Hometown hero Mertz staying with Hounds
Chris Cowger | Riverhounds SC
Robbie Mertz is the lone hometown player on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, but the midfielder’s spot on the USL champions roster is hardly for show.
Mertz, 29, will return to the field for the Hounds, and recently-hired head coach Rob Vincent, who led the team to the championship after taking over midseason, on a two-year contract that was agreed upon by the club and Mertz on Wednesday.
The deal, which has a club option for the 2028 season, is pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval.
Mertz was a toddler when Pittsburgh was awarded the franchise in 1998. The team began play in 1999 and continued to progress despite facing financial distress before putting it all together last season to win its first league championship in the club’s 26-year history.
Mertz played high school soccer at Upper St. Clair before a college career at Michigan. He was a fourth-round MLS draft pick of the Colorado Rapids in 2019, but he was unsigned by the Rapids.
Mertz signed his first professional contract with the Hounds and played for two seasons for his hometown squad before moving to Atlanta United 2 as a free agent in 2021. Mertz was re-acquired by Pittsburgh via transfer from Atlanta on July 20, 2022.
The 2026 season will be Mertz’s seventh with the Hounds.
“We’re excited to have Robbie back,” Sporting Director Dan Visser said. “He was instrumental in our playoff run, and representing his hometown, he continues to set the standard for what it means to play in Pittsburgh.”
Mertz scored the Hounds’ lone game in a 1-0 victory over Rhode Island FC in the Eastern Conference Final at Highmark Stadium on Nov. 15. He converted one of the five penalty kicks that led Pittsburgh to the USL championship a week later at FC Tulsa.
“We’re coming off the first championship in club history, so there is significant momentum right now with many people excited about the club and the direction we’re taking,” Mertz said. “It’s an honor to still be contributing to it after all this time. There’s a lot of work to be done and many moments to look forward to.”
Mertz is an attacking midfielder, who can finish and set-up his teammates. He has 23 goals and 22 assists with the Hounds, which put him in a category of only three players with at least 20 of each for the club in his career. Metz’s goal total and 173 appearances for Pittsburgh are fifth in team history. He has the most goals and appearances for the Hounds by a Pittsburgh native.
Mertz is the 12th player from the championship squad under contract for next season, which will begin March 7 at Charleston Battery.
The Hounds remain on the road the next two matches before hosting USL newcomers Sporting Club Jacksonville on March 28 at Highmark Stadium. The start time for the match has yet to be determined.