| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1999-08-20)August 20, 1999 (age 26) | ||
| Place of birth | New York City, New York, United States | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rhode Island FC | ||
| Number | 14 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2014–2017 | New York SC | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | Georgetown Hoyas | 44 | (2) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019 | Manhattan SC | 14 | (0) |
| 2021 | Orlando City | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | Loudoun United | 20 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | New York City FC II | 33 | (1) |
| 2024 | New York City FC | 0 | (0) |
| 2025– | Rhode Island FC | 13 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 25, 2025 | |||
Rio Hope-Gund (born August 20, 1999) is an Americansoccer player who plays as adefender forRhode Island FC.
Hope-Gund was a four-year starter and served as captain atFriends Seminary inManhattan, helping his high school team to three-consecutive league wins and a state championship in 2016. He was also a four-year started with club side New York Soccer Club, helping the team to back-to-back NPL National Championships in 2015 and 2016.[1]
Hope-Gund playedcollege soccer atGeorgetown University. Afterredshirting in 2017, he made 16 appearances for theHoyas including four starts and scoring two goals as the team won both the Big East regular season title and Big East tournament in 2018.[1] In 2019, he started in all 20 games as part of a defense that posted 13 shutouts. Georgetown won all three competitions they played in: defending the Big East regular season title, winning a third consecutive Big East tournament, and claiming the firstNational Championship in program history.[2] After the postponement of the2020 fall season until spring 2021 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic,[3] Hope-Gund elected to return despite having been drafted byOrlando City in January 2021. He made a further eight appearances for the Hoyas until his departure for Orlando in April having helped the team top the conference spring series standings.[4] He was named Big East defender of the year and earned Big East All-Conference first team honors at the end of regular season awards.[5] In total he made 44 appearances for the Hoyas, scoring two goals and tallying two assists.
While at college, Hope-Gund played withUSL League Two sideManhattan SC during the 2019 season, starting every game for the club as the team finished third in the Northeast Division.[6]
On January 21, 2021, Hope-Gund was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the2021 MLS SuperDraft byOrlando City.[7] He missed preseason camp, electing to return to Georgetown to play during the delayed college spring season before eventually being signed by the team to a one-year contract with three option years on April 8, 2021.[8] He spent the entire season with the team and was named as a substitute 17 times but never made an appearance and had his contract option declined at the end of the year.[9]
On February 11, 2022, Hope-Gund was announced as a signing forUSL Championship sideLoudoun United ahead of their 2022 season.[10] He made his professional debut on March 12, 2022, starting and captaining Loudoun to a 1–0 win againstIndy Eleven.[11]
After a season withNew York City FC II in theMLS Next Pro in 2023, Hope-Gund signed with their MLS roster on March 1, 2024.[12] He was released by NYCFC following their 2024 season.[13]
On April 5, 2025, Hope-Gund signed a short-term deal with USL Championship sideRhode Island FC.[14][15]
Hope-Gund'stwin brother, Kofi, played soccer as a goalkeeper atAmherst College.[1][16] He also currently plays for NYCFC II.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Playoffs | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manhattan SC | 2019[6] | USL League Two | 14 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| Orlando City | 2021 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Loudoun United | 2022 | USL Championship | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |
| Career total | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | ||
Georgetown Hoyas
Individual
