Pittsburgh Riverhound’s Centerback Led Team To 17 Shutouts
Joe Greenspan led the Hounds to a first-place position in the Eastern Conference.
After his best season, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s Joe Greenspan named USL Championship Defender of the Year. He led the Hounds to 17 shutouts, which tied the league’s regular season record set by the Rochester Rhinos in 2015. For the first time in club history, Pittsburgh first in first place in the Eastern Conference.
Greenspan played in 15 of the 17 shutouts during the regular season. He led the Hounds with 159 clearances and won 69.4 percent of duels and 75 percent of aerial duels. He also had 49 interceptions and 193 recoveries.
The former Navy standout was only dribbled past by an opponent on 12 occasions while conceding only 25 fouls, none of which led to a penalty kick. He also proved adept at the other end of the field, scoring four goals and adding two assists as one of the top set-piece threats in the league.
Greenspan garnered 61 percent of the vote to earn the award, while Indy Eleven’s Neveal Hackshaw finished second on 22 percent and Louisville City FC’s Oscar Jimenez finished third on 17 percent.
The 2019 USL Championship Awards were voted on by team management and a league-wide media panel that included representation from every USL Championship market. Voting was conducted following the conclusion of the 2019 Championship regular season.
