Rochester Rhinos is an American professional soccer team based in Rochester, New York, United States. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the USL First Division (USL-1), the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Marina Auto Stadium, formerly known as PAETEC Park, where they have played since 2006. The team's colors are black, white and yellow. Their current head coach is Englishman Darren Tilley. For most of their history the club has been known as the Rochester Raging Rhinos . The team has a sister organization, Rochester Ravens FC, who play in the women's USL W-League.

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History

The team was founded in 1996 and played in the now-defunct original A-League until it merged with the USISL for the 1997 season, creating the new A-League. The A-League was renamed the USL First Division in 2005. In 2006 the Rhinos moved into the newly-completed PAETEC Park, a 13,500-seat soccer-specific stadium. Construction at the stadium is ongoing and will, once completed, boost the capacity to approximately 20,000 seats.

The Rhinos have prided themselves on upholding a high level of play over their twelve plus year history. The team has never missed the playoffs, reaching the championship game six times (1996, 1998–2001, 2006). The Rhinos have been league champions three times (1998, 2000, 2001). They also won the 1999 U.S. Open Cup, becoming the only non-Major League Soccer team to win the cup since MLS began play in 1996.

The Rhinos was considered a candidate to be an expansion team at the MLS level when PAETEC Park was in the planning stages. ^[1]

The team was declared insolvent in 2008 after defaulting on their stadium agreement, and PAETEC Park was seized by the city of Rochester. ^[2]

On March 20, 2008, it was announced that Utica businessman Rob Clark was purchasing the team, which would then be known as the "Rochester Rhinos," and that the 2008 Rhinos season would commence as scheduled. ^[3]

On 26th February 2009 the club announced the signing of Trinidad and Tobago international Brent Sancho who played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. ^[4]

Players

Current roster

As of July 11, 2009

No. Position Player

No. Position Player

Notable former players

• Yari Allnutt
• Mauro Biello
• Steve Guppy
• Onandi Lowe
• Carlos Mendes
• Doug Miller
• Stoian Mladenov
• Pat Onstad
• Scott Palguta
• Lenin Steenkamp
• Mickey Trotman

See also All-time Rochester Rhinos roster

Year-by-year

Year	Division	League	Reg. Season	Playoffs	Open Cup	Avg. Attendance
1996	2	A-League	4th	Final	Final
1997	2	USISL A-League	2nd, Northeast	Division Semifinals	Round of 16
1998	2	USISL A-League	1st, Northeast	Champion	3rd Round
1999	2	USL A-League	1st, Northeast	Final	Champion
2000	2	USL A-League	2nd, Northeast	Champion	3rd Round
2001	2	USL A-League	2nd, Northern	Champion	2nd Round
2002	2	USL A-League	1st, Northeast	Conference Finals	3rd Round
2003	2	USL A-League	2nd, Northeast	Conference Finals	4th Round
2004	2	USL A-League	4th, Eastern	Quarterfinals	Quarterfinals
2005	2	USL First Division	2nd	Semifinals	Quarterfinals
2006	2	USL First Division	2nd	Final	4th Round
2007	2	USL First Division	5th	Quarterfinals	3rd Round
2008	2	USL First Division	4th	Semifinals	3rd Round
2009	2	USL First Division	in progress		Semifinals

Honors

• USL A-League
• * Winners (3): 1998, 2000, 2001
• * Runners-up (3): 1996, 1999, 2006
• * Northeast Division Champions (3): 1998, 1999, 2002
• U.S. Open Cup
• * Winners (1): 1999
• * Runners-up (1): 1996
• * Quarterfinals (2): 2004, 2005

Head coaches

• Pat Ercoli (1996-2003)
• Laurie Calloway (2004-2007)
• Darren Tilley (2008-present) ^[5]

Stadia

• Fauver Stadium at the University of Rochester; Rochester, New York (1996)
• Frontier Field; Rochester, New York (1996-2005)
• PAETEC Park/Rochester Rhinos Stadium/Marina Auto Stadium; Rochester, New York (2006-present)

Average attendance

• 1996: 9,991
• 1997: 10,677
• 1998: 11,499
• 1999: 11,551
• 2000: 11,600
• 2001: 10,789
• 2002: 10,008
• 2003: 10,169
• 2004: 10,200
• 2005: 9,791
• 2006: 10,110
• 2007: 9,705

Overall Average: 11,273

Supporters

The Rhinos' main supporters group is called the Rochester Stampede . During the 2007 season, the Stampede occupied section 132 at PAETEC Park. 2008-Present the group is in section 101. Tickets are in the general admission category and anyone is free to walk in and cheer with the supporters.

Traditions

It has become a tradition for the Stampede to throw green and yellow streamers onto the field after each Rhinos' goal, as well as during every opposing corner kick in front of their section.

Andrew Gregor, current Rhinos midfielder and former member of the Portland Timbers at the time, openly expressed his disdain for the streamer throwing during a match on June 1, 2008. Gregor complained to the assistant referee, who was unable to impede on the Stampede's streamer throwing. The Rhinos won the match 2-1, and Gregor was dealt to the Rhinos in a 3-team trade a month later.

References

1. [1]. Sports Illustrated.
2. CITY SAYS IT WILL SEIZE PAETEC PARK, CITING DEFAULT. WYSL.
3. Utica businessman buys Rhinos; 2008 season a go. Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
4. Rhinos Land Sancho
5. Sources: Rhinos will name Tilley head coach