Back in the Burgh: Riverhounds sign goalkeeper Ben Martino

With the team through the entirity of the preseason, the Riverhounds SC made it official on Thursday, announcing the signing of goalkeeper Ben Martino, who is a former Hounds Academy product.

At one time, Martino attended Allderdice High School and played his youth soccer with Pittsburgh Dynamo SC,

Martino left Pittsburgh to train with Philadelphia Union Academy,

“Ben is a young keeper with good technical qualities and pro experience already under his belt. We are excited to see his progression this year back in Pittsburgh,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said.

Shortly after arriving with Union Academy, Martino also signed on to play with Bethlehem Steel FC (in 2019) which became Union 2 (in 2020) when they were still competing in USL Championship.  Two of the three matches Martino started for Union 2 in the 2020 campaign came against the Riverhounds (Hounds won 6-0, 2-1 in those matches).  After two years at Virginia Tech (34 appearances),

Martino’s contract Philadelphia was picked up by Nashville SC, who loaned him to MLS Next Pro club Huntsville, where he made over 30 appearances in 2023-24.

Martino is yet another former Huntsville teammate of Danny Griffin.

Martino played in the RDA while attending Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh through the age of 16, when he left to join the Philadelphia Union Academy. The goalkeeper made his senior-level debut in the USL Championship at age 17, appearing in three matches as an academy player with Philadelphia Union II before graduating and playing college soccer at Virginia Tech.

After two seasons and 34 starts with the Hokies, Martino turned pro after his sophomore season by signing with Nashville, which acquired his rights in a transfer deal with the Union in January 2023. Martino became a regular in net for the club’s Huntsville team in MLS Next Pro, making 30 appearances and recording three clean sheets across two seasons.

The Hounds now have three goalkeepers under contract for the 2025 season, which kicks off this Saturday, March 8, when the team travels to face North Carolina FC at 7 p.m. in a match that will be shown live on SportsNet Pittsburgh and streamed on ESPN+.