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Rio Hope-Gund

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Rio Hope-Gund
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-08-20) August 20, 1999 (age 24)
Place of birth New York City, New York, United States
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 New York City FC
Number 2
Youth career
2014–2017 New York SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Georgetown Hoyas 44 (2)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019 Manhattan SC 14 (0)
2021 Orlando City 0 (0)
2022 Loudoun United 20 (0)
2023 New York City FC II 24 (0)
2024– New York City FC 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 17, 2023

Rio Hope-Gund (born August 20, 1999) is an American soccer player who plays as a defender who plays for Major League Soccer club New York City FC.

Career

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Youth

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Hope-Gund was a four-year starter and served as captain at Friends Seminary in Manhattan, helping his high school team to three-consecutive league wins and a state championship in 2016. He was also a four-year started with club side New York Soccer Club, helping the team to back-to-back NPL National Championships in 2015 and 2016.[1]

College & Amateur

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Hope-Gund played college soccer at Georgetown University. After redshirting in 2017, he made 16 appearances for the Hoyas including four starts and scoring two goals as the team won both the Big East regular season title and Big East tournament in 2018.[1] In 2019, he started in all 20 games as part of a defense that posted 13 shutouts. Georgetown won all three competitions they played in: defending the Big East regular season title, winning a third consecutive Big East tournament, and claiming the first National Championship in program history.[2] After the postponement of the 2020 fall season until spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[3] Hope-Gund elected to return despite having been drafted by Orlando City in January 2021. He made a further eight appearances for the Hoyas until his departure for Orlando in April having helped the team top the conference spring series standings.[4] He was named Big East defender of the year and earned Big East All-Conference first team honors at the end of regular season awards.[5] In total he made 44 appearances for the Hoyas, scoring two goals and tallying two assists.

While at college, Hope-Gund played with USL League Two side Manhattan SC during the 2019 season, starting every game for the club as the team finished third in the Northeast Division.[6]

Professional

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Orlando City

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On January 21, 2021, Hope-Gund was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City.[7] He missed preseason camp, electing to return to Georgetown to play during the delayed college spring season before eventually being signed by the team to a one-year contract with three option years on April 8, 2021.[8] He spent the entire season with the team and was named as a substitute 17 times but never made an appearance and had his contract option declined at the end of the year.[9]

Loudoun United

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On February 11, 2022, Hope-Gund was announced as a signing for USL Championship side Loudoun United ahead of their 2022 season.[10] He made his professional debut on March 12, 2022, starting and captaining Loudoun to a 1–0 win against Indy Eleven.[11]

New York City

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After a season with New York City FC II in the MLS Next Pro in 2023, Hope-Gund signed with their MLS roster on March 1, 2024.[12]

Personal life

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Hope-Gund's twin brother, Kofi, played soccer as a goalkeeper at Amherst College.[1][13] He also currently plays for NYCFC II.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of April 17, 2022[14]
Club Season League National cup Playoffs Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Manhattan SC 2019[6] USL League Two 14 0 — — 14 0
Orlando City 2021 Major League Soccer 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Loudoun United 2022 USL Championship 6 0 0 0 — 6 0
Career total 20 0 0 0 0 0 20 0

Honors

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Georgetown Hoyas

Individual

  • Big East Defender of the Year: 2020–21[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Rio Hope-Gund - Men's Soccer".
  2. ^ "Hoyas win first Men's College Cup in penalty kick shoot out". NBC Sports.
  3. ^ "NCAA DI Council approves moving fall championships to the spring". www.ncaa.com.
  4. ^ Goff, Steven. "Georgetown Hoyas win again but lose two players to pros". Washington Post.
  5. ^ a b "BIG EAST Men's Soccer Regular Season Awards announced". SoccerWire.
  6. ^ a b "Manhattan SC - 2019 Regular Season - Roster - #3 - Rio Hope-Gund - D". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  7. ^ "KOONTZ | Hoyas to the MLS: Rio Hope-Gund Drafted 19th by Orlando City SC". February 5, 2021.
  8. ^ "Orlando City SC Signs 2021 MLS SuperDraft Selection Rio Hope-Gund | Orlando City". orlandocitysc.
  9. ^ "Orlando City Exercises Contract Options on 11 Players Following 2021 MLS Season". orlandocitysc.
  10. ^ "Loudoun United FC add trio of defensive signings". Loudoun United FC. February 11, 2022.
  11. ^ "Match Center | USLChampionship.com". www.uslchampionship.com.
  12. ^ "New York City FC Signs Defender Rio Hope-Gund".
  13. ^ "Kofi Hope-Gund - Amherst College". Amherst College.
  14. ^ Rio Hope-Gund at Soccerway
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