Riverhounds strengthen back line with signing of defender Victor Souza

Riverhounds SC has signed defender Victor Souza, adding to their back line for the 2026 season.

The deal includes a team option for 2027 and is pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval.

Souza, 24, spent his first three professional seasons with New England Revolution II in MLS Next Pro after being drafted by the Revolution in the second round of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Boston College, where he was a two-time All-ACC Third Team selection.

“After a successful college career in the ACC and three strong years in MLS Next Pro, Victor is well prepared for the demands of USL Championship soccer,” Riverhounds’ Sporting Director Dan Visser said.

“He has everything we look for in a center back, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to Pittsburgh.”

Across his three seasons with Revs II, Souza amassed 70 total appearances and led the team in minutes played in 2023, his first pro season. He had two goals and an assist in MLS Next Pro, and he also made one appearance with the MLS side, recording an assist off the bench against the Chicago Fire in this year’s U.S. Open Cup.

Hailing from the Ozone Park neighborhood in Queens, N.Y., Souza played in the New York City FC Academy as a youth player, helping them to a 2019 national championship before beginning his college career.

John K’s Initial Thoughts on Signing of Victor Souza

The last Riverhounds’ center back addition who previously played for New England Revolution II, was Mike DeShields, who was on the 2023 and 2024 Hounds’ roster (before a rare in-season transfer to Hartford). Prior to that, former Pitt standout Edward Kizza initially came to the Riverhounds’ on loan from the Revs in 2022, before signing on to a deal with Pittsburgh.

Souza reunites with former Revs II teammate Nico Campuzano, who signed with Pittsburgh on January 2. The duo joins the likes of Pierre Cayet and Trevor Zwetsloot, who also went on to play with the Riverhounds after departing New England Revolution II.

In addition to DeShields, Sean Suber, Jackson Walti are other current and recent Hounds who played initially in MLS Next Pro, then quickly became part of the squad rotation.

Souza has decent size (6’2″) and athletic ability and appears to be a good fit with the existing group of Hounds’ defenders — and maybe most importantly — a familiarity in playing with Campuzano.

In Souza’s case, if the Hounds opt to keep playing three center back system, he will be in contention for starting time alongside returnees Beto Ydrach and Guillaume Vacter and Illal Osumanu.

Looking at Souza’s past three seasons in New England playing mostly with the MLS Next Pro side, he provided stability for the team in the back, with 25 appearances in 2025 (all starts) — ranking highly among his peers in numerous categories (successful passes 81%, accurate long balls 78%, chances created 72%, duels won 92% (90% aerial) but was also prone to fouls (18 committed) and yellow cards (7 in 25 matches).

Riverhounds 2026 Roster (as of 1/16/2026)

1. Junior Etou — MF — (re-signed for 2025-26, contract option for 2027)
2. Illal Osumanu — D –(re-signed for 2025-26, contract option for 2027)
3. Charles Ahl –MF — (signed for 2025-26, contract option for 2027)
4. Brigham Larsen — F — (signed for 2025-26, contract option for 2027)
5. Jorge Garcia — MF — (signed for 2026, contract option for 2027)
6. Guillaume Vacter — D — (signed for 2026, contract option for 2027)
7. Beto Ydrach — D — (signed for 2026, contract option for 2027)
8. Perrin Barnes — D — (signed for 2026, contract option for 2027)
9. Bradley Sample — MF (signed for 2026-27, contract option for 2028)
10. Jackson Walti — MF (signed for 2026, contract option for 2027)
11. Danny Griffin — MF / Captain (signed for 2026-27, contract option for 2028)
12. Robbie Mertz — MF (signed for 2026-27, contract option for 2028)
13. Nico Campuzano — GK (signed for 2026, contract option for 2027)
14. Eliot Goldthorpe — MF (signed for 2026, contract option for 2027)
15. Albert Dikwa — F — (reacquired from Rhode Island — terms TBA)
16. Victor Souza — D (signed for 2026, contract option for 2027)