PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC announced on Wednesday it had signed former Riverhounds Academy midfielder Nate Dragisich to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2025 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

The signing marks a significant moment for the Hounds as Dragisich, a Pittsburgh native who played at West Allegheny High School and collegiately at Duquesne University, becomes the first player to play his youth soccer for Riverhounds Development Academy teams and then sign a professional contract with the First Team.

“Nate trained with the First Team when he was an Academy player and impressed, and he went on to have a productive college career at Duquesne,” said Hounds Head Coach Bob Lilley. “He works hard, is composed in the final third and is very good technically. We look forward to his continued development with our group in 2024.”

Dragisich began attending Riverhounds Academy training sessions from the program’s inception in 2007, and he continued to develop with the Hounds as they later established their competitive teams, playing for the RDA from 2014-18 before committing to Duquesne.

With the Hounds Academy, Dragisich was named an Elite Clubs National League All-American, in addition to being the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Player of the Year for his play leading West Allegheny to a state championship in 2018.

“The entire Academy staff is delighted and proud to see Nate sign for our professional team,” Riverhounds Academy Director Scott Gibson said.

“Our vision in 2007 was to provide a platform for young players in Pittsburgh to have the opportunity to make it pro after developing through the Academy system. Nate joined us for our first-ever training program as a young boy in 2007 and developed each year through the competitive RDA team model. We hope Nate will inspire a generation of players who are in the Academy that aspire to follow his path to play professionally and represent the City of Pittsburgh.”

As a college player with the Dukes, Dragisich posted nine goals and 24 assists, finishing third on the school’s all-time assists list. He was an All-Atlantic 10 Rookie Team selection in 2019 and on on the all-conference Second Team in 2021, the year he also helped guide the Dukes to the final of the Atlantic 10 Tournament and the first of three consecutive conference tournament appearances.