Vincent named Riverhounds head coach
Chris Cowger | Riverhounds SC
It didn’t seem fair for Rob Vincent to not get a shot at leading the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC following a run that ended with the team raising the USL Championship league trophy on Nov. 22.
Vincent had served as the active head coach of the squad since Oct. 10 when Bob Lilley was placed on administrative leave.
Vincent stepped in and led Pittsburgh to a 2-1 victory over the Indy Eleven the next evening and the Hounds didn’t surrender a goal the rest of the season.
Pittsburgh blanked Monterey Bay FC, 3-0, on Oct. 18 before playing Phoenix Rising FC to a scoreless draw in the regular-season finale at Highmark Stadium on Oct. 25.
The Hounds earned the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and won three home matches, including two straight that came down to penalty kicks, to reach the league championship final at FC Tulsa.
Pittsburgh and Tulsa played 120 minutes of action, but neither team could find the back of the net and the championship was determined by penalties, which the Hounds won, 5-3, for their first title in the club’s 26-year history.
Vincent, who appeared to have more rapport with his players than Lilley, was named the head coach of the team Friday morning, as the club’s communication department sent a press release to all media outlets who cover the organization.
“I am delighted and honored to be named head coach of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds,” Vincent said. “I want to thank Tuffy (Shallenberger, Hounds owner) and Dan (Visser, Hounds sporting director) for placing their trust in me to lead the club forward and build on our 2025 championship winning season.”
Vincent, 35, is a native of Liverpool, England, where the sport is an obsession. He played for Everton, Crewe Alexandra and Stockport County during his youth career before moving to the United States, where he studied and played soccer at the University of Charleston in West Virginia.
Vincent played professionally in the United States from 2010-2017, including time spent in Pittsburgh as a member of the Riverhounds. He scored 24 goals in 78 matches during his time with the Hounds. Vincent had a stint with MLS club DC United before hanging up his boots to work with developing young players in the Hounds Academy. Vincent spent six years with the Hounds Academy, where he earned his USSF A-Senior Coaching License. He joined the Pittsburgh pro team in 2024 as an assistant on Lilley’s staff.
The Hounds have a goal of joining the forthcoming USL Division One league and will aim for top-level goals in the 2026 season, but the team will look to replace its keeper in postseason MVP Eric Dick.
The club declined options for 2026 on six players, including the team’s goal-scoring leader Augi Williams.
Chase Boone, Jason Bouregy, Max Broughton, Bertin Jacquesson and Ben Martino will not be back in Pittsburgh next season.
The Hounds have re-signed captain Danny Griffin, and will have 11 returners from their championship squad.
Despite some of the challenges Vincent will face in restructuring the team, Visser is eager to see what Vincent can do.
“It has been a privilege watching Rob lead the team over the last seven weeks of our season,” Visser said. “He’s an outstanding young coach and quickly earned the confidence of players, fans and the entire Riverhounds organization. I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead with Rob at the helm in 2026 and beyond.”