Rochester Rhinos

The Rochester Rhinos are an American professional soccer team based in Rochester, New York, United States. Founded in 1996, as the Rochester Raging Rhinos, the team most recently played in the 2017 USL season in the second tier of the United States soccer league system, and is currently on hiatus.[2] They changed their name to Rochester Rhinos to start the 2008 season. The club is the only non-MLS team to have won the U.S. Open Cup since the league's formation.

Rochester Rhinos
Nickname(s)Raging Rhinos
Founded1996 (1996)
OwnerDavid and Wendy Dworkin[1]
PresidentPat Ercoli
Head coachVacant
LeagueUSL League One (2021)
WebsiteClub website

On November 30, 2017, the team announced that they would not play in 2018 while additional funding was sought.[3][4]

On August 22, 2018, it was announced that the club will pursue a new stadium location and join USL League One by the 2020 season.[5] This was later delayed to 2021.

History
The team's logo used from 1996–2007

1996–2017

Rochester Raging Rhinos was founded in 1996 and played in the now-defunct original A-League until it merged with the USISL for the 1997 season, creating the new A-League. After reaching the championship game in 1996 they won their first league championship in 1998.

In 1999 the club made it to the final of the U.S. Open Cup, where they defeated MLS club Colorado Rapids 2–0, becoming the first team from outside MLS to win the national cup since MLS's inception.[6][7] This win was followed by two further A-League titles in 2000 and 2001.

A year after the A-League's renaming to the USL First Division in 2005, the Rhinos moved into the newly completed PAETEC Park, a 13,768-seat soccer-specific stadium now known as Marina Auto Stadium, and again made the championship game. the Rhinos were considered a candidate to be an expansion team at the MLS level when PAETEC Park was in the planning stages.[8]

The team's logo used from 2008–2015

The team was declared insolvent in 2008 after defaulting on their stadium agreement, and PAETEC Park was seized by the city of Rochester.[9] After a brief search for a new owner and investor who could improve the team's financial outlook, in March 2008 the club was taken over by Utica businessman Rob Clark. Clark changed the team's name to the "Rochester Rhinos," and assured that the financial situation of the team was stable and it would be able to play the next year.[10] After two seasons under Clark the club joined the new NASL for its 2010 season.[11] The United States Soccer Federation refused the NASL's application for sanctioning, and instead operated its own temporary second-division league for 2010. The Rhinos were part of that temporary USSF Division 2 Professional League.[12] The Rhinos switched leagues again before the 2011 season to the then third-division USL Pro league, who considered themselves equally competitive with the second-division NASL.

The 2011 season ended with the Rhinos first in their division followed by a playoff season that lasted 2 games. The Rhinos saw off the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 4–0 in first round of the playoffs and then lost 2–1 at home to the Harrisburg City Islanders to finish the season. At the end of the season, head coach Bob Lilley was replaced by Jesse Myers, most recently an assistant coach of the Richmond Kickers.[13][14]

In January 2013, the Rhinos became the official USL Pro affiliate of the New England Revolution.[15] Following a 1–6–1 start to the 2013 season, on May 19 Myers was dismissed and Pat Ercoli named Head Coach. They missed the playoffs for the first time ever, finishing with a 6–10–10 record.[16]

The league revoked the Clark family's ownership of the club in January 2016, citing the revocation of the lease on Rochester Rhinos Stadium by the City of Rochester. The league took over operations of the club until it could be sold to a new ownership group.[17] David and Wendy Dworkin, minority owners of the Sacramento Kings basketball club, were identified as the Rhinos' new owners later in the month.[18] The Dworkins were officially announced as the new owners on March 10, 2016.[19]

Hiatus and move to USL League One (2017–present)

On November 30, 2017, the Rhinos announced that they would go on hiatus.[20] After almost a year of silence the team announced that it planned to move to the new third division league USL League One and return to the field in 2020.[21] Moreover, the team announced that it had reached a deal with the City to vacate Marina Auto Stadium and stated it would be searching a site to build a new stadium.[21] Towards the end of the first USL League One season, the Rhinos' President Pat Ercoli announced on Uncle Sam's Soccer Podcast that due to delays and pacing of the development of the Rhinos' new stadium that the team would likely sit out the 2020 season and relaunch in 2021.[22]

Stadium

Club culture

Media

Supporters

The Oak Street Brigade is the supporters groups for the Rhinos. Occupying section 101 at Capelli Sport Stadium, the Brigade stands and sings for 90 minutes every game and usually 30 minutes before and after. Best known for their "1 ton bass drum" and a flurry of streamers and smoke bombs following every Rhinos goal. Their biggest rivals are the Montreal Ultras and Pittsburgh. The name Oak Street Brigade refers to the address of Capelli Sport Stadium.[23][24]

