Turning Obstacles into Opportunities
June 26, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release
On April 27, Rhode Island FC walked away from its first-ever meeting vs. USL League One club Westchester SC with a commanding 4-1 win. While Rio Hope-Gund celebrated with the team after the big win in his home state, a lingering thought entered the defender's mind: the game, although positive, might have been his last for the club.
Hope-Gund entered the 2025 season in unfamiliar territory. After breaking into the professional scene at fellow USL Championship side Loudoun United FC in 2022 and spending two seasons with his hometown club, New York City FC, the defender found himself without a suitor for the first time in his professional career. After going from a first-round Major League Soccer SuperDraft pick to a player struggling to attract interest from the American second division in just four years, Hope-Gund never lost hope that something would eventually come up.
"It was definitely not easy," said Hope-Gund. "Doubt started to creep in. I started to lose a little faith in myself. It's scary. It was weird. I was wondering, 'if this soccer stuff doesn't work out, what am I going to do?'"
When Hope-Gund initially drew interest from Rhode Island FC ahead of the club's preseason trip to Bermuda in February, the question of where he would end up was partially answered. The 25-year-old began his fifth professional season on trial with the club during the two-week preseason camp. While there was some mutual interest between the two parties following the trip, it wasn't enough for the club to put pen to paper and offer Hope-Gund a contract - at least, not right away.
While Hope-Gund prepared to move back home as he and RIFC parted ways after preseason, Khano Smith gave him one final message.
"Be ready."
That was enough to motivate Hope-Gund through one of the most uncertain periods of his professional career. As he trained at home waiting for a chance he wasn't sure would come, he maintained hope that something would come up, and that belief was louder than the doubt that came with not having a club.
"I was trying to keep the faith and trying to keep the belief," said Hope-Gund. "I would try to manifest success, telling myself, 'just keep training, because something's going to come up. This is what you do. This is what you love.'"
One month later, Rio Hope-Gund got a call. And he was ready.
Facing a mounting injury list and a concerning lack of depth, RIFC brought Hope-Gund back on a 25-day contract in April. Although his return to the locker room was a second chance he had been training for, he had just 25 days to prove himself.
The win in Westchester came on day 24.
Motivated by success from a young age, Hope-Gund was always a fierce competitor. Growing up with a twin brother that also broke into the professional ranks, he won just about everything there was to win from his youth days all the way to a decorated collegiate career at Georgetown University.
In high school, Hope-Gund captained Friends Seminary in New York City to three-straight league wins, eventually culminating in a New York state championship to finish his high school career as a senior in 2016. With his academy team, New York Soccer Club, he led the club to a pair of National Premier League Championships in 2015 and 2016.
Hope-Gund's success continued into college, where he broke into the starting lineup for Georgetown during a historic 2019 season. Starting every game for a defense that kept 13 shutouts and led the country with an 0.341 goals against average, Hope-Gund helped The Hoyas win the Big East regular season and postseason tournament en route to the program's first-ever National Championship. The unprecedented run helped lead to Hope-Gund's selection in the First Round of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City SC.
After struggling for minutes during his first year in Orlando, Hope-Gund moved to Loudoun in 2022, where made his professional debut - and wore the captain's armband - at just 22 years old in the USL Championship. Although the team posted a 8W-22L-4T record, racking up the third-highest loss total in the league and finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference, he gained valuable minutes and leadership experience that would go on to shape the rest of his career.
"It was a really, really important year for me in terms of mental and physical development," said Hope-Gund. "You can learn in any situation, even if it's less-than-ideal. It was really difficult in the moment, but it was a really important year for me in terms of my soccer career. For my mental fortitude overall, it was the biggest year of my career."
After a character-building season in Loudoun, Hope-Gund returned to his hometown, signing for Major League Soccer side New York City FC. In New York, he still couldn't manage to break through in MLS, but featured regularly for the club's MLS Next Pro reserve side. After two years and more than 30 appearances representing his home state, NYCFC did not pick up his contract option, leaving him on the hunt for a club in 2025.
As the final whistle blew in Westchester, Hope-Gund couldn't help but wonder what was next. He had done everything he could to prove himself, but the fate of his professional future would be decided in the next 24 hours.
Through all of the uncertainty, Hope-Gund remained focused. Using the lessons he learned from his stint in Loudoun, Hope-Gund took everything as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. He knew how to deal with uncertainty.
"I'm part of a club. I have teammates and I have coaches. These guys have faith in me, and that's all I need," said Hope-Gund. "I just felt grateful to be here. Of course, the 25-day limit was a thought in the back of my mind at all times. But I was just grateful for it and wanted to take advantage of the position I was in, because I knew where I was before. There are so many guys who are in similar positions who would die to even have a 25-day contract with this team, so I didn't really think there was pressure."
As the team celebrated the win in Westchester, Hope-Gund reunited postgame with two figures who were instrumental in his youth development that had come to watch him play: his high school coach, Warren Salandy, and his academy coach, Christian Gonzalez. With his future in the balance, the moment gave Hope-Gund a chance to reconnect with two of the most pivotal figures in his youth career.
"Those were two guys who helped me develop as a player, but also instilled what it means to be a winner, and how to win with class and without arrogance," Hope-Gund said. "They taught me how to win in the right ways and compete. They instilled a lot of the passion and love I have for the game. I owe a lot to them, I wouldn't be here without them. I am forever grateful for their guidance."
Hope-Gund (right) poses next to his coach, Warren Salandy, and his twin brother, Kofi (right).
As he left his childhood mentors and began walking to the team bus following RIFC's biggest win of the season, Khano Smith pulled Hope-Gund aside.
"We are really happy with what you've done," Hope-Gund recalled what Head Coach Khano Smith told him. "We are going to sign you for the rest of the year."
As Hope-Gund stepped onto the team bus, the squad exploded with cheers. Teammates he had only met three months prior welcomed him like family, and for the first time in a long and turbulent year, Hope-Gund finally had a club to call home.
"It was very special," said Hope-Gund. "That's what I worked so hard for in the offseason. To have the guys be happy for me, and to see all their smiles on the bus, was really nice. The guys have been so welcoming since the first day I came on preseason, and I'm super grateful for it. It's super, super special."
In a team loaded with seven defenders - all who have proven that they can be starters - Hope-Gund not only won a contract, but also earned a starting spot. Among a packed roster of quality players, Hope-Gund has amassed six starts in 10 USL Championship appearances since joining the team in April, playing a role in all four of the club's clean sheets in the regular season.
Hope-Gund and the rest of the team will be back in action on Friday, June 27 when RIFC gets set to host USL League One side Portland Hearts of Pine at Centreville Bank Stadium for Pride Night. Tickets to the next home game are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.
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