| 2017 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owners | David and Wendy Dworkin | |||
| Head coach | Bob Lilley | |||
| Stadium | Capelli Sport Stadium | |||
| USL | 4th, Eastern Conference | |||
| USL Playoffs | Conference semifinals | |||
| U.S. Open Cup | Fourth Round | |||
| Highest home attendance | 3,459 (4/22 vs. NYRB2) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 963 (10/10 vs. BST) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 2,031 | |||
| Biggest win | ROC 4–0 CLT (4/29) | |||
| Biggest defeat | CHS 5–0 ROC (4/15) | |||
The 2017 Rochester Rhinos season was the club's 22nd overall and seventh with the United Soccer League, now known as the USL Championship. The Rhinos returned to playing in Division II of men's professional soccer, as the USL and all its teams were promoted from Division III after the 2016 season. They looked to return to the USL playoffs after losing to the New York Red Bulls II in the conference semifinals the previous year.
This was the Rhinos' final season in the second tier of American professional soccer. The team initially announced that it would go on hiatus for the 2018 season. [1] [2] It later announced that it would not resume professional operations until 2020, at which time it will join USL League One, a third-level league operated by USL's parent company, United Soccer League (not to be confused with the Rhinos' former league), that will play its first season in 2019. [3]
as of June 25, 2017 [4]
| No. | Position | Nation | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Kyle Morton | |
| 2 | DF | Raymond Lee | |
| 3 | DF | Ryan Felix | |
| 4 | DF | Bradley Kamdem | |
| 5 | MF | Jordan Dover | |
| 6 | FW | Christiano François | |
| 7 | MF | Ryan James | |
| 8 | MF | Brandon Beresford | |
| 9 | MF | Stefan Defregger | |
| 10 | MF | Sofiane Tergou | |
| 11 | MF | Kenardo Forbes | |
| 12 | FW | Jochen Graf | |
| 13 | MF | Mike Garzi | |
| 15 | DF | Joe Farrell | |
| 17 | DF | Wal Fall | |
| 18 | FW | Antonio Correia | |
| 20 | DF | Todd Pratzner | |
| 21 | FW | Darius Madison | |
| 22 | MF | Jalen Brown | |
| 23 | GK | Tomas Gomez | |
| 24 | FW | Rayane Boukemia | |
| 25 | DF | Sergio Campbell | |
| 29 | MF | Samuel Edoung-Biyo | |
| 33 | GK | Daniel Lynd |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville City FC (C) | 32 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 58 | 31 | +27 | 62 | Conference Playoffs |
| 2 | Charleston Battery | 32 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 53 | 33 | +20 | 54 | |
| 3 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 32 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 50 | 35 | +15 | 53 | |
| 4 | Rochester Rhinos | 32 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 36 | 28 | +8 | 53 | |
| 5 | Charlotte Independence | 32 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 52 | 40 | +12 | 48 | |
| 6 | FC Cincinnati | 32 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 46 | 48 | −2 | 46 | |
| 7 | New York Red Bulls II | 32 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 57 | 60 | −3 | 44 | |
| 8 | Bethlehem Steel FC | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 44 | |
| 9 | Orlando City B | 32 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 37 | 36 | +1 | 42 | |
| 10 | Ottawa Fury | 32 | 8 | 14 | 10 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 38 | |
| 11 | Harrisburg City Islanders | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 28 | 47 | −19 | 37 | |
| 12 | Saint Louis FC | 32 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 35 | 48 | −13 | 36 | |
| 13 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 32 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 36 | |
| 14 | Richmond Kickers | 32 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 36 | −12 | 32 | |
| 15 | Toronto FC II | 32 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 27 | 54 | −27 | 25 |
Win Draw Loss
All times in Eastern Time.
| April 11 | Bethlehem Steel FC | 2–3 | Rochester Rhinos | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
| 4:00 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Davies Conneh | Report | Madison Fall Graf | Stadium: Goodman Stadium Attendance: 3,102 Referee: Jorge Ramírez |
| April 72 | Toronto FC II | 0–0 | Rochester Rhinos | Vaughan, Ontario |
| 7:30 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Spencer | Report | Beresford Fall | Stadium: Ontario Soccer Centre Attendance: 525 Referee: David Barrie |
| April 153 | Charleston Battery | 5–0 | Rochester Rhinos | Charleston, South Carolina |
| 7:00 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Williams Guerra Chang Thomas Anunga Mueller | Report | Fall James | Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium Attendance: 2,421 Referee: Howard Ashe |
| April 224 | Rochester Rhinos | 2–2 | New York Red Bulls II | Rochester, New York |
| 6:05 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Garzi Farrell | Report | Allen Bezecourt | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 3,459 Referee: Geoff Gamble |
| April 295 | Rochester Rhinos | 4–0 | Charlotte Independence | Rochester, New York |
| 5:05 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Fall Garzi Madison Felix Forbes | Report | Davidson Johnson Herrera | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 1,941 Referee: Greg Dopka |
| 21 May6 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–1 | Richmond Kickers | Rochester, New York |
| 4:05 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Beresford Forbes Farrell Felix | Report | Gonzalez Asante | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 2,003 Referee: Henrik Karlsson |
| 24 May7 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Rochester, New York |
| 7:05 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Fall Garzi | Report | Hristov Lowe Nanchoff | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 1,140 Referee: Matthew Franz |
| June 38 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | FC Cincinnati | Rochester, New York |
| 6:00 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Kamdem | CIN Report ROC Report Box Score | Walker Halfhill | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 2,158 Referee: Jorge Ramirez Assistant referees: Gabriel Angelone Ankur Singh Fourth official: Anthony Perdue |
| June 79 | Orlando City B | 1–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Orlando, Florida |
| 6:30 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Hines Barry Laryea | Report | Correia Fall | Stadium: Orlando City Stadium Attendance: 967 Referee: Jonathan Weiner |
| June 1010 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1–1 | Rochester Rhinos | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| 7:30 EDT (UTC−4) | Cole Collins Savage Nanchoff | Report | Graf Fall Kamdem | Stadium: Al Lang Stadium Attendance: 6,026 Referee: Kevin Broadley |
