The Pittsburgh Riverhounds have announced goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap will retire following the 2016 USL season.
The club announced the news only a couple hours before the Riverhounds were set to face FC Cincinnati in the team’s final game of the season (the Hounds didn’t qualify for the USL playoffs.)
Gilstrap has made more than 100 appearances for the Riverhounds (102), making him one of 10 players to do so with the club. Gilstrap didn’t start his career with the Riverhounds, but he did spend a majority of it with the Hounds. He came to the Riverhounds in 2010 and stayed in Pittsburgh until the end of the 2014 season.
In 2015, Gilstrap went to the Charlotte Independence, but, for the 2016 season, the Riverhounds elected to bring the goalkeeper back.
The Riverhounds announced Gilstrap will continue his role as director of goalkeeping for the Riverhounds Academy. Gilstrap started the goalkeeping program in 2012.
“Having Hunter be a part of this franchise for the better part of the past six years has been invaluable,” said club owner Tuffy Shallenberger. “His contributions to the pro team and the Academy are ones that not only I, but the entire Riverhounds organization, are thankful for. I am very happy to have him remain a big part of our Academy as we continue to grow and build towards a brighter future.”
Gilstrap said he was happy to have played so long in Pittsburgh but felt it was just time to retire.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to spend the majority of my playing career in Pittsburgh with the Riverhounds,” Gilstrap said. “I feel like the time is right to close this chapter of my life and move on to the next one. I look forward to continuing to work with the organization through my role as director of goalkeeping in the Academy.”
The Riverhounds plan to honor Gilstrap’s career at halftime against FC Cincinnati, which kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. EDT.
Image credit: Riverhounds.com
