PAWTUCKET, R.I. – Rhode Island FC announced on Friday it had signed midfielder Clay Holstad and defenders Karifa Yao and Frank Nodarse to multi-year contract extensions. The transactions are pending league and federation approval.

The trio of starters were the only three players to surpass the 3,000-minute mark for the club in 2024, tallying a combined 11 goals and four assists in 112 appearances.

“Clay, Frank, and Karifa are a core group of players that earned the majority of minutes in our inaugural season,” said Rhode Island FC Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith. “We are excited to continue building off our moment from last year and look forward to a successful future with these three remaining a big part of that foundation.”

Holstad was one of RIFC’s most dynamic midfielders in 2024, scoring four goals and adding two assists in 3,052 minutes across 37 appearances. He finished third on the team with 44 total shots (18 on target) and second with 1,474 passes. Holstad joined Nodarse as one of six RIFC players to earn multiple Team of the Week selections after picking up the weekly honor in March and October, and was responsible for the first home goal in club history when he picked out the top-right corner from close range against Phoenix Rising FC on April 26.

Nodarse enjoyed a breakout season as one of just two players to appear in all 38 games last season, making 35 starts in the heart of the RIFC backline. The Cuban native scored a career-high six goals in 3,105 minutes while leading the club in interceptions (55), tackles won (55), and total duels won (234). Nodarse was a dangerous aerial threat for RIFC, scoring five of his six goals off of headers. He earned two selections to the USL Championship Team of the Week in July, the first of which came after scoring the first brace of his career in a dramatic 3-3 draw vs. Indy Eleven on July 5.

Yao appeared in all but one game in 2024, making 36 starts in his first season in the USL Championship. He led the team in minutes (3,247), passes (1,508), clearances (153) and blocks (29), and was a critical piece of an RIFC defense that kept 10 clean sheets. He also added one goal and one assist, scoring his first goal during the club’s 2-2 draw vs. Sacramento Republic FC on May 11. He also played a major role in forcing the game-winning own-goal in the Eastern Conference Final.