EDINBURG, Texas (Tuesday, February 8, 2022) – Rio Grande Valley FC announced today that the club has signed forward Frank Lopez to the 2022 USL Championship roster, pending league and federation approval.
Lopez (5-9, 154) rejoins the Toros lineup after a productive performance in 2021. The Cuban national was previously acquired on loan from fellow USL Championship club OKC Energy FC on September 3, 2021 and quickly made an impact on the pitch.
The 26-year-old scored his first goal with RGV on September 11 in the 80th minute of a 1-1 draw against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on the road, and also added a pair of assists in 10 appearances for the club as the Toros advanced to the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs.
“Frank is returning with the Toros looking for continuity and solid performances where he could establish himself as one of the best top scorers in this League”, said Toros Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera.
Lopez has recorded 32 goals in 91 regular-season appearances in the Championship overall, having arrived in the league in 2018 with the LA Galaxy II. In addition, Lopez has also competed in the league for San Antonio FC and Sacramento Republic FC.
On the international level, Lopez has represented Cuba at the U-23, U-20 and U-17 levels while competing for hometown club FC Cienfuegos. While with the U-20 squad, Lopez scored twice on against Canada during the 2015 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Jamaica. Later that year, he defected to the United States during 2015 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying in the United States, from where he joined the Miami Soccer Academy.
RGV FC is set to open up the 2022 season on Saturday, March 12 when they host Oakland Roots SC at H-E-B Park in Edinburg,TX.
Season tickets are now available at https://www.rgvfc.com or at the H-E-B Park box office.
TRANSACTION: Rio Grande Valley FC sign forward Frank Lopez.
PLAYER PROFILE
FULL NAME: Frank Lopez
DATE OF BIRTH: February 25, 1995
HEIGHT: 5’9”
WEIGHT: 154 lbs.
BIRTHPLACE: Cienfuegos, Cuba
HOMETOWN: Cienfuegos, Cuba
NATIONALITY: Cuba
ABOUT RIO GRANDE VALLEY FC
The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (RGV FC) enter their seventh season in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship in 2022. The club plays at H-E-B Park, a state-of-the-art soccer specific stadium that holds 9,700 people, the club trains in H-E-B Park’s world class training facility adjacent to the stadium. RGV FC is the only professional soccer team located within the Rio Grande Valley. For more information, please visit www.www.rgvfc.com/rgvfc.
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