| June 1711 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | Ottawa Fury | Rochester, New York |
| 6:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Felix Farrell Tergou | Report | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 2,548 Referee: Lorant Varga |
| June 2312 | Rochester Rhinos | 0–1 | Orlando City B | Rochester, New York |
| 6:00 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Defregger Dover | Report | Timbó | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 1,243 Referee: Charles Murphy |
| July 113 | Charlotte Independence | 2–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 6:00 P.M. EDT (UTC−4) | Estrada Ross | Report | Farrell Fall | Stadium: Matthews Sportsplex Attendance: 1,623 Referee: Gustavo Solorio |
| July 514 | Saint Louis FC | 0–0 | Rochester Rhinos | Fenton, Missouri |
| 8:00 PM EDT (UTC−4) | Sheldon | Report | Lee | Stadium: World Wide Technology Soccer Park Attendance: 4,634 Referee: Dule Djurasevic |
| Note: Re-scheduled from May 6 due to flooding of World Wide Technology Soccer Park [5] [6] | ||||
| July 815 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | Harrisburg City Islanders | Rochester, New York |
| 6:05 PMEDT (UTC−4) | Madison Graf | Report | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 2,178 Referee: Ismir Pekmic |
| July 1516 | Ottawa Fury | 1–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2:00 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Barden Bruna Hume | Report | Graf Garzi | Stadium: TD Place Stadium Attendance: 5,525 Referee: Chris Grabas |
| July 2217 | Rochester Rhinos | 0–0 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | Rochester, New York |
| 6:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Report | Adewole Souto | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 3,269 Referee: Jaroslaw Werel |
| July 2618 | Rochester Rhinos | 2–0 | Toronto FC II | Rochester, New York |
| 7:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Defregger Dunn Correia | Report | Onkony | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 2,148 Referee: Jared Simons |
| July 2919 | FC Cincinnati | 2–3 | Rochester Rhinos | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 7:00 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | McLaughlin Djiby Josu Berry Jaye König Greig Walker | Report | Graf Kamdem Fall | Stadium: Nippert Stadium Attendance: 23,548 Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr. |
| August 520 | New York Red Bulls II | 2–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Montclair, New Jersey |
| 4:00 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Basuljevic Bonomo | Report | Fall | Stadium: MSU Soccer Park Attendance: 582 Referee: Charles Murphy |
| August 821 | Harrisburg City Islanders | 0–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
| 7:30 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Grosh Brent Mensah | Report | Madison Garzi | Stadium: FNB Field Attendance: 2,078 Referee: Amber O'Connor |
| August 1922 | Rochester Rhinos | 0–1 | Charleston Battery | Rochester, New York |
| 18:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Madison | Report | Hackshaw Williams Portillo Cooper | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 2,319 Referee: Bardhyl Pashaj |
| August 2623 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–2 | Saint Louis FC | Rochester, New York |
| 6:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Fall Graf | Report | Howe Rudolph Alihodžić Ledbetter | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 1,607 Referee: Lucasz Szpala |
| September 224 | Toronto FC II | 0–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Vaughan, Ontario |
| 7:30 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Report | Brown Fall | Stadium: Ontario Soccer Centre Attendance: 143 Referee: Alexis Vaughan |
| September 925 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–1 | Ottawa Fury | Rochester, New York |
| 6:00 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | François | Report | McEleney Bruna Dos Santos | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 2,345 Referee: Calin Radosav |
| September 1626 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 1–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 7:00 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Kerr | Report | Tergou Farrell | Stadium: Highmark Stadium Attendance: 2,341 Referee: Greg Dopka |
| September 2027 | Louisville City FC | 2–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Louisville, Kentucky |
| 7:30 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Davis IV Spencer | Report | Graf Lee James Gomez Felix | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 6,698 Referee: Jon Freemon |
| September 2328 | Richmond Kickers | 1–0 | Rochester Rhinos | Richmond, Virginia |
| 7:00 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Minutillo | Report | Kamdem | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 5,969 Referee: Jorge Ramirez |
| September 3029 | Rochester Rhinos | 0–0 | Louisville City FC | Rochester, New York |
| 6:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Forbes Felix | Report | Ownby Morad | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 1,775 Referee: Eric Tattersall |
| October 730 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 0–2 | Rochester Rhinos | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 7:00 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Chevy | Report | Graf Fall | Stadium: Highmark Stadium Attendance: 2,400 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic |
| October 1031 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | Bethlehem Steel FC | Rochester, New York |
| 7:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Graf | Report | Conneh | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 963 Referee: Thomas Snyder |
| October 1432 | Rochester Rhinos | 2–1 | New York Red Bulls II | Rochester, New York |
| 6:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Graf Forbes | Report | Valot | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 1,402 Referee: Ismir Pekmic |
| October 21 Conference Quarterfinals | Rochester Rhinos | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Charlotte Independence | Rochester, New York |
| 6:05 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Dover Graf François Farrell Defregger | Report | A. Martínez E. Martínez Davidson | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Attendance: 1,647 Referee: Bardhyl Pashaj |
| October 28 Conference Semi-finals | Louisville City FC | 1–0 | Rochester Rhinos | Louisville, Kentucky |
| 7:30 PM EDT (UTC-04:00) | Jimenez Ownby Ranjitsingh | Report | Felix | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 7,117 Referee: Victor Rivas |