Philly Leader

Philadelphia Union has appointed Ryan Richter as the new head coach of Union II, marking him as the fourth individual to hold this position. Richter's experience within the organization spans several years, having served in various coaching capacities since 2018. Most recently, he was an assistant coach for the first team.

Ernst Tanner, Philadelphia Union Sporting Director, stated: “Ryan’s new role as head coach of Union II is a great testament of our commitment to developing talent not only in our players, but also in our coaches and staff. His dedication and alignment to our club’s philosophy makes him a great leader and mentor for players coming through the Union pipeline. We’re excited to see him continue to grow and contribute to the overall success of the organization.”

Jon Scheer, Philadelphia Union’s Director of Academy and Professional Development, expressed enthusiasm about Richter's appointment: “We are incredibly excited to name Ryan Richter as the next head coach of Union II. Ryan’s experience across our entire pathway has given him a deep understanding of our club’s values, both on and off the pitch. I am confident Ryan will build upon the unprecedented success Union II achieved last year while remaining steadfast in his commitment to our core mission of developing players who can ultimately contribute to the sustainable success of our First Team in MLS.”

Richter, aged 35, previously served three seasons as an assistant coach for the First Team after being appointed on January 18, 2022. During his tenure, the team recorded a 43-29-30 record over 102 regular season matches and achieved a 4-1-1 record in six postseason games. Notably, he contributed to leading the team to their first-ever MLS Cup Final in 2022.

Before his role with the First Team, Richter was Head Coach for Union Academy U15’s team which reached its first MLS Next Cup Final in 2021 following four single-elimination playoff victories. He also held positions such as Director of Philadelphia Union Junior Academy and coached teams including U12s and U17s.

Richter's professional soccer career spanned seven years following his selection fifth overall by Philadelphia Union in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft. He played over two seasons with Toronto FC amassing more than 1100 minutes on field time. Additionally, he played in North American Soccer League where The Athletic named him All-Decade Best XI Player in NASL.

Collegiately at La Salle University where he captained men’s soccer team earning numerous accolades like Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of Year; Atlantic Student Athlete Year; CoSIDA/ESPN Magazine Academic All-District First Team; two-time Philadelphia Player Year; two-time regional All-American recognition.