as members of the Rhinos' 1999 US Open Cup winning team.

Economides was one of the founders of the Rhinos and served as minority owner, Chief Operating Officer, Vice-President and General Manager from 1996-2005. While attending a Rochester Red Wings baseball game at the old Silver Stadium in 1995, Economides and Rochester Americans (hockey) President and CEO Steve Donner talked about starting up a new pro soccer team in Rochester. After agreeing on the idea and bringing in Frank DuRoss as the primary owner, the Rhinos were born. Under the leadership of Economides, DuRoss and Donner, the Rhinos became one of the most successful soccer franchises in the US, averaging over 10,000 fans/match and winning three A-League championships and the 1999 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The trio was inducted into the United Soccer League (USL) Hall of Fame in 2005 as builders.

Economides, a Rochester native who attended Eastridge High School and Monroe Community College, was the co-owner of the Kansas City Attack of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) from 1991-93 and also owned a variety of restaurants in the Rochester area. After leaving the Rhinos, Economides founded the Carolina Railhawks soccer franchise in Cary, North Carolina in 2006 and also served as General Manager. In 2008, Economides became the Senior Director of the USL, a position he holds to this day.

Tilley was born in Keynsham, England and played pro soccer in the UK for Bristol Rovers, Bath City and York City before a very successful three year stint in Hong Kong and China from 1994-96. In 1997, Tilley played for both Toronto and Montreal, scoring 13 goals in 27 matches and earning all A-League second team honors. Tilley joined the Rhinos as a player in 1998 and was one of the leaders of a team that finished 24-4 in the A-League. Tilley scored 21 goals that year (nine of those being match winning - a Rhinos' record for one season), assisted on seven and went 14 straight matches with at least one point (also a Rhinos' record). It was the postseason where Tilley made his biggest contribution, scoring seven goals in six matches, including a hat trick in the Rhinos 3-1 win vs. the Minnesota Thunder on October 17, 1998, the Rhinos their first championship in franchise history.

Tilley continued his stellar play in 1999, scoring five goals and adding five assists in the league, three goals and two assists in the playoffs and two goals and an assist in the US Open Cup, including the 109th minute "golden goal" in the win against the New York Freedoms in the opening match. Overall, Tilley stands sixth all-time in both regular season points (64) and goals (26) is the Rhinos leader in postseason points (26), goals (10) and assists (six - tied with Martin Nash) and has the only hat trick in Rhinos playoff history in the 1998 A-League final.

Tilley moved on to play for Montreal and Vancouver in 2000-01 and retired from playing soccer in 2003. In 2007, Tilley returned to the Rhinos as only the third coach in team history. Tilley led the team for two seasons and had a 29-24-22 overall record with two playoff appearances and a semi-final berth in the '09 US Open Cup. Today, Tilley is the Technical Director of Cambridge, Ontario (Canada) Youth Soccer.

Walton joined the Rhinos in August of 1997 after facing the Rhinos in the US Open Cup for the Mid-Michigan Bucks and was on the field for every minute of the last six matches that year. Starting in 1998, Walton was a fixture in the defense for the next five seasons alongside Rhinos Hall of Famers Craig Demmin ('12) and Scott Schweitzer ('14), four of those years ending with championships for the Rhinos. Walton played 108 league matches (10th all-time), starting 86. In the playoffs, Walton played 30 matches for 2,390 minutes (both second all-time behind Rhinos Hall of Famer Lenin Steenkamp ('11)) and started 26 of them (fourth all-time). Walton scored his only goal for the Rhinos in the first match of the 2000 championship playoff run against the Hershey Wildcats, coached by current Rhinos coach Bob Lilley, a 48th minute game-tying goal in a Rhinos 4-2 win.

Walton was born in Flint, Michigan and graduated from Oakland (MI) University in 1994, earning All-American honors in soccer on three occasions, the only Golden Grizzlies player to accomplish that feat, and is a member of the Oakland University Sports Hall of Fame ('02). Walton also had a very successful career in indoor soccer, playing over 300 matches for the Buffalo Blizzard, Philadelphia KiXX and St. Louis Steamers in the MISL. Today, Walton is a head coach for his former amateur club team, the Michigan Arrows Soccer Club in Davison, MI.

Walton and Tilley will be two of the more than 25 former Rhino players competing in the first ever Legends match to be held at Sahlen's Stadium starting at 4:30 pm on Hall of Fame Night. The teams will be coached by Rhinos Class of 2014 Hall of Famers Frank Odoi and Francisco Escos, who were the assistants under Rhinos Hall of Fame head coach Pat Ercoli ('14). The captains of the teams are Demmin and Rhinos Hall of Fame goalkeeper Billy Andracki ('13).

This is the fifth Rhinos Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The Hall of Fame started in 2011 with initial inductee, Steenkamp. Other Hall of Fame members include Doug Miller ('12), Pat Onstad ('12), Yari Allnutt ('13) and Tommy Tanner ('14). The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place at halftime of the Rhinos/Pittsburgh match.

A special $30 ticket package is currently available for purchase that includes admission for the Legends match, dinner with the Legends at 5:30 pm and the Rhinos/Pittsburgh match. For season ticket holders and fans who already have tickets for the Rhinos/Pittsburgh match, a $20 supplemental ticket is available to attend the Legends dinner. Special Rhinos Legends ticket packages are available at: https://rhinossoccer.formstack.com/forms/legends.

Tickets for all Rhinos home matches, including flex packages, and group sales tickets, are also currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours or by visiting rhinossoccer.com.

The Rhinos are currently 8-0-4 in USL league play with 28 points, good for both first place in the Eastern Conference and the entire 24-team USL, and have allowed a league-low four goals. The Rhinos take on Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer tonight (Tuesday) at 7:30 pm at PPL Park in Philadelphia and return to USL play this Friday, June 19 against the Harrisburg City Islanders at Skyline Soccer Park starting at 7:30 pm.

About the Rochester Rhinos

The Rochester Rhinos, the most successful soccer club in the United States and Canada outside of Major League Soccer, were founded in 1996 and currently play in the USL (United Soccer League). The Rhinos have appeared in eight finals and won four championships including the 1999 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and three A-League Championships (1998, 2000, and 2001). In 2013, the New England Revolution became the official MLS affiliate of the Rochester Rhinos. All home matches are played in western New York's premier outdoor sport's facility, Sahlen's Stadium, located in downtown Rochester. For group and season tickets, visit www.rhinossoccer.com or call the Rochester Rhinos Ticket Department at (585) 454-KICK (5425).

For more information, please call Dave Cieslinski at (585) 454-5425 x111, or email davec@rhinossoccer.com

Hall of Fame Night Itinerary - Saturday, June 27th at Sahlen's Stadium

Legends Game* 4:30pm "" 5:30 pm

Legends Dinner/Reception** 5:30pm "" 6:30pm

Stadium gates open for Rhinos game 6:00pm

Rhinos game Kickoff 7:05pm

Hall of Fame Ceremony Rhinos match - Halftime

All current and former Rhinos players sign autographs in "Meet & Greet" Post-game

Post-game party @ Genesee Brew House

*Rhinos game ticket needed to attend

**Rhinos dinner ticket needed to attend

Legends Dinner Menu

1/2 Chicken dinner (Baked, BBQ or Grilled)

Potato Salad

Baked Beans

Garden Salad w/dressing

Rolls and butter

Desert

Non-alcoholic beverages



United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 16, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Rochester Rhinos Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central