Rowdies Welcome Forward Russell Cicerone for 2026
Published on December 1, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced on Monday the club has signed versatile attacker Russell Cicerone ahead of the 2026 USL Championship season, pending league and federation approval.
Cicerone joins Tampa Bay following three productive seasons as a key piece of Sacramento Republic FC's attack. The 31-year-old striker departs Sacramento as the third-highest scorer in club history with 33 goals and 11 assists across all competitions. This season, he became the seventh player in league history to record at least 60 goals and 25 assists.
"Everyone who follows the USL Championship knows that Russell is a top player," said Rowdies Head Coach Dominic Casciato. "He's going to be the type of player that has our fans on the edge of their seats with his quality and relentless drive to put the team first. Just as important as that, he's also going to be one of the hardest working guys on the field in every training session and game. He will bring a competitive edge to the team, and push everybody, starting with himself, to get better every day. I'm excited to work with him and see him cement his legacy as one of the best players in the USL Championship while wearing our colors."
A native of Michigan, Cicerone was selected by the Portland Timbers in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft after a standout college career with the University of Buffalo. He was loaned to Portland Timbers 2 during his first season in professional ranks but was called up to the MLS squad for an appearance in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Cicerone's USL Championship career has also included stints with FC Cincinnati, Saint Louis FC, and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. He led Pittsburgh in scoring in each of his two seasons with the club, nabbing 16 goals in 2021 and 15 goals in 2022.
"I wanted to be a part of something special and help the Rowdies get back to being one of the top clubs in the league," said Cicerone. "Coach Casciato wants guys that are going to work hard, come in and put egos aside to win championships for this club. I feel like that's what I'm about as well, so I'm excited to get to work with him. To be such an historic club, you have to have these standards, and I'm hoping to come in and help the club get back to that standard, which is at the top of the league. I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen."
Cicerone marks the second new addition to the Rowdies roster for the upcoming season. Last week, the Rowdies announced the acquisition of midfielder Marco Micaletto via transfer from Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Stay tuned for additional new player announcements throughout the week.
Fans can lock in their seats for every match at Al Lang Stadium in 2026 by becoming a season ticket member today. Season ticket members enjoy the best savings on tickets and exclusive discounts on merchandise and concessions, as well as other benefits. Visit rowdiessoccer.com/seasontickets or call 727-222-2000 to learn more.
Tampa Bay Rowdies Roster as of December 1, 2025
Defenders: Robert Castellanos, Aaron Guillen, Laurence Wyke
Midfielders: Luis Alvarez, Lewis Hilton, Alex Mendez, Marco Micaletto, Nate Worth
Forwards: Russell Cicerone, Endri Mustali
United Soccer League Championship Stories from December 1, 2025
- Switchbacks FC Announces Niall McCabe as the New Assistant Coach - Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
- City of Pittsburgh Celebrates Hounds Victory - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- December 2: GivingTuesday Auction Features Memorabilia, Exclusive Experiences, and More - Sacramento Republic FC
- FC Tulsa Re-Signs Boubacar Diallo to Multi-Year Deal - FC Tulsa
- Rowdies Welcome Forward Russell Cicerone for 2026 - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Michael Adedokun Returns to Lexington Sporting Club in 2026 - Lexington Sporting Club
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