PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC announced on Monday it had signed defender Luke Biasi to a multi-year contract ahead of the 2026 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Biasi joins Rising following four seasons with fellow USL Championship club Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (2022-2025), where he contributed seven assists across 120 appearances (91 starts). Notably, the 26-year-old made a career high 40 appearances across all competitions last season, helping anchor a defense that didn’t concede a single goal in its final six matches en route to winning the 2025 USL Championship Final.

“[Biasi] is an experienced player in this league and also a champion,” said Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah. “He has the experience that we need and is coming in to compete and help us continue our development and growth as a club. It's always good to have winners in your building because the way they will set the standard and command as well as demand from their own teammates is going to be great.”

A native of Buford, Georgia, Biasi played soccer collegiately at the University of Memphis (2017-2020) and Syracuse (2021). The defender made four goal contributions, starting 58 of a possible 67 matches while in college. Notably, he led Memphis to its first 10-win season in eight years as a Tiger in 2019.

Biasi joins a Rising defense that conceded just two goals in its final six matches of 2025 in all competitions and returns at least three of its starters from 2025 in Collin Smith, Daniel Flores and Rafael Czichos.

“I think the club speaks for itself,” Biasi said. “[Phoenix] is one of the best markets in the league, [Rising] has been a winning team in recent years and the fans as well as atmosphere are amazing. I won a lot at [Pittsburgh] and would like to do the same in the West.”