Notable former players

Rochester Rhinos Hall of Fame

Retired numbers

Head coaches

Achievements

Record

Year-by-year
The Rhinos (black/white/yellow) vs. the Carolina Railhawks (orange) on July 6, 2007.
Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup Avg. Attendance
1996 2 A-League 4th Final Final 9,991
1997 2 USISL A-League 2nd, Northeast Division Semifinals Round of 16 10,677
1998 2 USISL A-League 1st, Northeast Champion 3rd Round 11,499
1999 2 USL A-League 1st, Northeast Final Champion 11,551
2000 2 USL A-League 2nd, Northeast Champion 3rd Round 11,628
2001 2 USL A-League 2nd, Northern Champion 2nd Round 10,789
2002 2 USL A-League 1st, Northeast Conference Finals 3rd Round 10,008
2003 2 USL A-League 2nd, Northeast Conference Finals 4th Round 10,169
2004 2 USL A-League 4th, Eastern Quarterfinals Quarterfinals 10,200
2005 2 USL First Division 2nd Semifinals Quarterfinals 9,791
2006 2 USL First Division 2nd Final 4th Round 10,110
2007 2 USL First Division 5th Quarterfinals 3rd Round 9,705
2008 2 USL First Division 4th Semifinals 3rd Round 8,243
2009 2 USL First Division 6th Quarterfinals Semifinals 6,888
2010 2 USSF Division 2 Professional League 1st, USL Quarterfinals 3rd Round 6,464
2011 3 USL Pro 1st, National Division Finals 3rd Round 5,339
2012 3 USL Pro 2nd Semifinals 3rd Round 6,233
2013 3 USL Pro 11th Did not qualify 3rd Round 5,876
2014 3 USL Pro 6th Quarterfinals 5th Round 5,972
2015 3 USL 1st, Eastern Champion 4th Round 5,599
2016 3 USL 4th, Eastern Conference Semifinals 4th Round 3,655
2017 2 USL 4th, Eastern Conference Semifinals 4th Round 2,031
2018 On Hiatus
2019
2020
gollark: Also cool.
gollark: Look, it's really squiggley.
gollark: NOpe.
gollark: Cool graph, right?
gollark: Brilliant.

References
  1. DiVeronica, Jeff (January 15, 2016). "New Rhinos owners are part owners of Sacramento Kings". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  2. Rhinos, Rochester (November 30, 2017). "ROCHESTER RHINOS ANNOUNCE DECISIONS FOR 2018 SEASON". Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  3. DiVeronica, Jeff (November 30, 2017). "Rhinos to take one-year hiatus, host 'several' USL matches". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  4. Tsujimoto, Ben (November 30, 2017). "Rochester Rhinos to take hiatus from United Soccer League". The Buffalo News. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  5. "Rochester Approved for USL Division III". USL DIII. August 22, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  6. "Rhinos Knock Off Fourth MLS Team, Drop Rapids 2–0 to Win 1999 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final in Columbus". U.S. Soccer. September 14, 1999. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  7. Zeitlin, Dave (June 14, 2016). "The legend of the Rochester Raging Rhinos, last underdog to win US Open Cup". mlssoccer.com. MLS. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  8. "Raging into MLS?". sportsillustrated.com. November 8, 2003. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  9. City Says It Will Seize PAETEC Park, Citing Default. WYSL.
  10. Utica businessman buys Rhinos; 2008 season a go. Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
  11. "ROCHESTER RHINOS JOIN NEW NASL". Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  12. "Club Listing". USSF Division-2 Pro League. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011.
  13. "Rhinos Name Myers Head Coach". Rhinossoccer.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2011.
  14. "Lilley Decides not to Return". Rhinossoccer.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011.
  15. "Rhinos, Revolution Form Partnership". Rochester Rhinos. January 28, 2013. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  16. "Ercoli Returns to Coach Rochester Rhinos". Rhinossoccer.com. May 19, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  17. DiVeronica, Jeff (January 6, 2016). "Clark out as Rhinos owner; USL takes control of team". Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  18. "New Rhinos owners are part owners of Sacramento Kings". Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  19. "New Ownership Announced for Rochester Rhinos". United Soccer League (USL). March 10, 2016. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  20. "The Crisis in Constitutionalism", A Machine That Would Go of Itself, Routledge, July 12, 2017, pp. 185–216, doi:10.4324/9781315083384-9, ISBN 9781315083384
  21. Mendola, Nicholas (August 22, 2018). "Rochester Rhinos to move to USL D-3, return by 2020". ProSoccerTalk. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  22. "Episode 151: Pat Ercoli (President Rochester Rhinos) Part 2 from Uncle Sam's Soccer Podcast". www.stitcher.com. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  23. "USL Preview | Meet the Rochester Rhinos". ottawafuryfc.com. Ottawa Fury/SportsEngine. November 15, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  24. Ence, Jason (March 21, 2016). "Eastern Conference Preview: Rochester Rhinos". louisvillecoopers.com. Louisville Coopers. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  25. "Sources: Rhinos will name Tilley head coach". Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  26. "News". rhinossoccer.com. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  27. "Division-2 Schedule and Results". USSF Division-2 Pro League.
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