Joined by members of Pittsburgh media, including Keith Barnes (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) and Matthew Baldwin (Substack.com/@matthewrhysbaldwin), PSN’s John Krysinsky, Mark Goodman and Colton Coreschi step up to the spot to make their bold predictions and share their insights on the 2026 Riverhounds and USL Championship season ahead of opening weekend.

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC will open the season at Charleston FC on Saturday night.

The each member shared their predictions and thoughts on the following:

How many points will the Hounds finish with this season and where will they finish in the Eastern Conference standings?
Which new player are you most interested in seeing this year?
If you had to pick one Hounds’ player who has best chance to earn All-USL First or Section selection this season, who would it be?
What would be your biggest concern for the Riverhounds heading into the 2026 season, as they defend the USL Championship title?
Who will lead the Hounds in goals scored
How many goals will the Hounds score and how many will the Hounds concede?
Which teams in USL Championship Eastern Conference finish in the Top Four

Mark Goodman and I also elaborated more on our predictions on Sounding Off On Soccer Podcast this week.

How Many Points do the Riverhounds finish with in 2026?

Colton Coreschi – 40
Matthew Baldwin – 53
Keith Barnes – 58
Mark Goodman – 54
John Krysinsky – 51

What Place Do the Riverhounds Finish in the Eastern Conference? 

Coreschi – 7th
Baldwin – 3rd
Barnes – 1st
Goodman – 3rd
Krysinsky – 4th

If you had to pick one Hounds’ player who has best chance to earn All-USL First or Section selection this season, who would it be? 

Coreschi – Robbie Mertz
Baldwin – Robbie Mertz
Barnes – Beto Ydrach
Goodman – Guillaume Vacter
Krysinsky – Guillaume Vacter

What would be your biggest concern for the Riverhounds heading into the 2026 season, as they defend the USL Championship title? 

Coreschi – Lack of continuity in goal/defense
Baldwin – The loss of Sean Suber and Eric Dick at the back and just how important they were as leaders as well as players
Barnes – Consistent scoring
Goodman –  Have they solved issues in the attacking third?  If they score more goals, but in doing so, they’ll give up more playing more open-ended
Krysinsky – It’s the first full season for new coach with little experience in managing a 30-plus match campaign, plus two additional competitions.

How do you think the Hounds will fare in non-league competitions in 2026?  (USL Cup, US Open Cup) 

Baldwin – Semifinals of the USL Cup – Round of 16 in US Open Cup
Coreschi – Make knockouts of USL Cup, early 2nd Round exit in Open Cup after beating Steel City
Barnes – USL Cup — quarterfinals. Open Cup — Round of 16.
Goodman – USL Cup knockout round / US Open Cup Third Round
Krysinsky – USL Cup Semifinal / US Open Cup First Round

Who will be the Riverhounds’ leading scorer

Coreschi – Albert Dikwa
Baldwin – Brigham Larsen
Barnes – Albert Dikwa
Goodman – Albert Dikwa
Krysinsky – Albert Dikwa

Which new Riverhounds player are you most interested to see this year?

Coreschi -Sam Bassett
Baldwin – Eliot Goldthorp
Barnes – Warren Agostino
Goodman – Sam Bassett
Krysinsky – Victor Souza / Nico Campuzano

How many goals will Hounds score in league play this year?

More than 45 – Baldwin
40-44 — Barnes
35-39 — Coreschi, Krysinsky, Goodman

How many goals will Hounds concede in league play this year?

35-39 — Coreschi, Krysinsky, Goodman
30-34 – Baldwin
Less than 30 – Barnes

Please share which teams will finish in the top four in the USL Championship Eastern Conference table in 2026?

Coreschi – Louisville City, Charleston, Rhode Island, Tampa Bay
Baldwin – Louisville City, Charleston, Pittsburgh, Indy Eleven
Barnes – Riverhounds, Louisville City, Charleston Battery, Indy Eleven
Goodman – Louisville City, Charleston, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island
Krysinsky – Louisville City, Tampa Bay, Charleston, Pittsburgh

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of ‘Miracle on the Mon’ — a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).