Dominic Casciato made only one promise when he took over as head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in July last year. He wanted to give the Rowdies fans and the community a team they could be proud of again.
A year and a half later, it’s safe to say that Casciato and his refreshed Rowdies squad have more than delivered on that promise.
A 12-match unbeaten streak to start the season, a league-best 17 wins, a league-leading +24 goal differential, 15 clean sheets to match the club’s single-season shutout record, and 24 straight weeks at the top of the league standings. All the accolades earned throughout the season were building toward Saturday night, though, as the Rowdies sealed their first silverware since 2021 by defeating Detroit City FC to clinch the 2026 USL Championship Players’ Shield.
“This is why you do it, right, for nights like this,” said Casciato. “They don’t come around every day, so you’ve got to enjoy it. I just think the people that we’ve been able to do it with this year, in terms of the players who have been wonderful, and the staff, I love working with all of them. It just makes tonight even more special.”
Given the consistency the Rowdies have shown throughout the season, it’s easy to forget this roster was rebuilt from the ground up in the offseason. Only two senior players were retained after the club missed out on qualifying for last year’s playoffs. In total, 22 new players have suited up for the Green and Gold this season.
“This is year one of a project where we have (over 20) new players,” said Casciato. “If you look at the other teams that have that many new players in our league, they’re at the bottom of the table. So, the fact that we’re able to do what we’ve done is pretty incredible, and the players deserve all the credit in the world for that, as do the rest of the staff. We’re only just getting started, and I’m really excited for what’s ahead.”
Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite, who was also a part of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC side that won the Players’ Shield in 2023, believes the key to this year’s successful campaign in Tamp Bay has come down to the trust the players have established in the locker room since day one of preseason in January.
“We’ve got to be able to hold each other accountable without affecting anyone’s performances,” said Waite. “It’s just knowing your teammate and knowing what’s gonna lift someone up and what’s gonna bring them down. It’s about being able to just get through that together.”
The evidence of just how close this group of players have become over the course of the year was on full display following midfielder Sebastian Cruz’s sublime long-range strike to pull ahead of Detroit and clinch the Players’ Shield. Cruz was swarmed by his teammates in the ensuing celebration, soaking in the moment together as they realized they were only a few more minutes away from lifting the Players’ Shield on home turf.
“When you play with a group of guys like that and a coaching staff like that, it means the world,” said Cruz. “They give you confidence… I take a lot of pride in that. I take a lot of pride in playing as hard as I can for my teammates and for the coaching staff. And I love all those guys. I love the coaching staff. And just the camaraderie that we have, it’s unmatched.”
Cruz is the prime example of the type of player the Rowdies were looking to bring in to start rebuilding the club’s reputation as a title contender. The California native was humble, driven to improve every single day, and eager to prove himself in his debut season in the USL Championship.
“First and foremost, we wanted to recruit players that were open and hungry,” said Casciato. “Open to being coached, open to doing things the way we wanted to do it, but also hungry to represent this club and this community with distinction. So that’s been the secret to our success, really. Alongside that, we brought in a wonderful bunch of guys, and they get along really well off the field. That carries on to the field, and these guys are warriors. They give absolutely everything in every moment, and that’s why we’re top of the league. I’m really proud of these guys.”
This year’s group of players have already etched their names in club history by bringing the regular season title back home to Tampa Bay. By doing so, the Rowdies have also ensured that the road to the USL Championship Final runs through Al Lang Stadium.
As the Players’ Shield winners, the Rowdies have secured hosting rights throughout the playoffs as they chase the club’s third championship star.
“Lifting the shield at home means so much to us,” said Cruz. “It means a lot. We take a lot of pride in playing in front of our fans. It’s just very special to us, very special, especially for a group that was very new at the beginning of the season. Even though it was new, we knew we had the talent to do great things. We just had to apply it on the field. We’re very proud of what we’ve done, but we know this is just the beginning. …We’re focused on the playoffs as well because we feel like we have the team and the talent to make a great run.”
