Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
 | ||||
| Full name |
Rio Grande Valley Football Club Toros | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Toros | |||
| Founded | July 15, 2015 | |||
| Stadium | H-E-B Park | |||
| Stadium capacity | 9,400 | |||
| Owner | Rio Grande Valley Vipers | |||
| Head Coach | Vacant | |||
| League | USL | |||
| 2016 |
2nd, Western Conference Playoffs: Conference Quarterfinals | |||
| Website | Club home page | |||
|
| ||||
The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros are an American professional soccer team based in Edinburg, Texas operated by Lone Star, LLC. They joined the United Soccer League in the 2016 season. Lone Star has the same ownership team as the Rio Grande Valley Vipers[1] of the NBA Development League with Alonzo Cantu as majority owner.
The team will serve as a hybrid affiliate of the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.[1] Chris Canetti, Houston Dynamo president, called the relationship "an important and necessary step." The hybrid affiliation, a first for the USL, means that the Dynamo will be responsible for the tactical part of the club - selecting players and coaching staff. The ownership group, Lone Star, will be responsible for operations and day-to-day management of the club.[1][2]
History
In September 2014, Dynamo officials met with USL officials about creating a USL team and announced their intention to have a USL team in place for the 2016 season.[3][4]
In March 2015, Bert Garcia announced that the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA D-league had been awarded a franchise pending concrete plans for a stadium and a name[5] and confirmed a report[6] on MLSSoccer.com that the Houston Dynamo would likely be the MLS affiliate for the USL team in the Rio Grande Valley.
In December 2015, the Houston Dynamo signed Dynamo Academy product Juan "Charly" Flores as the first player of the Toros.
Stadium
The club has a 9,400-seat soccer-specific stadium in Edinburg, Texas for the team. It opened after the Toros played three games at the soccer complex at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to start the season. [7]
Players and staff
Current roster
Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of February 27, 2016.
| No. | Position | Player | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Goalkeeper | Sanchez, ArturoArturo Sanchez |  Mexico
|
| 3 | Defender | Hunter, TaylorTaylor Hunter |  United States
|
| 4 | Midfielder | Malki, GeorgeGeorge Malki | United States
|
| 5 | Defender | Magalhães, IvanIvan Magalhães |  Brazil
|
| 7 | Midfielder | Rodriguez, MemoMemo Rodriguez | United States
|
| 8 | Midfielder | Ward, CharlieCharlie Ward |  England
|
| 9 | Forward | Catic, DzenanDzenan Catic |  Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
| 10 | Midfielder | Bird, EricEric Bird | United States
|
| 12 | Forward | Luna, RubénRubén Luna | Mexico
|
| 15 | Defender | Greene, KaiKai Greene | United States
|
| 17 | Forward | Casner, T. J.T. J. Casner | United States
|
| 18 | Forward | Murphy, KyleKyle Murphy | United States
|
| 19 | Forward | Flores, CharlyCharly Flores | United States
|
| 20 | Defender | Ayala, LeoLeo Ayala | United States
|
| 22 | Midfielder | Verso, EricEric Verso | United States |
Staff
Bert Garcia - Acting President
Vacant - Head Coach
Vacant - Assistant Coach
References
- 1 2 3 Houston Dynamo reach affiliate agreement to start USL club: "It’s an important and necessary step", MLSoccer.com, July 15, 2015
- ↑ RGVFC awarded the USL's newest franchise, Houston Dyanamo, July 15, 2015
- ↑ Houston Dynamo brass meet with representatives in McAllen, Texas, about creating USL PRO team, MLSSoccer.com, September 9, 2014.
- ↑ Houston Dynamo GM: McAllen One of Many Possible Locations for USL-Pro Team, PlayingFor90.com, September 14, 2014
- ↑ USL PRO awards Vipers professional soccer franchise, The Monitor, March 30, 2015
- ↑ Lovell, Darrell (March 24, 2015), Houston Dynamo partnering with NBA D-League franchise to form USL team for 2016 season, MLSsoccer.com
- ↑ USL soccer stadium to be completed by March (Press Release), Action 4 News, August 11, 2015.
External links
| Australian rules football | |
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| Roller derby |
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| Rugby union | |
| Soccer |
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| Softball | |
| Ultimate | |
| College athletics (NCAA Division I) | |
